Practical Yoga Tips To Jumpstart Your Journey
In the previous articles, we have tackled the basics of Yoga, from answering the fundamental question, “What is Yoga?” to discussing the Different Types of Yoga that are widely practiced today.
Now that we have covered the basics, it’s time to focus on getting started on your personal journey of incorporating Yoga into your modern lifestyle. I have practiced yoga almost all my life and to this day, I still find it a never-ending cycle of learning and improving.
Here’s a little snippet of information for newbies and seasoned yogis:
“In the practice of Yoga, an individual is considered a beginner during the first 10 years of practice.”
So even if you have several years of Yoga practice under your belt, it is important to understand that Yoga offers a constant and gradual unfolding process – a personal journey that opens up great avenues of learning.
In this article, I would like to share a few insights and pointers that I have managed to amass through the years. Here are some Yoga tips to help you out get started on the right foot:
- Work on your breathing. When we are confronted with highly stressful situations, we tend to naturally hold our breath and tense up our muscles, following the instinctive “flight or fight” response. To be able to successfully release all the tension from your body, it is important to maintain steady breathing as you calm your mind and move through the different poses.
- We are all different. When performing different Yoga poses, keep in mind that everyone is different and that we all have our own personal journey to focus on. Just because unlike others, your heels cannot reach the ground when performing a Downward Dog pose or your back appears more rounded than others, doesn’t automatically means you are doing it all wrong. We are all built differently. Focus on your own journey instead of constantly comparing your progress with others. This will only distract you from your own goals. Yoga is not meant to be over-analyzed.
- Your Yoga poses doesn’t need to be as perfect as those in books or pictures. In Yoga, there is no such thing as a perfect pose. Don’t worry too much about executing everything perfectly. It is true that great emphasis is placed on proper alignment, but you have to remember that Yoga is not all about achieving a perfect pose. Be patient with yourself and don’t get too caught up with the tiny details.
Questions You Need To Ask Yourself
Do you constantly find yourself unconsciously rushing through your Yoga sessions?- Do you always tend to give up on a difficult Yoga pose after feeling some pain or discomfort?
- Do you constantly push yourself a bit too hard every session?
Maintaining full awareness of everything we engage in is very important. This is for the very simple fact that how we do anything, is in fact how we do everything.
“In truth, LIFE IS ONE BIG YOGA POSE. Think about it.”
Focus On Becoming More Ambidextrous
During your Yoga practice, you will probably notice that certain parts of your body are more flexible or stronger than the rest. Strive to focus on the weaker parts by spending more time on working on the inflexible and weak sections.
Growth Is Constant and Infinite
It doesn’t matter if you have performed the same Downward Dog pose for the nth time. If you will keep your mind open and receptive, you will discover that there is something new that you can learn even after performing the same pose for the thousandth time.
Pay Attention To The Little Tremors
As you try to push yourself towards the edge and rise up to every challenge, your muscles will respond with tiny tremors. It’s a gentle reminder that you are alive. Strive to take every pose to the next level as you achieve a new height of enhanced strength and flexibility
Be In The Now
Sure, we all have errands and concerns to attend to after Yoga sessions, but try not to think about any of those during your practice. Don’t think about anything but simply focus on your breathing and stay in the present.
Use Yoga Straps
Yoga practitioners invest in Yoga mat but often overlook the need to add in Yoga straps or belts. This is a very important contraption, especially for beginners in providing assistance in grasping limbs and holding certain poses longer.
Yoga is truly an intricate and meaningful practice that goes beyond a regular fitness exercise. It does not only focus on working out your body, but also your mind, which is one of the reasons cited on the article “What Sets Yoga Apart From Other Exercises?”
The best on luck on your own Yoga journey!
