By Christina DiMartino

At the end of this sentence draw in a deep-belly breath, then pause. Now, allow the breath to release slowly. Repeat, this time concentrating only on the breath. Recognize the short pause between your inhalation and exhalation.

You’ve just experienced your first yoga lesson.

Yoga is as far removed from any “New Age” form of practice as your great-grandmother’s bustle. And with a history of more than 5,000 years, it’s certainly not a passing trend.

Nor is yoga a magic “pill” that will instantly loosen your joints and relieve your pain. Yoga is an ancient system that induces relaxation, lowers stress and relieves tension. It also helps tone and strengthen your muscles and limber and loosen your joints.

Practiced frequently, it is a wonderful way to improve your physical and mental health—regardless of the type of arthritis you have or its level of severity.

And if images of people dressed in loincloths posing in “pretzel-twisting” positions have contributed to your belief that yoga is not for you—let us set the record straight. Yoga is for everyone—despite the level of pain or joint stiffness. Even if you are bed-ridden or confined to a wheelchair, you can still reap the wonderful benefits of yoga.

It’s Not a Religion

      Yoga is not a religious practice, nor is it connected to any faith. The religious structure often related to yoga is Hinduism, but that religion evolved much later in history—and it merely incorporated some yoga practices. Many other religions have also adopted ideas related to yoga—primarily because of its emphases on meditation and spirituality.

At the Beginning

      Exactly when yoga got its start is one of history’s mysteries, but its roots are known to have originated in India more than 5,000 years ago.

      Although yoga was practiced in the U.S. in the late 1800s, the youth culture of the 1960s is accountable for its surge in popularity. As more became known about the beneficial effects, yoga gained acceptance and respect as a valuable aid in stress management, health and well-being. The goal of daily yoga practice is to produce a clear, bright mind and a strong, capable body. As the name “yoga” implies, it is a “joining together” of the body and mind in one harmonious experience.

      Today yoga is so highly accepted that physicians commonly recommend it to patients at risk of heart disease and those suffering with depression, injury, arthritis and other chronic conditions.

Where Do You Start?

      Today you’ll find yoga classes offered in many health clubs, gyms, private and community recreation centers, private yoga studios and even in public parks and on ocean shores. Also, yogis (yoga instructors) commonly offer private classes.

      The tradition of yoga has always been passed on individually from teacher to student through oral teaching and practical demonstration. Yoga techniques are therefore based on the collective experiences of many individuals over many thousands of years. This is why you will likely experience a different teaching technique with every yogi.

      The rules of proper yoga instruction are as diverse as are the many techniques, but yogis say several factors are universally accepted as imperative to a healthy yoga environment.

      “The beauty of yoga is that it can be practiced anywhere,” says Tabby Biddle, a practicing yogi in New York City. She holds certifications in several yoga techniques, including therapeutic yoga. “But the practice is more beneficial and effective when performed in a clean, fresh and quiet space.”

      Hectic environments are also distracting and can prevent concentration and inward reflection. Instead of spending your practice listening to the people in the hallway, wishing the bright lights would dim or a foul odor would disappear, you should be able to practice in a clean, calm and comforting atmosphere.

      Biddle offers these checkpoints for choosing a yogi and a yoga studio:

Preferred scenario:

• The yogi is fully trained, experienced and certified in the style of yoga they teach.
• Prior to your first yoga class, the yogi asks if you have any diseases that affect your mobility or energy level, injuries or afflictions of any joints or muscles, if you are taking any medication that could interfere with your yoga practice—and any other issues related to your health.
• You are told to never engage in a position that you find painful or that you fear may cause injury.
• You are told to stop any time you feel pain or discomfort. A relaxation pose is demonstrated and you are told to enter into it when you feel a need to rest.
• The yoga studio and any props you are asked to use are clean. The temperature is comfortably tepid, not too warm, and “never” cold.
• The instructor uses a hands-on technique in the class, correcting or altering your postures frequently.