This week is "8 Questions for Yoga" with Alesha McCully. Alesha is an Anusara Inspired Yoga Teacher (RYT 500), with more than 12 years of study and practice in the yoga tradition. She discovered Karen Sprute-Francovich at Garden Street Yoga upon moving to Idaho from Maui, Hawaii, six years ago.

It was continuous inspiration from Karen that made her fall whole heartedly in love with Garden Street Yoga. Alesha teaches at Garden Street Yoga and The Salvation Army Kroc Center.

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Q. Alesha, let's start with a tough question. There are dozens of different types of yoga, how would someone know which type is right for them?

A. The many different styles can indeed seem overwhelming. An experienced yoga teacher can help guide you to a yoga style that fits your interest and fitness goals. Consider your reasons for trying/coming to yoga, and the goals or experiences you are looking for. Try a few styles and teachers out to see which one suits you. They all have their own unique focus, emphasis and personality. Also, Yoga Journal website offers a helpful decoder on many of the different methods.

Q. What is the key philosophy behind Yoga and specifically the type of yoga taught at Garden Street Yoga?

A. Garden Street's teaching has grown from the roots of Anusara, Iyengar and Ashtanga and continues to evolve. We encourage students, via our teaching of yoga, to connect to their deepest self as well as to something greater than the individual self via the magic of yoga. The physical practice is taught as an expression of the inherent potential and intrinsic goodness of the human spirit. We aspire to touch students' lives with the self-actualizing teachings of the yoga tradition. Our method of yoga includes precise principles of alignment, an enjoyable flow between poses, a deeper vitality of breath, and an encouragement toward open mind and heart to accompany the physical benefits of optimal health and wellness. My background consists of various styles of yoga practice and study. As I was introduced to Anusara by my beloved teacher/mentor Karen, I found something very different about this style. It caught my attention, hooked me and I fell in love. I had never really known the possibilities of my body physically and energetically. I learned how to really move, be in tune with my body and radiate from the inside out, which made me feel alive in my practice and in my life, like I've never felt before. I am still in awe of it and this exciting, life-changing experience is what I want my students to feel, their true nature filled with the inner radiance of their spirit.

Q. Several recent medical studies have shown that yoga can help with a variety of chronic illness. Where do you see the greatest improvement to people's health when they practice yoga on a regular basis?

A. The benefits of yoga are many and seemingly endless. It is exciting to see these medical studies proving the profoundness of this ancient technique. A majority of disease is linked to stress and yoga is one of the best stress busters around. With a regular yoga practice tension releases in the body, the mind calms, and a feeling of lightness and ease is cultivated. Better breathing, structural/skeletal alignment, improving lung capacity, energy, circulation, mobility, gives the student a certain brightness. Healings are seen with, but not limited to, chronic back pain, folks not needing medication anymore for ailments they once had, deep emotional releases, stress, addictions, anxiety, depression and losing weight. Yoga will change your life, your habits, your body, your health, your mind, your attitudes, your outlook. It is a path of wellness and optimal health.

Q. What if someone can't touch their toes, is not flexible, has little or no core strength, lacks patience and can't sit still. Is yoga something they should do? In other words are there people who should not do yoga?

A. Ha! Yes, this is the perfect reason to do yoga. It is not a practice that you have to be prepared for in any way. Yoga is for absolutely everyone, your most competitive athlete to someone who is in a wheel chair/bed bound. The practice meets you where you are at. You do it whether you need more energy or you need to be calmed. Yoga is a balancing technique. There is a challenging edge for everyone. Folks who are strong will be excited to see the benefits of flexibility and folks who are flexible will love the power in building strength. Yoga is about exploring your strengths, limits, imbalances and learning to work with these as they currently exist. Strength and flexibility will naturally happen as a secondary benefit when you practice.

Q. Are there risks of injury when doing yoga poses in particular, inversions such as shoulder stands and headstands?

A. There is always risk when practicing yoga. That is why alignment and guidance of an experienced teacher is crucial/so important. Poses such as shoulder stand and headstand are a perfect example. Shoulder stands take a certain set up with good alignment to be safe. Headstands take some time to build strength in typical non-weight bearing places. The majority of the weight is not actually on the head. There are also conditions that might rule out some poses for some people. Someone with neck injury/pain wouldn't do either one of these poses.

Q. How often does someone need to attend yoga classes to see positive results?

A. Yoga is amazing. Even if you only practice for one hour a week, you will experience the benefits of the practice. I have seen people completely change their body in a year with a dedicated routine. The truth is, the more often you practice, the quicker and more benefits you'll experience. You get out of it what you put into it. My suggestion would be to start with a practice of 1-3 times a week with going to a public class as much as you can for safe instruction and inspiration. I'd love to see everyone practicing daily eventually, even if only for a few minutes a day. Sometimes sitting quietly for 5 minutes does wonders.

Q. Are typical yoga classes small enough that an instructor can get around the room to correct form and alignment?

A. You will find smaller, more intimate classes at a studio. Students are easily seen and a teacher can work close with them to help refine form and alignment. The attention of a qualified compassionate teacher can make the difference between an enjoyed lifelong, injury free, practice, and giving up on yoga because of pain, injury and frustration.

Q. If you could pick one positive aspect that yoga has brought to your life and share it with others what would that be?

A. Health. I feel more energy, happiness and health in mind, body and spirit, now in my mid-30s than I ever had in my youth. Yoga is a steady process of transformation into luminosity. Through yoga, a community of compassionate, empowered, radiant beings is being cultivated. I want to share and honor the yoga tradition while creatively opening others to their fullest potential; to awaken to the beauty, support and love that is all around us; to nurture growth/transformation in mind, body, and spirit and to encourage a lifestyle of vibrant health and wellness.

Thank you Alesha for your amazing answers!

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corp.