This world is full of two kinds of people. The people who do yoga and the ones who are going to start a yoga practice at the earliest convenience. If you are the latter, fear not! In this article I want to share that initial first experience so you can easily find yourself among those practicing yoga… Yogis. It’s easy to become one, all you have to do is do yoga. Intent and commitment are all that’s required!
It is not a competition – it is yoga practice
All of my yoga classes are mixed ability. Typically, at one of my classes you will find someone new to yoga, someone who is doing yoga a little while and ‘getting it’, someone practicing yoga for a long time and still learning, and one or two clients who are just back to yoga after a break. Old and young, male and female, with injury and without injury, a cross-section of humanity. And because yoga practice is for everyone, mixed ability classes or beginners were never a problem. All you must do is to make sure that you practice yoga for the right reasons. As newcomer in my yoga outdoor adventures or yoga class, you might want to compare yourself to others. You might even feel inadequate and feel that somehow you are not doing it right. Everyone was a beginner once and we all went through this stage of asking “am I good enough” sort of questions.
So remember, there is no judge in yoga class. Step one is nice and easy, free your mind from unnecessary thoughts and go with the flow. You are just fine the way you are and nobody’s looking at you anyway. You are more than welcome to come to my yoga outdoor adventures and classes in your oldest, comfiest t-shirt if you want. When you are among like-minded individuals who don’t criticize themselves or others, nobody really cares. Do your best, and don’t worry about how you look.
Options available to yoga newcomers
I offer a lot of wellbeing outdoor and indoor activities including ‘Yoga for Beginners’ workshop. The idea of bringing yoga practice workshop in Sligo was born when I recognized the need for it. There has been growing interest and clients attending my wellbeing outdoor adventures always enquiry about it. Knowing that it suits most of my students time-wise and location-wise motivates me to invest time and effort in bringing ‘Yoga for Beginners’ workshop every year. Next thing most people want to know is how to prepare for their first yoga class.
Many, if not most, newcomers to yoga just go for it and join in on a class. If you have no injuries or limitations (e.g. high blood pressure, a recovering injury, a pregnancy currently or in the recent past) this is fine. Just dive in and accept that you won’t do it perfectly straight away; go with an open mind. In case you have a limitation or suffer from an injury, it might be a good idea to get your doctor’s approval first and then chat to me. Let me know what might prevent you from mindful yoga practice and we will try to find a solution together.
Attending my classes can help to target specific health condition or improve your health, so personal consultation with me is always the best options.
Yoga practice will become a moving meditation
You might have heard that Yoga is union of mind and body but I am sure you did not know that wellbeing comes from the union of breath and moment. Your first class might be different to what you expect. Surely it will be harder and more relaxing because this is what I teach. I teach them to be strong and to meditate from the first breath. Learning more about ourselves and what makes us tick is one of the many benefits of a yoga practice. It’s slow, it’s subtle but it’s profound.
Wear loose comfortable clothing. Yoga is done barefoot. And please remember that we all don’t have perfect feet, nobody will care … see rule number one above!
Take it easy and pay attention to your body and its reactions. During my yoga practice I am like the waiter at a huge buffet, showing you the table full of choices. You can be such a discerning customer, choosing what suits you. Listen to your breath. If it feels wrong or too hard, don’t push it. In case you are gasping for breath, slow down. Staying in touch with the breath is what Yogis do. But don’t be distracted when don’t ‘get’ the breath straight away. Simply ignore it for a moment without trying too hard, follow the class and the breath will come. And once you realize it is back, you will feel great. As you move through your yoga practice, it should feel good. Wellbeing comes with practice and consistent effort.
Typically we will move slowly to start, combining breath and movement. Then we might flow through some sun salutations and standing poses and you may find your transitions between poses are slow and awkward the first time, that’s normal. With time you will flow with ease and grace and fluidity, even if you aren’t doing everything perfectly. Towards the latter end of the class we might explore an advanced yoga pose – so called peak pose. I will be giving precise instructions and guidance on what to do. You can join the rest of us and give it a go or just watch others doing it.
Finally we relax; usually for about 5 minutes. Often the relief that the class is over is enough to enable you to take a deep sigh and lie down and just rest. If not, I will guide you on where to take your thoughts as your body relaxes more and more with each exhale. Sometimes during the relaxation phase a teacher may talk you through a longer guided relaxation practice. Sometimes there might be music, sometimes silence. Often newcomers find this part of the practice difficult; typically, I find my students have put enough effort into the physical aspect of the practice they are grateful to sink down and rest.
I always take questions and listen to feedback after practice. Every teacher has a few minutes spare at the beginning and the end of each class. Besides, teachers love feedback, requests and questions and I am no different. I was a student too. I was curious, always learning and looking for better ways to serve. You can read more about my beginner’s yoga practice experience in my other article.
Check out my full schedule for excursions and yoga courses.
