As a yoga teacher one of the most common questions I get from friends and students is:
“How do I start a yoga practice?”
Yoga is so unique from other methods of exercise and relaxation. It combines movement, breath, meditation, mindfulness, and healing all into one dreamy experience.
A big barrier for new yoga students is fear. I’ll hear people say they are too inflexible, they’re too busy, or they’re just too skeptical to buy into yoga. Hearing that as a yoga teacher is like hearing you’re too sick to go to the doctor, or too tired to sleep. Our bodies crave the healing power of yoga and the sooner we can embrace that truth and let go of the fear, the sooner we can change our health and our outlook on life.
Here are some simple but effective tips to get started on your yoga journey to wellness.
Find your Goldilocks Mat
A great way to start a consistent yoga practice is with the gear.
If you were going to buy just one yoga prop, I would easily say get the mat! Having your own yoga mat gives you ownership over your practice, and finding a mat that you love can bring enjoyment and comfort to your practice for years to come. There are tons of choices for yoga mats on the market, with options like “ecofriendly”, “long”, “grip”, “lightweight”, and “extra thick”. Not to mention a huge variety of colors and prices (a mat can range anywhere from $20 - $200). A good rule of thumb when considering options is to search for the Goldilocks Mat, the perfect mat is usually right in the middle for most features including price and thickness. Here are some tips to find your Goldilocks mat:
Price
For your first mat, I would recommend an option between $30 - $40. Beware the dollar store $5 mat temptation! These mats will provide your joints with little to no support, break down quickly, and make your yoga experience generally uncomfortable.
Design
When it comes to the color and design of your yoga mat let your inner creative free! Your favorite color or a cool design is just another reason to bring you back to your mat and back to your practice.
If you haven’t used the mat before, I would suggest to buy in person rather than online. With online options, you can’t feel the weight of the mat or its thickness. I recommend a mat on the heavier side, that’s sturdy but not a plushy thickness as this will decrease balance. If you are interested in Hot Yoga or a more vigorous practice look for a mat with grip, or look into hot yoga towels.
Brand Recommendations
Gaiam is a great mid-priced brand. I use Gaiam mats and blocks at home and outdoors. They are good quality, and ranging from $20-$40, you won’t feel guilty about getting them dirty outside or your pet getting a few chews in. You can find Gaiam products at Target, Dicks Sporting Goods, online at Amazon, and at Gaiam.com.
My ultimate Goldilocks mat recommendation is Manduka. Manduka mats are sturdy, durable, and have great grip. I was late to the Manduka party. I was already in yoga teacher training when I first practiced on a Manduka mat, then quickly realized they were one of the highest quality and most popular options available. As a company, Manduka focuses on their environmental impact by using innovative design techniques and responsible materials to create a mat with no harmful chemicals that’s backed by a life-long guarantee. Right now I teach yoga with my Manduka Pro mat which retails for $120 at Manduka.com, but I’ve seen Manduka mats at some locations of TJ Maxx for $40-$50! These mats are so worth the price and you can rest assured that your purchase is rooted in love for the environment and your body.
Other Props
Props can make yoga more accessible for those with injuries, aid in building flexibility, and encourage deeper relaxation. The main yoga props I use change depending on the style of yoga I’m practicing, but generally you’ll want a set of blocks, a strap, a bolster, and your yoga mat. If you’ve just checked out because it sounds like I just listed $200 worth of yoga “stuff”, please check back in!
Most yoga studios will include the props you need in the price of your class, if you chose to practice independently, there are a lot of great substitutes for traditional yoga props. The best part is that you probably already have these items lying around the house:
· Instead of a Yoga Strap- Grip both ends of a towel
· Instead of Blocks- Stack books to the desired height
· Instead of a Bolster- Use pillows
· Instead of a Mat- Practice on carpet or on a towel outdoors
Find your Community
Once armed with your trusty yoga mat, you’re ready to find your yoga community. Finding the right community for your yoga practice is like moving to a new city and trying to find a favorite restaurant. You will try different things. You will not like some places and you will like others. Eventually you’ll find a place you love!
Going in with the knowledge that it may take a few tries at different classes or studios will keep the discouragement at bay.
Begin by asking yourself, “What am I looking for in a yoga experience?”
Do you want a relaxing class? Are you wanting to build strength? Are you looking for a specific yoga community like prenatal, yoga for beginners, mommy and me, yoga for cancer survivors, or yoga for PTSD?
You don’t need to have all the answers to exactly what you’re looking for, but having a general idea will guide you in the right direction of the teacher or studio that can offer these new experiences to you.
Consider things like the price of class, the time classes are offered, and the distance the studio is from where you live. Convenience is a huge aspect in building a yoga practice. If the class is far from home or not at a time that works for your schedule, then you’ll probably never go.
There are many online resources both paid (like Alo Moves) and free (Youtube) to give you an idea of what you may expect in a yoga class. Online classes are a great supplement to a yoga practice and offer you the convenience of practicing anywhere at any time, but you miss out on the personalized direction and guidance that a Registered Yoga Teacher can provide in person.
Finding a teacher you trust can draw you deeper into your yoga practice and also draw you deeper into understanding yourself. Having the community of a studio enhances your sense of accountability for your yoga practice through the support of your teachers and the other students you’ll meet.
From its beginnings in Ancient India, yoga was taught by Gurus, or teachers, to their students who then became teachers to new students, and on and on. Finding that special connection with a teacher will give you an energetic and emotional connection to the heart of yoga, unity.
Release the Ego
The last and most important step to begin your yoga journey, is to release the ego. If you just asked, “What does the ego have to do with yoga?” Let me explain.
Our ego (Latin for I) is our personal sense of identity or worth. The ego works to protect this ideal picture of who we think we are to create a sense of control or order in our lives. When something doesn’t follow that identity, like when we face disappointment, embarrassment, or failure, it can cause great discomfort and a sense of losing yourself.
Fear is a completely common emotion that floats around yoga, and fear feeds the ego. People fear that they will not be able to keep up in a yoga class, or that they will fall over when trying to balance, or do a pose wrong, or fart.
All of these things happen, and not a single one is a big deal.
Yes, it is easier said than done to feel fear but try something new anyway. I know the exact moment that this shifted for me in my own yoga journey.
It was during my Yoga Teacher Training and I was practicing yoga in the park. I had been nervous to be one of those people who practiced yoga in public. I thought people would think I was a weirdo, or trying to show off. I knew neither of those things were true, so I decided to try it anyway.
I started moving and thought: “This is great, the sun is shining, my balance is amazing, I am so yoga!”
Then I noticed a light pole and thought: “That looks like a great place to practice my handstands!”
So I walked over, placed my hand on the ground in front of the light pole and kicked my legs into the air. The idea was for the back of my legs to land on the pole and give me support while I continued to press my hands into the ground. What happened instead was that I miscalculated the trajectory of my body flying through the air and I completely missed the pole, landing flat on my back just to the side of said pole.
I laid there on the ground breathless and motionless, feeling completely mortified while park goers continued walking by me. I wanted to melt into the ground… maybe if I just lay here people will think I did it on purpose? Then suddenly a sharp burning jolted me back to reality. I had landed on a fire ant hill and had ants crawling and biting all over my toes, ankles, and legs. I reacted in the only logical way by swatting ants and rolling (still on the ground) a few feet away to safety. Then the most unexpected part of the story: I began to laugh. When I thought about how silly and funny and completely slapstick that mishap had been, audible laughter poured out of me. People around me just walked by, nobody cared that I looked like a dork. It felt good, I felt free.
I realized then that I could have that freedom anytime. I just needed to release my attachment to the ego. Yoga is a constant practice of releasing the ego. Letting go of our expectations of how we think our practice should look or what we think we should be able to do. Instead focusing on the body, the breath, and the present moment.
The more we cultivate this skill of releasing the ego on the mat the easier it becomes to release the ego off the mat. Only then can we experience the beautiful benefits of yoga including real vulnerability, peace, and healing.
“Yoga is a journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”
-Bhagavad Gita
Your yoga journey will be as unique and beautiful as your life itself. Above all things allow your yoga practice to honor and celebrate your body.
Find the mat. Find the community. Find the Self.
Namaste ॐ