10.5 tips for beginner yogis

Starting out with yoga (or even thinking about trying it) can be overwhelming. I know, we've all been there! I remember trying to navigate my very first yoga class, so different than the aerobics class I took earlier that week. I could tell that I was supposed to be relaxing, but was I really breathing right? Was I doing the poses perfectly? Could other people tell it was my first class? I felt like it was glaringly obvious that I was a newbie. I had so much to learn and unlearn. :)

Regardless of how welcoming the yoga community is, we all still feel like this sometimes.

It didn't take me long to realize that yoga isn't at all about perfection. But over the years, I've found that many practicing yogis and non-yogis alike still share the same basic concerns, habits, misconceptions and frustrations. Sometimes we can all benefit by 'taking a step back' and acknowledging all that yoga really is and is not!

1.) Inherent flexibility will not give you any advantage. Read that again. You do not have to be flexible to do yoga! Flexibility and mobility is just one of many GOALS of yoga, but everyone's body is different. There will always be certain poses that some people can do and others can't, regardless of however you define "flexibility." So stop comparing yourself to those around you because being able to stretch like Gumby will absolutely not make you or your yoga practice any better! (Though I always thought Gumby was pretty cute.)

2.) Focus on your own practice. When you first start yoga, this can be challenging. You'll need to stay focused on the instructor for a while to learn the poses. But once you're a bit more comfortable, work to drop your ego and never mind how you look in a pose, what you're wearing, what you're doing after yoga or what anyone else around you is doing. This is a time to get away from stress, comparison and daily life. Turn your attention inward and focus on your present mind and body.

3.) Everyone mixes up right and left sometimes, so don't worry. There are just some days that you, your neighbor or your teacher cannot seem to delineate left from right. No big deal! If you make a mistake, just be sure to visit both sides for asymmetrical poses to keep your body in balance.

4.) Stay calm when you trip, stumble or fall on your face. To reiterate #2 and #3, everyone is focused on their own practice and mistakes are part of learning, so don't be embarrassed or frustrated! Sighing in frustration, shaking your head or throwing a quiet mini-tantrum is only going to distract others and make it harder for you to stay present in your practice. Just chill out, take a few focused breaths and slowly try again or take a break in Child's Pose until the class moves on

5.) Don't worry about advanced poses. It might be tempting to turn your yoga into something it's not: a platform to show-off your athletic prowess. It's okay to have a goal pose and be proud of your achievements, but you must learn to totally accept wherever you are right now. Never be ashamed to rest or skip any posture you're not comfortable with. Your practice will naturally build over time.

6.) Take a few minutes a day for yoga. Just a little each day (a few of your favorite poses or just some breathing practice) will help your mind and body more than 1 long class once or twice a week. Give yourself peace and quiet to just tune-in to your body, mind and emotions for the day. Every little bit counts.

7.) Leave the baggy clothes at home. There is a fine line between yoga clothes and pajamas, so it might be tempting to wear that big loose t-shirt or a comfy baggy shirt that makes you feel like a trendy yogi. But trust me, as soon as you try your first Forward Fold or Downward Facing Dog, that not-so-awesome baggy shirt will flip up over your head, blinding, smothering and annoying you for the duration of class. Stick with fitted tops.

8.) Clean and dry your mat. Don't suddenly be ashamed if you haven't thought of it yet, but yes, yoga mats get dirty and yes, they should be cleaned every once in a while. Be careful what you use to clean your mat (more on that here) and keep in mind that full drying time can vary from 24 hours to 3 days depending on the type of mat. Sometimes a mat might feel dry to the touch until you get into your practice, so if your mat ever feels damp or slippery, please don't hesitate to ask for a spare for a safe and comfortable practice.

9.) No judging. You might hear gentle reminders in your yoga class to "leave the ego at the door," "stay present in your own practice" or reassurance that "no one is judging you." In yoga philosophy, ahimsa—often translated as "non-violence" or "non-harming"—is a very important practice of cultivating an attitude of loving kindness, contentment, or non-judgment. We use this to create a welcoming atmosphere in the studio for ourselves and others. So no one has to wear that "newbie" sign around their neck. :)

10.) Ask questions and make requests! Your yoga teacher really loves yoga and only serves to suggest poses and facilitate your learning. If something doesn't feel right, you have an idea or you're curious about why we do certain things we do, please let your teacher know so that he/she can help you improve your practice! If you do not practice with a teacher, I would encourage you to seek one out in your area that gets you excited about yoga. There are many types of yoga and teachers of all kinds, but it's important to have someone to correct your mistakes, help you in your journey and guide your practice.

10.5) Always respect regular class etiquette and your fellow students. This tip didn't deserve to be a full #11 tip because it's only common courtesy. Arrive early or on time for class, do not bathe in overbearing perfumes, be quiet and turn off your cell phone. Duh!

Hopefully these tips are encouraging for your yoga practice. Use them to deepen your understanding of real acceptance among the yoga culture. Save them, pin them, think about them or meditate on any that challenge you. We could all use occasional little reminders for the simple things sometimes, so don't forget these basics! Namaste <3

5 steps toward full wheel pose

Having goal poses to work toward can be a healthy part of your yoga practice. Whether you have your eye on a certain asana for a physical or emotional release, taking steps to achieve a special posture is exciting if you're mind and heart are in the right place. That being said, please always check with your doctor before embarking on any new yoga posture, no pose should ever be forced or uncomfortable and if you have any doubts or questions along your journey, please seek the help of a certified yoga instructor.

Now that that's out of the way, we're going to explore one of my favorite advanced postures: full wheel pose, upward facing bow or Urdhva Dhanuasana in Sanskrit. Perhaps one of the more popular goal postures, wheel has a special way of making the practitioner feel strong, open and energized. Usually thought of as a deep back-bend and heart-opener, wheel can also provide amazing wrist opening, arm strength and relief for back pain.

Steps 3 (bottom) and 4 (top) of full wheel pose - Photocredit, fitsugar

If you are comfortable with poses like Camel, Bow, Bridge, Wild Thing Pose and Reverse Tabletop and if you're free from back injury, carpal tunnel syndrome and high or low blood pressure, wheel might be a wonderful pose for you to work toward. After thoroughly warming up the hips, wrists, spine and arms, here's where you might start:

1.) Lay on your back and bend the knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Tuck your feet as close to your tailbone as possible, knees together. Open your fingers wide and rest your palms on either side of your head, fingers facing toward the body and elbows toward the ceiling.

2.) Inhale deeply and on the exhale, ground into your feet, engage the abdominals and lift your hips off of the floor until your thighs are parallel to the floor (a modification of bridge pose). Try to keep your knees close together. (You might hold a block between your thighs to help.) Hold here for two deep breaths.

3.) If you're comfortable, on your next exhale, press into your hands and focus on lifting your shoulders, tipping your head back and gently resting on the back of your head. Make sure that your arms remain active (do not allow the elbows to splay out to the side) and hold this position for two deep breaths. If you feel unstable or your arms are shaking, you may want to stop here. Keep working on steps 1-3 until you feel more confident in your arm strength.

4.) Once you feel satisfied with step 3, you're ready to enter full wheel. If you're concerned that your hands will slip, please either practice with a spotter or place your wrists up against a wall before lifting up.

On an exhale, press into your hands and feet, straightening the arms and lifting your head. Press the chest up and back and be sure to keep the elbows and legs parallel. Continue to breathe deeply, holding as long as you're stable and then mindfully reversing these steps to exit the post. (Start by tucking the chin in to the chest carefully, and lowering slowly down)

5.) It is very important to balance this posture, so please be sure to practice a counter-pose for your spine, such as hugging the knees into the chest.

Keep in mind that this pose is advanced and will not come overnight. Please do not feel discouraged if you seem to plateau at step 3 or even step 1. We all start at our own beginning, but how satisfying it can be to struggle and gain strength through a challenging pose! If you'd like a bit more information, here's a great post on what NOT to do in wheel pose such as clenching your bum, lifting the heels or turning the fingers/toes...all common tendencies at first. Take your time working up to this post and enjoy the process.

Please contact me with any comments, experiences or questions.
Namaste :)

battling germs with yoga

As fall approaches, I look forward to dusting off my teapot, cozy hoodies and fluffiest slippers. I love the refreshing crisp air and the promise of bonfires, beautiful fall colors and the death/hibernation of many bugs. Ahhh! :) But one thing I do not look forward to is the inevitable influx of allergies and germs. I picture kids venturing back to school in close-quarters and wiping their grimy hands all over each other's stuff, spreading their little kid germs to their teachers, family, parents and eventually, co-workers of parents (ie. me). 

When I'm not blaming children for fall allergies and airborne germs, I'm actively studying home remedies, prevention and of course, yoga remedies. A regular yoga practice will already give you an advantage when it comes to your immune system, but if allergies already have you down, you're at a disadvantage.

“If you have allergy symptoms, your immune system is already working overtime. A stuffy nose, ears and sinuses, inflamed eyes, headaches, sore throat and difficulty breathing are all caused by the mucus-producing process of the immune system attacking innocuous invaders. Through relaxation, the nervous system can tell the immune system to settle down and stop attacking the foreign bodies, which are naturally cleared out in a non-allergic person by sneezing once or twice a day. When the immune system backs off, inflammation and mucus decrease and symptoms diminish.” - yogasite.com

These are scientific facts, people. Even if you don't want to get into the mental focus, spiritual aspect, chakra work or anything touchy-feely, it's still there and like it or not, it's effecting your entire endocrine system. So the question is: what's going on with your nervous system? Is it ignored, over-worked or rundown? Regardless of how you feel, if you're mentally run-down, your immune system is run-down, too.

In general, yoga helps to lower stress hormones that compromise the immune system, while also conditioning the lungs, respiratory tract and lymphatic system. But besides preventative practice, many yoga poses are specifically therapeutic to target certain glands, organs and bodily systems that, when stimulated, can help ease discomfort and speed recovery. I'm excited to be offering a workshop with a focus on the immune system. There's so much to learn, but when I feel like I'm coming down with a cold or am trying to get through one, I have a few powerful asanas that I focus on:

1.) Lion's Pose: Simultaneously one of the most-useful and most-intolerable yoga asanas, lion's pose is just normally one of those asanas you will prefer to practice alone.

A few brave souls, photographed practicing Lion's Pose.... ;)

I've had amazing success with lion's pose instantly relieving sore throats, but the key to this pose is making an obnoxious face that involves sticking out your tongue as far as you can, looking upward and exhaling (or roaring) loudly. Needless to say, I don't cue it often in class. Even Yoga Journal makes fun of lion's pose under the Partnering section:

But in all seriousness, this asana has significant (often instantaneous) benefits. It doesn't feel so silly to practice once you realize how well it works. Lion's Pose relaxes the muscles of the neck and jaw, easing the pain of a sore throat or swollen glands and can also help to soothe a cough. During the "lion's roar," the nasal passages drain, expelling mucus from the lungs.

Lion's Pose is my first go-to asana when my throat doesn't feel quite right. Remember Lion's Pose during the first signs of your next sore throat and be amazed at the results!

2.) Inversions: There are many types of inversions from the very gentle (Downward Facing Dog, Forward Fold) to the advanced (Headstand, Scorpion...etc). Even a restorative Child's Pose is technically an inversion, since your head is resting lower than your heart.

Any inversion is therapeutic for the lymphatic system, circulation and immune system.

Regardless of where you are in your practice or what you're comfortable with when you're ill, you can usually find some sort of helpful inversion. Any time your heart rests lower than your head, circulation of your lymphatic system is improved, which in turn helps your body defend against infections. Being upside-down also helps to prevent secondary infections by draining the lungs.

If you have sinus pain and pressure, inversions can help to drain your nasal passages, but don't push it. Stay mindful of what your body is feeling and only do what feels comfortable.

3.) Twists: I already spoke a lot about the benefits of twisting postures here, but if I've said it once, I'll say it 1,000 times: daily twisting yoga asanas are by far the best preventative measure you can take to strengthen your immune system and protect against disease.

Twisting posture ideas, from simple and gentle to deep and advanced.

70% of your immune system lies in the digestive tract, but some doctors and scientists argue that it's an even larger percentage. Each time you turn your torso and breathe deeply into a yoga twist, you are wringing out toxins and literally massaging internal organs that are imperative to a healthy digestive system and immune system. Twists are also a great way to increase blood flow, so they're naturally energizing if you're feeling sluggish and under-the-weather.

There are tons of other interesting yoga postures and practices you can benefit from when you're sick, such as including the use of a neti pot. Being in-tune with yourself will allow you to notice subtle changes in your energy level and give you a chance to fend off infection proactively. Ultimately, being sick is one of our best opportunities to learn how to truly listen to our bodies, refine our patience and reconsider our priorities.  There is never a good time to be ill, but when you're body tells you to "slow down," how do you handle it?