FAQ

General Questions

What is Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient physical and mental practice which was developed to prepare and direct the mind and body to a blissful state, or samadhi. There are a number of branches within Yoga, such as Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga, etc. At Yoga Eight we practice Yoga that falls under the Hatha Yoga branch. Hatha can be interpreted a couple of different ways, either as forceful (from the Sanskrit root han), or as the esoteric combination of ha (sun) and tha (moon).

Yoga, the term itself, is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, to yoke or to union. You’ll notice that yup and yoke sound similar because they are cognates. Both terms come from a common verbal ancestor common to both Sanskrit and English.

Hatha Yoga in particular has more of a focus on asana, or poses, and is what is commonly identified as yoga in the west.

What is Sanskrit?

Sanskrit is an ancient (but not dead) language of India. Most Yoga texts are written in Sanskrit and accordingly many Yoga terms are in Sanskrit. We enjoy to use Sanskrit terms at Yoga Eight not confuse practitioners, as we often present the translated term/pose name and if we don’t you can always ask what the translated term is. We use Sanskrit to honor the ancient tradition of Yoga and to gain a deeper appreciation of the interconnectedness of different cultures and languages. When you start to study Sanskrit you start to find cognates between Sanskrit and English, like with trikonasana, or triangle pose: tri = three, kona = angle (like -gon from octagon), and asana = pose. Both the tri and kona parts of the word are cognates with European languages.

We believe that when we have greater understanding of the parts of the world, we gain more respect for each other and in turn the world as a whole.

What does namaste mean?

Namaste is both a way to say hello and goodbye, much like aloha in Hawaiian. Broken into it’s Sanskrit components, namah = salutation/homage and te = you in an analclytic dative form (the full dative form is tubyam). When the two words are aced next to each other, the words undergo sandhi, or joining, much like when you say gimme instead of give me. The h in namah turns into a s, and we end up with namaste.

It has become tradition to end a Yoga class with saying namaste with hands in anjali mudra (hands at heart center in prayer) and bowing to each other. Many people have attached various meanings to namaste, but at it’s base it is really just a greeting. You should never feel pressured or required to say or do anything you are not comfortable doing, so please don’t feel you are out of place or disrespectful if you choose not to say namaste.

Can I bring my child to class?

Yes, while class are oriented towards adult practitioners, some children thrive in such situations. Children who come with parents must practice. While we don’t have a firm lower age limit, normally children under 8-10 years old do not enjoy class. We have found that the best children to bring to yoga class are ones that honestly want to come. Children who are “dragged” to class tend to become bored easily. (It should be noted that there are yoga family classes in the Middleton area) We recommend that you try out 60 minute classes with your children before longer classes, and we have found that the beginner classes are well suited for families. Our only request is that you are prepared to possibly leave if your child becomes disruptive. Also, children under 13 practice for free with an adult.

Yoga Eight Questions

What does the Eight in Yoga Eight mean?

The main influence on classes taught at Yoga Eight is Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Ashtanga means eight limbs (ashta and German acht are cognates). Eight is also an auspicious number in many Asian cultures. We wanted to give our studio a name that honors our yoga path, while keeping things simple.

Are you looking for yoga teachers?

We are always looking to expand our community, but we are foremost looking for teachers who want to be part of our community. Come, take a class with us first to see if our studio is a place you would like to practice.

Pricing Questions

Who qualifies for a discount rate?

The short list is:

The longer explanation is that we want to make yoga available to as many people as possible. We don’t want to turn anyone away due to lack of funds. If you are not included in the list above, you can always talk to us.