CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Yoga originated in Northern India more than 5,000 years ago. It began as a spiritual practice to bring harmony between the mind and body. Yoga instructor Leah Murray of Divine Moon Yoga says yoga’s spiritual origins may be confusing to some, but there’s no need to worry.
“There’s a big misconception that yoga is a religion, but actually yoga exists alongside any belief system. It’s like a support system for what you believe,” Murray said.
It is common for many Eastern yoga practices to incorporate chanting and sound. Sound is used as a meditation tool for higher purposes. Western cultures have been inspired by these practices and have also adopted the use of sound.
“What we’re doing today is crystal sound healing, which is actually a frequency of 432 hertz, which can help energize us and reduce anxiety,” Murray said.
Murray said many in Western cultures see yoga as more of a physical exercise, and while yoga is certainly good for the body, yoga enthusiast Kaisen Tsuithy said that for his personal development, he likes to go back to the roots of Asian yoga to get into the right meditative state.
“Everything from Zen to Hatha Yoga to Ashtanga Yoga to many other ways of life can be traced back to the fundamental beliefs of this ancient yoga practice,” Twitty said.
While everyone is welcome to try yoga for the benefits of mental and physical health, it is important for people in Western countries to stay true to their Eastern roots and appreciate Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders’ adoption of meditation practices.
“Try yoga. Our lives take up so much of our time, energy and resources. Yoga is a way to reset and calm those things from the inside out,” Twitty said.
Divine Moon Yoga holds sessions every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Texas Asian Museum and is open to all, and will be celebrating International Yoga Day at the Arts Center in downtown Corpus Christi on June 21. Everyone is encouraged to experience yoga in all its forms.
