Beginner Yoga

23 years ago, I became very interested in yoga. I was surrounded by many family members who practiced and I wanted to learn. I even had a brother in law who was a Gurugi. He exuded calm, love, peace, all the qualities I wished to embody. Here he is in this picture. His sister, my sister in law also practiced. She was one of the most beautiful persons I have ever known. She has since parted and I miss her deeply.

So, I decided to follow in their footsteps. He initiated me into Mantra Yoga. Since then, I have been trying to emulate this fascinating man and lovely woman, sadly with little success.

Regardless of type, Yoga requires discipline and practice. Much of the time, I allow my surroundings to dictate what I do and I lose discipline. Luckily, my mantra is deeply imbedded and I am able to reach for it when I most need it.

Mantra Yoga is a lifestyle and I have not been able to completely turn my life to it. But, there are many things that I do practice.

Yoga

Besides aromatherapy and stones, not related to Mantra Yoga, the one thing that I continue to practice is yoga. It is probably what drew me in the first place. I was very self-conscious in the beginning. I watched everyone around me and although I didn’t compare myself, I used them to pick at what I felt I was doing wrong. Don’t be like me. Sure, in the beginning you may feel inclined to do it. Better yet, let your body be.

I focused too much on doing it right when instead, I should have focused on how my body felt. Let me tell you, it felt bad. Many times, I could feel that there was something just not right. But, I pushed on. Listen to your body and if it yells, stop, then stop. If you get hurt you will not be able to come back and try again.

For Beginners

If you are thinking about starting to practice Yoga, familiarize yourself with some basic poses before you go to a class. I knew some, but honestly I should have been better informed the first time I decided to roll out the mat and put myself out there.

Here are just a few poses you can try at home before you decide to join a class. If you are really serious, these poses will help a lot. Then, research some more. There are many sites that have great information about basic yoga. The poses are not in any particular order and I am sure that there are many other basic yoga poses that I missed. Go  to the comment section and please add any I may have not mentioned!

Beginner Yoga Poses

There is a great site yogatoday.com that has great videos and clear explanations. Rather than repeat the steps here, definitely check out their site. They carry videos that will make the poses I suggest easy to understand and practice. Why repeat what has already been explained so well! Just search for the poses I suggest, or go through the page and look for them. Make sure that if you wish to try out a pose I do not suggest, check that it is a beginner pose. The poses are not separated by level and moving to intermediate or advanced could cause you to hurt yourself, especially if you are not an active person and/or are trying yoga for the first time.

By the way, I am in no way affiliated with them.

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Why Yoga

Yoga brings the body, mind, and soul together. In turn it will help you achieve peace and calm, both in body and mind. Mentally, it is very useful in bringing relaxation when you are feeling stressed and anxious. Physically, it helps increase flexibility, strengthen the muscles, and tone the body.

*Before starting or changing any exercise program, seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional.

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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