You’ve practiced with them on YogaGlo. You’ve followed them on Facebook. You might even take their classes in person once in awhile if they travel to or live in your city. But how well do you know our YogaGlo teachers? Ask a Yogi is back so you can learn more about our teachers by asking questions you’ve always wanted to ask.
From favorite poses and tips for beginners to deeper questions about how their practice has changed their worldview, our teachers will collectively answer a new question each week. If you have a question you’d like to “Ask a Yogi” let us know in the comments and we’ll add your questions to the list.
What’s one thing every beginning yogi should know?
Alex van Frank: You have an amazing body right now. Yoga needs to fit your body not the other way around. You are the expert of your body and I am here to facilitate a mindful movement and appreciation of the body. The beauty of this is that there is so much diversity of body types and shapes that the idea of something being wrong often times has more to do with our limited perception rather than the physical.
Amy Ippoliti: You are worthy to practice yoga! There are no qualifications that you need other than a willingness to be curious about yourself, a desire to live a meaningful life, and a longing to feel free in your body! You don’t have to be flexible, strong, wealthy, or any other limitations you may think you have – you are ready now.
Chris Chapple: The body and breath hold the key to our well being and happiness. Without our breath we cannot think. With our breath we learn to regulate the thinking process.
Claire Missingham: Everything is time, patience and practice. Plus, you don’t need to already be flexible to start a yoga practice, flexibility comes from breathing, and breathing also takes time to master: be prepared to enjoy the process as it evolves.
David Harshada Wagner: Every beginning yogi should know that Yoga has many many different expressions and many layers of depth. They should understand that their studio or their teacher or the method they are first exposed to is just one expression of Yoga. They can search around and try different things and find the Yoga that suits them. This is especially true with the “depth” aspect of Yoga. Many contemporary expressions of Yoga mainly focus on the physical exercise dimension of Yoga. Yoga can be a great way to work your body, but it can also be a deeply mystical practice that you can use to transform your consciousness and your experience of life itself.
Claudine Lafond: Always focus on your breath. Everything else will unfold once you are present with your breathing.
Felicia Tomasko: You do not have to be already flexible, strong, or good at yoga to be good at yoga. The most important quality to have in practice is a sense of willingness.
Kia Miller: Keep an open heart and mind to the philosophy and practice. Try different teachers until you find someone with whom you resonate, that you feel has something to teach you.
Noah Maze: Yoga begins when you decide to be more than ordinary. A little bit of effort goes a long way. Jump in. Do it. Don’t delay. You will experience an increase of vitality, joy, strength and flexibility of body/mind/spirit. Burn brightly and shine your light!
Sally Kempton: Recognize that your real nature is limitless awareness and energy, and that the true purpose of yoga is to cultivate the experience of yourself as a sacred being living in a sacred world.
Stephanie Snyder : Have a sense of humor.
Steven Espinosa: Flexibility Is Overrated! One of the first things I hear from students new to yoga say is “I’m not flexible” or “I’m not strong.” I try to remind them that you don’t have to be flexible or strong to do yoga. Flexibility and strength are something that comes over time with patience and practice.
Tara Judelle: The origins of yoga came from a desire to become a liberated embodied being. It’s a game of awakening. The poses are gimmicks to see how your mind is doing. So recognize the physical practice is simply one container to see how your mind is handling stimulus.
Taylor Harkness: Your practice is just that… a practice. Allow the speed bumps, road blocks, and the challenges to become learning moments. So what if you’re tight? So what if you need more shoulder strength? That’s why you practice! If you could do everything perfectly the first time, you’d be bored.
Tiffany Cruikshank: Worry less about what the pose looks like and more about what it feels like. So many people get caught up in looking like a picture or having certain alignment but those are simply there to give you a direction to move toward. The reality is, every body is so different that the poses will look a bit different for everyone and if you’re open to that then you can tune into what’s happening inside. In my experience this is where the effects of the practice really take shape.
source https://blog.yogaglo.com/2016/12/ask-a-yogi-whats-one-thing-every-beginning-yogi-should-know/
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