Inhale, up. Exhale, down.

Amid a floor covered with yoga mats, about 30 members and newcomers practiced the ancient art of yoga Wednesday night in the White Building.

Those who attended the Yoga and Meditation Society's weekly meeting completed 108 "Sun Salutations," a series of poses including the "Plank," "Downward Dog" and "Upward Dog," said Amy Asteak, club president.

"Doing so many repetitions was a challenge, but I felt a lot more flexible afterward," Jeremy Park, club membership officer, said.

Lauren Warner, the club's publicity chair, said yoga is unlike anything she has ever felt before.

"It's like a massage from the inside out," Warner said.

The Yoga and Meditation Society holds two meetings a week, one on Wednesday night and one on Saturday.

"The Saturday session is more intimate, and we spend more time on whatever the members want to," Asteak said.

She said the Wednesday meeting is open to anyone who would like to learn more about yoga and practice.

"It's great because it's a chance to get some time to yourself in the middle of a busy week," Karli Kreider, club secretary, said.

Asteak said that although many people think they are not flexible enough or that they cannot do it, yoga can be practiced by anyone who is willing to try.

"Yoga is what you want to get out of it," Asteak said.

Kreider said yoga is something a person does not need prior knowledge to do.

"You can have both beginners and advanced in the same class because you can add variations to the poses to make them harder if you want to," Kreider said.

Asteak said she began to practice yoga to help stay in shape, but once she got into it she realized it was much more than just holding positions.

"It's a way to clear my mind and relax. I push myself farther than I think I can," Asteak said.

She said she thinks she will continue with yoga after college.

"Once you start practicing, you won't turn back. It's a way of thinking," Asteak said.

Doug Hayward, the club's adviser, said he originally got into yoga as a way to stay fit during middle age, but it has become something more to him.

"It allows you to enjoy the better things in life more fully, and the worst parts don't affect you that much," Hayward said.

Asteak said her favorite part of yoga is the end of the session.

"I feel warmed-up and flexible. It's relaxing to concentrate and hold a position for a while," she said.

While there are many different kinds of yoga, Asteak said the club typically practices Hatha yoga, an aerobic form of the exercise method.

"The main purpose of Hatha yoga is to relieve physical stress, which helps to relieve mental and emotional stress too," said Hayward.

Asteak said although the Penn State Yoga and Meditation Society became an official club three years ago, yoga has been around for thousands of years.

"There has always been a yoga following, especially since the 1970s," Asteak said.

Asteak said the Yoga and Meditation Society does not incorporate the religious aspects into their sessions because they understand that other people have different beliefs.

"I'm not really into the spiritual side of yoga," Kreider said.

Kreider said just the mediation and calming of the mind can be beneficial to those who practice yoga.

"We just want it to be something good for them," Asteak said.