January Pose of the Month
Since it’s the beginning of a new year, here around the studio we start to see an influx of new yoga practitioners which is very exciting! The energy of new beginnings is all around us and it is refreshing and inspiring. However, it can also be a little daunting when you’re trying to commit to something new.
Making a commitment to a studio yoga practice can be very intimidating and scary. You’re not only starting something new, but starting that something new with people you don’t know and in a place you’re not familiar with. We have all been there at some point, even if it does take us some time to remember the feelings, sensations, and other details of our first yoga class experience.
This is the time of year where everyone is chasing their hopes and dreams for a better and healthier self, but before you head to the yoga studio for your first practice let’s just take a pause to focus on YOU just as you are. Yoga is for EVERYONE- any body type or shape, any physical fitness level, any age, any level of flexibility, etc. If you have a body and can breathe, and of course a physician hasn’t told you otherwise, you CAN practice yoga or at least some form of it. The good news is here at ISY we have classes for all levels and even different types of yoga styles like Yin, Restorative, and Chair Yoga.
One of the beautiful aspects of yoga is that it's not a "one size fits all" program or practice. It's a journey of exploring your mind, body, and spirit to figure out "what ‘size’ fits you". It's a very personal and rewarding experience. Moreover, it’s empowering when you make this connection and have created a practice that serves YOU, that is just as unique as you are. When all the pieces finally fit together w/ease - the mind, body, spirit - like a puzzle of the self. This takes time though, so be patient… it’s worth it.
Starting a yoga practice is less about being ‘ready’ physically and more about preparing yourself in other ways that can really make your practice a much more personally valuable and positive experience. One of the first tips I usually give to new yoga practitioners is to LET GO of expectations. All too often new practitioners have way too many expectations. Even seasoned yoga practitioners can benefit from doing an ‘expectations check’ from time to time, as we are all guilty of putting way too much pressure and baggage on ourselves. Let yourself begin your practice with no expectations and just see what happens. I guarantee you will feel a whole lot lighter too. When we let go of expectations we are able to open more to new experiences, find it easier to accept whatever unfolds organically, and connect to a greater sense of awareness and presence during the practice.
This is a beginner’s mindset. The state of mind where you are:
Free of preconceptions of how anything works.
Free of expectations about what will happen.
Filled with curiosity to understand things more deeply.
Open to a world of possibilities since you don’t yet know what is or isn’t possible.
“The very nature of a beginner’s mind is to be curious and eager to try new things.” ~ unknown
As a more ‘advanced’ yoga student sometimes practicing with a beginner’s mindset can invigorate your yoga practice. Approach your practice with no expectations for how you anticipate it might unfold, even if you’ve done a sun salutation 1,000 times. When you’ve been practicing for so long, sometimes we get caught up in our ‘knowing mind’ and find ourselves practicing in auto-pilot mode. There isn’t anything wrong with this; as we get to know our bodies on a deeper, more personal level we find what feels good and safe. However, by letting go of what we think an experience in a particular pose may feel or look like, based on perhaps our past practice experiences, you might learn something new that could benefit your practice. When you experience each pose as if you were experiencing it for the first time, you are more available to the full range of sensations. You may even be able to find delight in the challenging moments and/or poses,. For example, practicing a pose that you typically hate may feel empowering to you with a change of perspective and an increased level of awareness, that comes from letting go of expectations. When you don’t have the pressure to meet a particular expectation and/or outcome, you truly free yourself up to so much more in your practice.
Dandasana
To kick off the new year, we are focusing our Pose of the Month on a foundational yoga posture called Dandasana or Staff pose. Dandasana is a great pose for all levels of yoga practitioners. It helps us to really focus on our foundation by connecting us to our root chakra, the first of the seven energy centers that is specifically responsible for our sense of safety and security on this earthly journey. Starting at the foundation of the chakra system and balancing the root chakra creates a solid foundation for opening the chakras above. Aside from the energy flow benefits, Dandasana also helps to build concentration and mental awareness.
While Dandasana ‘looks’ easy, it can challenge your expectations and challenge yoga practitioners of all levels physically. You will find that it is harder to sit in this pose than it looks, which is where props can be very helpful to have (i.e. blanket to sit on, strap around the feet to hold onto) no matter how long you’ve been practicing yoga.
So let go of your expectations of what you think you ‘see’ when you look at a photo of someone doing the pose, or your neighbor in class doing the pose, and practice the pose for yourself to see how it feels. Use the props to play around and experiment with what variation feels good for you. Enjoy the experience of being present w/no expectations.
Read on below for more tips from some of our amazing ISY Yoga Teachers!
Tips for Beginning yoga students
Respect your body. Listen to what your body tells you during yoga. Maybe it would feel nicer to lean more into a pose, maybe it would feel nicer to go into child’s pose. There is no right or wrong in yoga. It’s what is right for your body. Respect what your body needs and always take the post that’s right for you ~ Catherine Hofmann
The yoga studio is a no-judgment zone. That means not judging yourself, and it also means no one else will be judging you either -- including the teacher. Your practice is your own, and it *will* look and feel different from day to day, and that's okay! ~ Kari Lucas
A virtual experience for a new/newer practitioner just might be the way to explore the feelings, visuals and language of a class so when you are in person you feel more at home/familiar. You can literally stop & observe at any time and no one knows! Or- perhaps the virtual experience has helped you return to the focus/intention of your practice if you are more seasoned. Either way, practicing in person may be the preference but there can beautiful benefits from a virtual experience if you allow it. ~ Danielle Corley
Be patient with the practice and yourself. The first class might be overwhelming. You’re trying to learn what the poses are and proper alignment, you might be hearing sanskrit words and names for the poses that you have no clue about, possibly practicing new breathing techniques, you may struggle with body awareness in the beginning, etc. You may leave feeling a little discouraged and confused, but that’s ok and a common experience. Keep going and be patient. ~ Esther Richmer
Use all the yummy props. If someone along the way told you that using props wasn’t a true yogi, they were wrong. Even in the yoga sutra, they speak of the use of props. Use all the juicy props. They can make your practice more comfortable, funner, and get you into places that you might not be able to without them. Don’t be afraid to use a prop, even if no one else is. ~ Catherine Hofmann
Comparison is the thief of joy. Comparing yourself to others or to your "past self" will keep you from being able to truly be present for your practice -- try to let go of comparison, and when you catch that inner voice whispering in your ear, simply say, "Thank you, brain, but that isn't important to me right now," and draw your attention back to your breath. ~ Kari Lucas
Tips for advanced yoga students to connect to a ‘beginners mindset’
Get back to basics - take a class you usually don't take (Hatha Level 1, etc.) to continue your yoga learning and strengthen your foundation. ~ Marissa Olson
Invite a sense of playfulness and curiousity to your practice. Give yourself space to experiment, whether it be by taking a different transition than you normally would or playing around with a new breathing technique. No matter how long you’ve been practicing, there is always something new to be learned. ~ Laura DeMent
Use familiar poses, ones that cause you to go into auto-pilot, as your anchor. In those poses, resist the urge to tune-out and go into auto-pilot by opening your awareness more and tuning-in. Notice how that time in the pose might feel different or the same as the previous experiences in it (without judgement) and perhaps even ask yourself, what can I learn from this pose/experience in this pose right now? ~ Esther Richmer