The Yoga and Body Image Coalition is on a mission to advocate social justice by “challenging industry leaders and media creators to expand their vision of what a yogi looks like.” But unfortunately, even in this modern age, there are still many misleading stereotypes about how a yogi looks like. Don’t miss out these five most common misconception about yogis’ appearance, as you might be in for a surprise.
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A Yogi Has to be a Vegan or at Least a Vegetarian
This is a hot debate among yogis around the globe: whether or not a yogi should be vegetarian.
Some say if you eat meat, it’s not true yoga practice because ahimsa (practice of nonviolence) discourages Yogis from eating meat. As mentioned on get a wingman, you can’t be thoroughly healthy until your diet includes meat. They argue that they feel flimsy and experience the Vata Imbalance conditions.
Take Supina, a middle aged mother of two who lives in Texas. She tried a vegetarian diet for a while, she ate well, would never miss her yoga routine, but her health was getting worse. Every doctor and acupuncturist told her to include meat in her diet, but she only refused until her yoga guru – who happened to be a well-known Ayurvedic doctor also – encouraged her to add meat to her diet. She instantly started feeling better, and her health improved exponentially. Many others share the same experience as Supina.
The only thing that keeps many from becoming a yogi is that they don’t want to give up eating meat. If that’s the only hurdle on your way, it’s not even a hurdle. You can enjoy both together.
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Yogis Are Spiritual Souls
Since yoga stemmed out of Hinduism and has been practiced for more than five thousand years, most people think every yogi is incredibly spiritual. That, however, is only partly true. While some yogis are spiritual, most modern studios and gyms only promote physical benefits of yoga. In other words, there is no strict rule that enforces you to believe in Buddha to be a yogi.
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Every Yogi Can Stand on Their Head
Not as common as the first two, but this is a ridiculous misconception. Sure, some yogis can do all those cool party tricks, but being able to do wacky things doesn’t have to do much with yoga, and you don’t need to do advanced asanas to be a yogi. In fact, simply stretching out or lying on the floor in Shavasana is as much yoga as standing on your head.
This misconception can even lead people to try advanced poses that are not suitable for beginners, that may result in injuries. For instance, if you try standing on your head on the very first day, the next minute you might be looking for a doctor and a good pillow for back pain. If you’re new to yogic workouts, don’t try advanced poses – because not every yogi has to stand on their head, at least not a beginner.
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Only the Elite and Rich White Women Can Become Yogis
This is one of the biggest misconceptions in North America. Again, not true. This myth stems out of the fact that studio memberships are costly and not everyone can afford them. However, yoga is above race, skin color, ethnicity and all that. It’s about community. Anyone – and that does include men too – can become yogi by just following the extremely affordable online classes, or even the free ones available on YouTube.
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Yogis Do Nothing but Sit Down and Meditate
Yes, stillness and clearing the mind is a major part of yoga, but that’s not what a yogi has to do every single day. Going for a walk in a natural setting, swimming, and doing other solo sports are also meditative. It’s not about sitting in Lotus position (Padmasana), it’s about finding and sustaining awareness.
These are the five top misconceptions about yogis. Did we miss anything out? Feel free to join the conversation in the comments below.