Modern Yoga vs Traditional Yoga in the Cayman Islands

These days I often get a wide-eyed look when I say I am a Yoga Teacher in the Cayman Islands. We are growing into a very modern island and with that can come a stigma of the true nature of Yoga. It seems that Modern, more fitness-based Yoga has replaced the true essence of Traditional Yoga in the last 30 years or so. With the increase of Social Media images and that need to project perfection, well, it can be a lot to live up to for a new student and an even bigger challenge for a Teacher who will need to help change the perception.

I feel truly lucky that I studied and now practice Hatha Yoga in the Cayman Islands. It is a Traditional “Royal or Raja Yoga” that has a gentle focus on balancing the whole Being.

Hatha Yoga has 8 Limbs or I call them categories to be followed to come to balance with Body, Mind and Spirit.

The 8 Limbs of Yoga show us that the “Poses” or Asana is only one category. The other 7 Limbs are breathing practices called Pranayama, Awareness which is called Pratyahara and many levels of meditation to truly have a sense of ourselves.

The true essence of a Traditional Yoga like Hatha, is to get to know oneself through many more practices that includes more than the Asana or “Poses” side of things. The true balance can be felt with Pranayama which is both relaxing and energizing breathing and even more beneficial, the many meditation practices. When we combine and balance them together, we can often have a more profound and beneficial experience overall.

As the world has changed into a faster more striving pace, it seems that Yoga morphed to match it rather than be a support for it. This is the difficulty for many students to want to try Yoga. Not everyone is fit and healthy so it leaves a narrow view for most people. We need to have a practice that supports us in our life rather than encouraging us to push harder or to be forcing our bodies into pain to make a “Yoga shape”.

Yoga can certainly make us stronger, even more fit, but there have been thousands of years of tradition to balance the energies so that we return to an organic middle with our entire beings not just focusing on the physical body enable to perform.

When my students practice with me, they are often very surprised how balanced they feel. I teach in the Cayman Islands to my student’s pace, needs and bodies. Hatha Yoga has a flow and so there is often no agenda. It is organic as we learn to listen to the body, consider our mindset whereas fitness is inherently scripted with a “goal” to achieve. Traditional Yoga can shine a light on what you need if you can let go of the agenda and learn to feel, to sense and to contemplate in real time. Practicing presence has no goal.

I do agree that both Fitness and Yoga are great partners. When practiced separately, it is a win/win situation. They can be a Yin and Yang benefit which is a way to find balance in your life. They can enhance each other and be a great solution for stress and help you find happiness.

If you find that your Yoga Practice feels a bit more like a task or an energy drainer rather than a support, then just keep looking. Do your research and find what works for you and makes you feel less competitive towards your health. Your practice should make you feel fulfilled Body Mind & Spirit rather than exhausted and sweaty. In the past few years, Modern Yoga that includes animals or sports equipment is a classic example of this move away from the tried and true, proven Traditional Yoga we know and love for more than 6000 years.

There are many, many great educated Traditional Yoga teachers out here so keep your best interests at heart and let go of modern trend.