As I mentioned in Part I, I have had the humble honor of working on many people who have never experienced therapeutic touch before, and some yoga newbies as well. I know many of these folks were nervous, hesitant, unsure, as they should be in a new experience. I believe yoga is accessible to everyone, no matter their physical health or flexibility. It doesn’t have to be done on the floor/on a mat – it can be done standing, or in a chair, or against the wall. You work with what your body allows you to do so you don’t hurt yourself.
So, if you have been curious to try yoga, I suggest the following:
- Talk to the yoga teacher before class. Let them know this is your first time, ask them if they have any suggestions for you, and let them know also if you have any injuries/limitations so they can keep an eye on you during class.
- I know this is going to sound intimidating, but set up your mat at the front of the class so you can see the instructor without others being in front of you. The added bonus is that you (hopefully) won’t be looking around to see what everyone else is doing.
- Speaking of seeing what everyone else is doing – I know it’s incredibly tempting to compare yourself to everyone else in the class, especially those of us who are competitive. Please, please, please try not to do this. You don’t know how long other yogis have been practicing, or if they are naturally hypermobile and can bend like a pretzel. You will discover over time that we all come to the mat with different abilities and limitations, and it is truly our own journey to make.
- Ask questions after class. Unless they are running off to another class, most teachers will be happy to sit with you for a few minutes to explain or demonstrate poses.
- Most importantly, keep an open mind and try to have fun (and breathe!). If we can approach new experiences with a beginner’s/child’s mind, then the pressure is off to perform, and we can discover amazing things about ourselves in that space.
I hope this helps! If you prefer to try yoga in a private and personalized session, click here to book your first session with me!