“You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you.” ~Barbara Sher
Whether you’ve never tried yoga before or practiced sporadically and never found your groove, it’s never too late to try again. Maybe the timing wasn’t right before, or you couldn’t find a yoga teacher that you connected with––the reasons why you’re trying yoga for the first time or returning to the mat aren’t what’s important. What matters is your attitude.
If you can step into a beginner’s mindset and be open to step outside your comfort zone, you can discover the myriad of benefits yoga offers. A well-balanced yoga practice will help you become stronger, more flexible, more centered, and happier. What’s key is finding a style you love and a set of instructors who encourage you to be patient with yourself. One of yoga’s primary teachings deals with learning to release attachment to outcome. To let go of pre-conceived notions of what you believe yoga should be.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.12 covers two vital elements of yogic philosophy: abhyasa (persistent effort) and vairagya (non-attachment to end result). If you can embrace this concept, you can try anything as a beginner and focus on the joy of something new without worrying about the outcome of your practice.
There is no perfect yoga pose. What matters is how you feel in any given shape and the quality of your breathing. That’s it. You don’t have to wear expensive leggings and look like a supermodel to practice yoga. Humans come in all shapes, sizes, and energy levels and there is a perfect yoga practice for each one of us. You only need to be willing to try. To be okay with not being good at it for a while. Practice takes time and discipline but the benefits to your body, mind, and heart are invaluable.
This week, we’ve got the roadmap for you! Even if you’re not a true beginner, it’s always valuable to review the basics and tune in to your mind, body, and heart. Let go of your ego and step onto your mat with an open mind! Enjoy!
Yoga for Complete Beginners - Jackie Casal Mahrou
Beginner Flow - Erin Wimert
Downward Facing Dog - Sarah Shannon
Introduction to Iyengar Yoga - Dana Hanizeski