Once the kid’s are back at school & the days get shorter, I see a surge of new students asking me advice about yoga & how to get started, so I thought I’d share three quick transformational tips to get your practice off to the right start.
Transformational Tip #1: Get Nich’d ~ There are many styles of yoga & there’s a style that’s perfect for you. Your personality, your fitness level & your schedule will help determine what style of yoga & what type of teacher is the best fit for your needs. There’s lots of good yoga, but not every teacher or style will be good for you. Explore different styles & philosophies. When you find a teacher with the experience & education that connects with you become a devoted student & learn all you can from your teacher. A good teacher will take a devoted student from where they are to where they need to go.
Transformational Tip #2: Ease into it~ Just because you walked around the block, doesn’t mean you should run a marathon the next week. Yoga is no different. Whenever you start something new, ease into it. Give your body & your mind time. Yoga helps bring the physical body back into balance by strengthening the weaker, less frequently used muscles & elongating the stronger, over used muscles. Mentally it works on giving our brain a rest from redundant, recycled thoughts that constantly pass through our heads, judgment, criticism & competitiveness. Spiritually it helps us connect with the deepest part of our inner self. You may find resistance not just physically, but mentally & spiritually as well, so ease into your yoga journey & let it unfold at a rate that’s right for you.
Transformational Tip #3: Breathe ~ Yoga without the breath is like surfing without any waves. Breath is the invisible link between the body & the mind. Without the proper use of breath, yoga becomes much like some form of eastern callesthenics.
To learn more about the foundational principles of yoga & begin a regular practice try my Yoga Body Lean & Defined DVD. For more advanced students try Yoga Body Fat Burning & for the Ashtanga Vinyasa lover try Power Yoga Live.