"Don´t be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try." - Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
In order to grow, we must continue to take chances and try things outside of our comfort zones. Now we’re not suggesting you need to go bungee jumping or climb Mt. Kilimanjaro tomorrow! Well, unless it’s on your bucket list. Until you attempt something new, you’ll never know how it could turn out.
Yoga can appear intimidating if you’ve never tried it, but with appropriate instruction, it is actually much more accessible than you think. Maybe in the past, you’ve tried some different classes and the teacher didn’t resonate with you or you suffered an injury or illness and are hesitating to return to the mat. Or maybe you are a true newbie and are finally ready to try yoga.
“If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young” Your spine and overall health directly correlate to how young you move and feel.” Joseph Pilates
Many students sheepishly confess that they haven’t tried yoga because…wait for it…they aren’t flexible. Well, if you don’t work to become more flexible, you will become increasingly stiff by the day. It’s like playing the piano or speaking a foreign language: if you don’t practice regularly, you become rusty. Nobody wants a rusty stiff body like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz, so step onto your mat! Practicing yoga will help you stay young for the rest of your life!
In addition to the benefit of becoming more flexible, both physically and emotionally, yoga also focuses on developing strength, balance, calmness of mind and lightness of spirit. If you can release any pre-conceived notion of what yoga poses should look like, you’ll be much more open to giving it a shot. There is no perfect pose.
What is vital to remember is that it does not matter what a yoga pose looks like, what matters is how the pose feels. Learning to direct your focus inward and become more aware of how you feel in any given moment helps in all areas of your life, not just on your yoga mat.
Another positive element of being a beginner is you return to that place where you are open to hearing, processing, and accepting new information. Learning about alignment and breathing and sensation gives you new tools for feeling better inside and out. This week, we’ve got several classes to help you start with the basics and progress safely and effectively at home. You’ll be able to get stronger, more flexible, and stay young forever! Or at least feel that way!
Ready to try? Treat yourself to the benefits of yoga, now!