Leave any tree-hugging, granola-munching, wacko-hippie impressions at the door. Yoga, previously reserved for serious exercisers and holistic health nuts, has become increasingly popular in the Boston area as a way of staying mentally and physically fit.
With the addition of several new Yoga classes from the physical education department at Tufts, more and more students are visible on campus toting their yoga mats around with conviction.
According to Elliot McEldowney, a seasoned yoga instructor who teaches Tufts' power yoga course on Tuesdays, sincerity and willingness of mind and body are common themes that attract new students to yoga classes.
"Just roll out your mat and be willing to do practice with an open mind," McEldowney said. "Your body is the house you are going to inhabit for the rest of your life. You have the power and the responsibility to create a solid, healthy body."
McEldowney began teaching the course last spring, when Tufts hired him to meet increased demand for yoga classes - all of which fill to capacity each semester, he said.
According to McEldowney, yoga's popularity is apparent among students, bringing together both new and experienced yogis to roll out their mat on campus. Tufts currently offers four yoga classes, two of which are power yoga classes and two of which accommodate a broader range of abilities.
Outside of Tufts, yoga has become popular among Bostonians in recent years. A quick search of the Boston Yellow Pages yields over 50 listings of various yoga studios offering classes in ashtanga, bikram, iyengar, kripalu, sivananda and dozens of other yoga styles.
But although yoga may appear to be somewhat of a novelty in Boston, yoga has been used in India for over 5,000 years as a spiritual practice and form of alternative medicine. The physical component of the ancient practice has helped attract a strong Western following, with an estimated 16.5 million people in the United States now practicing their down-dog in gyms, yoga studios or at home, according to Yoga Journal.
At the Baptiste Power Yoga Institute in Cambridge, Boston natives of all levels have joined the trend. With locations in Cambridge and Brookline, it has become a haven for Bostonians to practice the intense power yoga taught at the studio.
With rooms heated to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit, students are greeted by a blast of sticky air, the smell of incense and sight of a meditative Buddha statue as they enter the Cambridge studio.
"Don't judge," said Bette Skandalis, the studio's volunteer manager, who is responsible for training and organizing the Institute's volunteer instructors. "If you have the intention to get a great workout, or slow down your 'Type A' tendencies, or lose weight, or whatever it is that attracted you - give it a chance."
According to Skandalis, the Baptiste Institute emphasizes an empowering yoga practice and the personal realignment of one's natural balance, power and grace that already exists within oneself. She said this focus aligns with the goals of Bostonians seeking their own grace from yoga, although this may not be apparent at the onset of their practice.
People are initially attracted to the Baptiste Institute for numerous reasons. Students there include runners in search of greater flexibility, self-professed gym-rats looking to kick up their workout, and even a drama student hoping to get into shape for her upcoming role in a combat scene.
According to Tufts graduate student Kelly George, who has become a certified Baptiste Institute yoga instructor, beginners are often intimidated by the difficulty of the workouts - but they shouldn't worry.
"A very typical beginner will think that they have to do the deepest version of every pose in order to get the benefits," George said. "But actually, the opposite is true ... Beginners usually need to be assured that it's possible to feel full and satisfied with whatever their pose looks or feels like in a given moment."
George said that over time, even the sloppiest beginner will eventually see results.
"And then they start taking that lesson with them into the rest of their lives and start feeling full and satisfied with other parts of their lives off the mat," George said.
McEldowney, who teaches at O2 Yoga Studio in Somerville and Yoga Mandala in Winchester, Mass., in addition to his position on campus, had similar advice to beginners.
"Worry less about getting postures right and worry more about listening to your teacher," he said. "When your teacher tells you to back out of a posture, they're trying to keep you from injuring yourself, even if your ego doesn't want to listen."
McEldowney said that while yoga is increasing in popularity, some Bostonians have been reluctant to try yoga because of their skepticism and preconceived notions of the "vegetarian, non-drinker, non-smoker, in-shape and flexibility" requirement, but said such stipulations are not part of the package deal.
Skandalis agreed.
"Honestly, what's the worst thing that could happen?" he said.
Most yoga studios offer beginner students their first class free or at a special discount rate, and many then allow interested students to purchase 10 class cards, monthly memberships or unlimited class packages at a rate much cheaper than the regular drop-in rate.
The Cambridge Baptiste Institute has about 200 students pass through each day - new faces and regular yogis alike - all getting their dose of yoga for the day.
"I think Type-A [personalities] love that they are getting a workout and at the same time get a spiritual 'work in,'" Skandalis said.
McEldowney had similar sentiments.
"The high number of educated professionals in this area may need something more satisfying than a conventional gym workout in addition to serious stress management," he said.
He emphasizes that yoga's physical and mental health benefits are worth the trouble.
"What keeps my practice going is the work I continue to need to do," McEldowney said. "I continue to learn and explore. Our bodies, as we age, continue to change - there's really no end to the work to be done."
"Yoga is still fun for me," he added.
