Taipei City Government

Yoga is a type of exercise that is not overly strenuous, yet though it does not require vigorous movement drenching you in sweat over short bursts of time in the way dance does, it does indeed produce
a healthy sweat when practitioners practice their stretches and expand their flexibility which strengthen their muscles and joints, and improve their balance and equilibrium. Day by day, you also feel healthier, stronger, and more fit. Observe closely while you travel the city and you'll spot many people carrying their yoga mats about, clear evidence of the local trend toward leading healthier lifestyles.

Yoga originated in ancient India and is a method of seeking the brahma state, creating harmony and forming a union between the physical self and the highest form of spiritual being. A set regimen must be followed in seeking systematic elevation of body and mind. Today, following the modern tendency to constantly modify the old and the traditional, there are myriad yoga variants, one example being Bikram Yoga or Hot Yoga, practiced in a facility with a temperature of 40℃, the idea being to dispel the body's toxins through profuse sweat, at the same time effectively reducing your weight. Restoration Yoga is believed to be particularly effective for people suffering from insomnia or excessive pressure, relaxing mind and spirit. Ashtanga Yoga emphasizes repetition, the goal is to increase
your stamina. A strong body also leads to increased confidence. These methods have now become part of the yoga mainstream.

In Taiwan, many other variants are offered, including forms focused on couples and on the family, practiced in pairs, and on pregnant women and women with babies and small children. Other forms are syncretic, fusing the teachings and movement of different approaches, such as Plastic Rope Yoga, which brings together the movements of Asana Yoga and the use of rope, Fitball Yoga, in which large and small medicine balls are used, Qigong Yoga, Taichi Yoga, Pilates Yoga, and numerous other examples. The list goes on and on, seeming to spread ever wider, and thus ensuring there's always one form out there that perfectly fits your spiritual world-view.

So now, the question becomes finding the right place to launch yourself into the world of yoga health and happiness. It's best to begin with classes that enrol many students for reasonably inexpensive fees—Taipei's community activity centers and the city's 12 district sports centers are your answer. Information on class times, duration, content, and other details are available online, making your journey of releasing built-up fatigue and stress toward physical and spiritual bliss an easy and convenient one.

To satisfy demand, private yoga establishments are also sprouting like mushrooms. Look for those with an emphasis on roomy facilities and professional accreditation, such as Space Yoga, which offers over 200 courses encompassing all variations and offers instruction in both Chinese and English, ensuring classes that are both highly personalized and highly professional.

There are also international chains that are forging a new-style path in the metropolis, such as Taiwan's True Yoga and Pure Yoga. At the former, instruction in over 40 yoga schools is offered, including classes focused on the orthodox Indian forms. The latter has professional instructors brought in from overseas, and a comprehensive array of dedicated yoga facilities.

The time has come to commence a deep meditation dialogue between your body and your spirit—time to get yourself registered in a yoga course.