cleyogi

If you’re one of the many people in the world who’s had creeping curiosity about yoga but hasn’t yet attended their first class, your time has come! After nearly a decade of practice and four years of teaching, these are the three things I find cropping up again and again in my classes whether I am on the mat as a student or an instructor. And even if you’ve been meditating, moving, and breathing for awhile these are good reminders to reboot your practice.

Don’t forget to pack your sense of humor in your yoga bag.   If I had a dollar for every time I encountered a super solemn face in yoga class I would be a rich, rich lady. Okay, maybe not. But, I could definitely afford a brand new yoga wardrobe. There is absolutely value in being a focused yoga student, but there is also great value in bringing playfulness to your practice. Trust me when I say that you can be serious and still have fun! These two things are definitely not mutually exclusive.  

Pro tip: if you ever catch yourself encased in the bubble of serious, just turn the corners of your mouth up a little bit. Find that lightness, it’s already within you.

Breathe.   I understand that this one seems somewhat obvious, but it’s in our nature to 1) forget to breathe when we are focusing or 2) breathe quickly and shallowly. Even I need reminders of this one. A cornerstone of the yoga practice is pranayama, or breath control. Through breathing we can bridge the gap between the mind and body, strengthening and fostering a quality, profound relationship between the two. When we breathe deeply with awareness we help regulate the nervous system and over the long term this helps reduce stress and anxiety all while improving our inner awareness.

Use the damn props.   I stand very firm on this one. The best way to make yoga accessible to the most people is through props and modifications. It's absolutely true that not every pose is for every body, we've all got different proportions, skeletal structures and range of motion, with enough prop support most people can practice most poses. I promise.

Trying a seated forward fold on a blanket or doing dancer’s pose with a strap does not make you a “bad” or “weak” yogi. On the contrary, it’s inspiring to people not only listening to their bodies but also modifying poses in a way that makes sense to them. To me, this is a progression in the practice. A pinch of humility and willingness to accept help involves a bit of ego-stomping that we could probably all benefit from in some way.

Bonus tip: for Pete’s sake talk to your yoga teacher!  

Didn’t understand something that was said? Ask. Haven’t ever been to a class before? Speak up. Having back pain? Talk about it. Chances are, you are not the only one with the question, comment, concern or request.  

On my drive home from work a few days ago, I started to plan my evening. It consisted of a nice long walk with the dog and some yoga before heading to the studio early to prep for my Wednesday nite class.

When I walked into my apartment, my dog didn't greet me as normal and I panicked. My first thought was,"He's dead." So, I went into my bedroom to see if he was there, no sign of him. It was then I noticed the bathroom door was shut and when I opened it I found a very confused dog inside. He'd somehow managed to lock himself in the bathroom most, if not all, of the day. And, while he was in there he destroyed it.

In the midst of trying to figure out how this had happened, someone from the electric company knocks on my door. I need to fill out paperwork, make a phonecall and answer a bunch of questions.

When finally all this wraps up, there's no time for a dog walk or an asana practice. I decide it's time to take a deep breath and make the best of what's happening. In my case, this meant going to target and purchasing a bunch of replacement bathroom items. Plus, vowing to practice the next day instead.

Soooo, what's the yoga lesson?

You may not be able to control your circumstances but you can control your reaction to circumstances.