For Beginners: How to Do Yoga....

....Have no fear.  Yoga is not some crazy discipline that is too out of reach for you.  All you really have to do is feel your body as you move them through a series of postures and breathe into your body as you do so.  Alot of people have shied away from yoga because they feared it was too complicated or advanced for them to do it well.  This really isn't true.  There is yoga for brand new beginners and yoga practice continues to expand and offer you new challenges all the way to your advanced postures and into advanced years!

So approach your yoga mindfully.  Practice several times a week.  Make sure that if you practice at home you have quiet space that you can really focus on your yoga and let go of worldly concerns.  If you choose to attend a yoga studio, make sure you pick a level that's appropriate for your skill level AND how you feel that day.  If you are feeling low energy and like you need nurturing, maybe its not the day to push yourself to do a Power Yoga Class!  Listen to yourself.  Cultivate an environment of inquiry and quiet listening in regard to yourself and your needs.

If it feels right to start upping your challenge level, do so mindfully.  Be specific with your alignment, pay attention to your breathing, ask for help when you need it from a teacher, use props in postures that you can't quite get into so its easier for your muscles to relax and open. Don't rush yourself, you have nothing to prove in your yoga practice.  It is for you to explore and get to know yourself and your body better.  There is no perfect posture you need to be able to get into! Its nice to get better in your practice but the best part about that is the strong and quiet relationship you have built with yourself and the dedication that ensued and made that more advanced version of you and your postures available to you.

 So enjoy your practice and be nice to yourself as you explore, Beginner Yogi!