| Yoga is like sex. You can read about it, hear | | | | myself to keep going back to yoga class twice a |
| about it, and watch other people do it, but until | | | | week for a month. No judgments, no analyzing, |
| you experience it first hand, yourself, you don't | | | | no deciding "like it or not." So I pre-paid the |
| really get it. So what's the excitement all about? | | | | classes and took my body to yoga class. After |
| Why is yoga showing up everywhere from auto | | | | that month, I was hooked. I highly recommend |
| ads to executive meetings? Why are airlines | | | | this approach... It changed my life.Once you get |
| presenting it to their passengers and why is it | | | | yourself into yoga class, the next biggest |
| featured on Oprah? Kids are doing it in schools; | | | | challenge is self-acceptance. A yoga teacher of |
| buff athletes are doing it, even pregnant women | | | | mine once said, "Begin where you are and stay |
| and the wheelchair-bound. There must be | | | | there." Wise words, and a big relief! After all, |
| something very seductive about yoga!If you do | | | | there's no other place to start than by accepting |
| yoga, you know that it's seductive. That delicious | | | | ourselves right where we are and realizing that |
| feeling of stretching from the inside out; that | | | | we'll never be exactly there again. Every yoga |
| soothing sensation like warm honey flowing | | | | practice is different because we are different, |
| through energized limbs; and the "big payoff" at | | | | day-to-day, and minute-to-minute. One of the |
| the end of a practice: floating away into the | | | | basic lessons we learn from a yoga practice is not |
| infinite. You can't access this in pictures, and yoga | | | | to judge ourselves. For most of us, that's a hard |
| isn't a spectator sport. The real experience is only | | | | one. Our culture trains us to be competitive. We |
| available to you if you actually do yoga.Yoga is | | | | want to compare ourselves with each other, with |
| not just about the beautiful bodies of diehard | | | | the teacher, and especially with our image of |
| yogis and yoginis, although fitness is definitely one | | | | what we think we should be able to do. If you |
| of the major payoffs, yoga is a path to that | | | | want to enjoy your yoga practice, judge not! |
| illusive center we are all seeking...it's a path to inner | | | | Watch yourself from the inside; explore the |
| peace. We're being drawn to yoga by the | | | | sensations and the new feelings. Experience |
| thousands because we need it; we crave what | | | | yourself from the inside out.Another big hurdle is |
| yoga offers and deeply need the body-mind-spirit | | | | overcoming the goal-oriented, "Type A" |
| connection we experience when we practice the | | | | personality approach to yoga; the attitude that |
| 5000 year old art of yoga.Increased strength and | | | | the body must conform to perfection and each |
| flexibility, relief from headaches, back problems, | | | | pose must be the textbook ideal. Give it up! Not a |
| sleep troubles, and stress related issues; deep | | | | good idea for a number of reasons. First, no body |
| relaxation, feeling energized, powerful, peaceful | | | | does perfect poses. Not even the teacher, even |
| and centered... Sounds good? These are only a | | | | though you may think so initially. There is no |
| few of the myriad benefits of a yoga practice. | | | | perfect pose. Yoga is a process, not a goal. The |
| Life is so much easier when we feel comfortable | | | | perfect pose for your body is different from the |
| in our bodies, relaxed in spirit and come from a | | | | perfect pose for my body, or for any other |
| peaceful place of power within. Our days become | | | | body. The pose that is most integrated and |
| more enjoyable and more relaxed. Our | | | | balanced, that give you the best stretch and |
| relationships become deeper and more sensitive. | | | | honors your body's limits... that is your perfect |
| The world seems to be more manageable and, | | | | pose.Secondly, yoga is a process of unfoldment. |
| rather than reactive, we become positively | | | | The symbol of yoga is the Thousand Petaled |
| proactive.Many people first come to yoga for | | | | Lotus that keeps opening its petals deeper and |
| physical reasons. They want to find relief from | | | | deeper toward its center. Every time you do a |
| back pain or they want to lose weight. They see | | | | pose, it will be a bit different, you'll do it at a |
| the external benefits of a yoga practice, but like | | | | different level and from a different place within |
| sex, the internal experience is what keeps them | | | | yourself. Allow for those changes and patiently let |
| coming back for more."This all sounds good," you | | | | yoga bring you to deeper levels of each pose as |
| say, "but I haven't bent forward and touched the | | | | time goes on. After a while you'll discover that |
| floor since I was 12. Sure, seems like a good thing | | | | the real yoga isn't about the external form of the |
| to try, but I haven't exercised since high school! | | | | poses, it's about how you move the energy in |
| I'd be embarrassed to be seen in those tight yoga | | | | your body to create them from the inside |
| clothes... or worse, in a yoga class. I'd make a fool | | | | out.And third, honor your body. It's not about |
| out of myself!" I've heard it all... and there's always | | | | pushing to your limit in every pose. You'll really |
| a way. Don't allow your chattering mind or your | | | | regret that the next day! Yoga shouldn't hurt, and |
| fragile ego to keep you from discovering the | | | | it's an inside job as to whether or not you'll |
| treasures you'll find through yoga. Yoga is | | | | experience pleasure or pain. You are in control |
| accessible to everybody. All you need to do is | | | | here. The teacher talks, you do the yoga with |
| make a decision to go for it.Regardless of your | | | | your body. Just as we resist psychologically when |
| physical ability, yoga can be adapted to be | | | | we get pushed too far too fast (Oh yeah? Just |
| accessible to you. If you are physically challenged, | | | | try to make me!), our bodies resist as well. So |
| you can do yoga seated in a chair. Even those | | | | honor your body's limits, don't push; allow, breathe |
| who are bedridden can do yoga and we can all | | | | and soften into the poses.Keep in mind that there |
| benefit greatly from "pranayama," the yoga of | | | | are as many different forms of Hatha Yoga (the |
| the breath.Too busy? Weave it into your day | | | | physical path of yoga) as there are yoga |
| with seated stretches at your computer, in the | | | | teachers. Every teacher has a unique teaching |
| airplane, or while standing in line at the bank. Yoga | | | | style, approach and attitude, even if they have |
| can be subtle, internal and powerful. As you might | | | | been trained in the same yoga lineage. It's |
| suspect, I never take "No" for an answer. There's | | | | important to shop around for a teacher who is |
| always a way to do yoga.Here are a few tips to | | | | well trained and one who inspires you. Find the |
| ease your entry into the world of yoga:The first | | | | teacher that suits your style and don't be afraid |
| step is commitment. My first yoga class was a | | | | to go to different classes and change teachers as |
| rude wake-up call. Every injury I'd ever had was | | | | you develop your yoga practice.Yoga is an |
| talking to me. I thought I was in pretty good | | | | amazing journey of self-discovery. The way you |
| shape at 44, but my body's ability to do those | | | | approach your yoga practice is a microcosm of |
| poses was beyond discouraging... I hated it. There | | | | the way you approach your life. It's a truthful |
| was voice inside my head that screamed, "Get | | | | mirror, a deep learning and exploration into the |
| me outta here!" But there was a more persistent | | | | depths of the soul. I wish you blessings on your |
| little voice inside of me that said, "You don't have | | | | yoga path and light in your journey back to your |
| to like this, just do it." I knew, on some level, that | | | | most beautiful, authentic self. |
| I'd be really sorry if I quit so I made a deal with | | | | |