"Why do most yoga classes in America completely skip praanaayaama?"

"Why do most yoga classes in America completely skip praanaayaama?"

Give it time. Yoga is still very new in America and we are still in the very compelling, exercise phase. For most people, yoga is about getting a workout.

Collectively, American yoga is still on "Aasana" the third limb of Classical Yoga. "Vinyaasa," by far the most prevalent form of yoga in the country, started in 1994. "Vinyaasa" did not appear as a class offering before that. The free form, free flowing vinyaasa most teachers teach is a very new thing.

A shift is going to happen in the next 5 - 10 years. As the population of American yoga teachers ages, and their bodies breakdown, yoga teachers are going to find out more about praanaayaama, the fourth limb of Classical Yoga.

"Praanaayaama is the soul of yoga. It is yoga itself." Swaamee Kripalu