From ancient Indian spiritual custom to Madonna’s exercise of choice, yoga has been practiced for centuries in order to gain understanding of the inner self, toned muscles or both.
Eugene Yoga Center instructor Sara Alevizos said she first learned yoga as a way to keep fit on the go.
“I was doing a bunch of traveling at the time,” Alevizos said. “I went to a month-long retreat for instructors so I could have the skills to teach myself while traveling.” From there she began teaching at the center, located at 1244 Lawrence St.
“(Yoga is) purifying for the mind, heart and body,” Alevizos said. “It gives you flexibility, tone of muscles and it helps with mental ailments like anxiety and depression. It relaxes your mind and increases your energy and concentration.”
Yoga is a Sanskrit term that Alevizos defined as “union.” The word union describes yoga’s blending of exercises for mental and physical health through careful breathing and postures, or poses.
Four Winds yoga instructor Michele Bulgatz said yoga is the science of self-awareness. She leads classes throughout the week at the studio, located at 1840 Willamette St.
“Yoga teaches you how to become quiet enough to learn what you’re really about — how to let go of external distractions,” said Bulgatz, who also teaches yoga at the University. “Breath and body become a tool to bring us to a quiet place.”

There are several different branches of training within the practice. Bulgatz teaches Hatha, which focuses on the postures yoga is best known for.
“Hatha is a broad name for the yoga that focuses on breathing and stretching muscles,” Alevizos said.
Senior business major Jim Hemming is enrolled in one of the University’s yoga classes this term.
“I wasn’t flexible and I was having a lot of aches and pains before I started the class,” Hemming said. “I like the class a lot. It’s a good workout.”
Junior David McGarry also took Hatha yoga in order to increase his flexibility.
“I didn’t anticipate the spiritual part of it,” McGarry said. “It completely removed me from the craziness and over-stimulation of life. It really opens you up.”
Kundalini yoga, which
focuses more on breath work, is also available through the University.
Besides Kundalini and Hatha yoga, Alevizos said other branches include Karma yoga, which focuses on selfless service and involves volunteering and helping others. Another branch, Bhakti yoga, involves chanting and singing, and is of a devotional nature. Meditation and concentration are the focal points of Raja, another branch of yoga. Yet another type is Jhana, which requires development of the intellect and is considered the yoga of the mind and wisdom.
“There are many, many styles of yoga within the realm of practice,” Bulgatz said. The various ways to practice yoga make it a suitable way to relax for all types of people.
Bulgatz said she found teaching yoga at the University especially inspiring.
“To me, yoga is about being human,” she said. “It teaches us how to move through life with grace. It teaches us how to cultivate those things that other classes don’t. What I want students to get out of my class is that you’re perfect the way you are.”