Tips for Everyone Who is New to Yoga

Summary: Turning to yoga? Well here are wonderful tips for everyone who is new to the amazing world of yoga.

Yoga is for everyone and you don’t need to be a yogi to reap the benefits of this therapeutic practice. Anyone can practice yoga, whether young or old, healthy or fit, flexible or rigid, man or woman, yoga is a powerful tool that strengthens the body and calms the mind. When you embark the yoga journey, bewilderments are obvious to take place. And to make things easy, here are some tips for everyone who is new to yoga.

1. Yoga is a learning experience

No one is perfect and perfection only comes with time and practice. View Yoga as your learning experience and remember not to resist yourself from doing the poses freely and at the same time, do not hurry up with the things. Maintain a balance as it is a part of the learning process, and if you are unsure of doing any asana, don’t hesitate to take the help of your instructor.

2. Set your intentions

As mentioned, yoga is for everyone, and anyone can practice it. But before stepping on the yoga mat always remember to know about your goals, and set clear intentions. You should have a better knowledge of your needs and wants, know what you actually want from your yoga class, and discuss the same with your teacher.

3. Listen to your instructor

To grow into yoga practice, listening to your yoga instructor carefully is required. They are experienced and know nitty-gritty details about yoga. So follow their instructions, discuss your limitations and goals, and under their guidance flourish into the world of yoga.

4. Listen to your body

One of the most important things that every yoga enthusiast should keep in their mind is to listen to their body. Know about your body limitations and practice safely. As you grow into your yoga practice, you form a deeper connection with the Self. The connection makes the body’s voice clear and this reduces the chances of injury.

5. Focus on your mat and alignments

Instead of focusing on other students and their practice, you better work on your own poses and practice. Your focus should be on yourself and on the guidelines your instructor is providing. Work on correcting the alignment and body posture before stepping for the next pose.

6. Remember to breathe

Yoga is a practice of aligning the body, mind, and soul, and practicing breathing is the best way to do so. Through the constant practice and focus on the breath, you will be able to relax your body, calm your mind, and keep your soul at peace. Breathing also helps you to bring body awareness in order to practice safely without hurting yourself.

7. Avoid comparing yourself

True, if you keep comparing yourself to others, you would end up making yourself crazy. Yoga is not a competition- as we practice we progress. So it is advisable for all the new yogis and beginners to stop looking for the other students and fellow yogis and focus on your own practice.

8. Keep learning and growing

Be it a beginner or an advanced yogi, when it comes to yoga, the learning phase never ends. We keep on learning on this wonderful yoga journey. You learn new things and gradually grow with every step, deepening the yoga practice.

9. Wear comfortable clothes

Clothes play an important role in having a relaxed and safe yoga session. It is important to choose the right kind of yoga wardrobe for yourself, especially as a beginner. Wear comfortable clothes, but avoid wearing loose and baggy ones. Fitted clothes are best to see your true body posture during alignment and adjustments.

10. Self-practice is important

Whether you’re spending hours practicing yoga at yoga studio or class, without self-practice, you will not get the desired results. Yoga is about self-practice, and in this manner, you will be able to connect better with the Self.

To enjoy all the life benefits of yoga, you need to be patient, persistent, and practice to grow into the practice. Go slowly and gradually push your boundaries.