For many people, their mental image of yoga is of an impossibly bendy person holding a really challenging pose, but actually the asana are just one ‘limb’ of the eight in classic yogic thought. For me personally, yoga is a way of grounding myself, reconnecting to my body and being mindful, and fully in the moment. It can reset my mindset and make me feel peaceful. Other people see it as a way of getting fitter or stronger, more flexible, or even achieving those challenging asana as a form of validation. While all of those things are very individual, the image of yoga often seen on social media is, in my opinion, very superficial and often doesn’t consider the philosophy or the aspects of yoga aside from the postures. That can be off-putting to the beginner.
To anyone thinking that yoga is a thing that thin, bendy people do- I would say, give it a try if you struggle to be mindful or grounded. Have a go to benefit from increasing physical strength and flexibility, but appreciate the process and the journey because that is where the growth is to be found.
This image, shared by Om Magazine, really sums it up for me.
Floating Lotus Yoga 