What's So Scary About Yoga?

It's almost Halloweener ... the scariest holiday of all! Mwahahahahaha! 'Tis the season to eat too much candy, carve pumpkins, watch scary movies, and dress your pets up in embarrassing costumes for your amusement (even though they look really melancholy about it).

 What?! I think they are the cutest pumpkins in the whole world!

Anyhoo.. Because I'm feeling festive, I wanted to address the fact that many people are still scared of YOGA! Get ready... I'm going to tell you some SCARY stuff about yoga!

1. Yogis Go To Hell. Recently, some Baptist minister said Christians shouldn't do yoga because, well, he says it best: "Christians who practice yoga are embracing, or at minimum flirting with, a spiritual practice that threatens to transform their own spiritual lives into a “post-Christian, spiritually polyglot” reality." I'm not going to get into the debate here, but I will say that personally, I think the food they serve in those church pot lucks dinners is a WHOLE lot scarier than breathing and stretching. Except for maybe that banana pudding with the vanilla wafers in it...That's good stuff.

2. It Will Turn You Into a Girly Man. I've loved all the recent posts on MindBodyGreen.com about men and yoga. It's a big push to get men more involved in the practice and show them that there's nothing to be afraid of.  But the reality is, a lot of men are scared of yoga. They think they'll look like wimps who wear Speedos, become vegetarians, and have to stop drinking beer. Silly boys!

3. You Will Fall on Your Face. Actually, there's a pretty good chance this one will happen. I'd say that no one else in class will notice or that if they do they would never laugh at you, but the truth is.. I laugh every time I see somebody fall in yoga class. I can't help it. It's funny. But once you've been to a few yoga classes you'll realize it's not a big deal. It's kind of really fun be challenged and then laugh at yourself when you fall on your face.

Yes, yoga is hard core. For some people, it's down right terrifying--like bungee jumping or Freddy Krueger movies. So, here's my suggestion. If you're scared of yoga, don't celebrate Halloween with your usual trip to a haunted house or pumpkin patch...  get to a studio instead. I promise it will be a rush! Just remember that when you start practicing at home, your pets will try to sabotage you by running under your feet during balancing poses. Consider it your pay back for dressing them like a pumpkin and posting their pictures on the Internet. :)