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Every body can do yoga. Ev-e-ry-bawd-y.
We don't do yoga because we are flexible, we do yoga because we are tight! Because we are stressed. Because we want to feel better. Yoga is form of self care, not a performance sport. Challenge ourselves, sure. Beat ourselves up? Who needs it?! We remember our first yoga class. Feeling a little nervous. A little self-conscious. A little terrified of the teacher. We get it. That's why we take extra care to bring our new students into the friendly fold of our community. Here are a few tips to get you quickly feeling at home. And if you like, email us for a free consultation so we can chat about your goals and how we can get you there. TIPS FOR YOGA NEWBIES: 1. Start with Acceptance. Wherever you are, that's where you begin. It's all progress from here. 2. Release Expectations. Tune out the internal dialogue that says "I should be able to touch my toes.", "how come everyone else can do this but me?," "I used to be able to do that when I was in college..." It's all white noise getting in the way of what's possible. 3. Set a personal intention. Extreme flexibility or contorting yourself into fancy shapes doesn't bring you happiness unless you're auditioning for Cirque du Soleil. What brought YOU to yoga? Get specific. Let that be your guide, your inspiration. 4. Befriend your body Stop bullying your poor body! A starting point of love feels very different than domination. With a little patience and understanding you'll find your body opening and growing in ways you never thought imaginable! 5. Notice Your Breathing For starters, notice that you ARE breathing! (So many of us hold our breath without knowing it.) Simply starting to notice your inhale and exhale can make moving so much easier (and pleasant!). 6. Slow down. Contrary to our 21st century lives, yoga asks us to slow down. To feel. To notice. To build strength, flexibility, power and presence, gradually, methodically. 7. Get Comfortable with Stillness Most of us find it very challenging to sit still. We would rather run around, keep busy, and check items off our to-do list than just be. The culmination of every yoga class is savasana — just lying still. It can be our biggest reward, or sometimes our biggest challenge, but it like everything else it gets better with practice! 8. Find your peeps. The world is blessed with so many good teachers. Finding the right teacher and class for you is key to experiencing success and pleasure in your practice. Once you've completed your introductory first class move onto our 2 Weeks of Unlimited Yoga for $29 — a chance to sample different teachers, classes and modalities to find just the right match for you. |