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Saturday, November 7, 2015

Yoga in Real Life

yoga life mat
image from Pixabay

Continuing with my theme of being realistic with this blog, I wanted to give you some real life yoga tips.

1.  You don't have to sweat your butt off in yoga. I used to do much more flow or power yoga, but these days I argue that slow is better.  In our busy, always connected world, our bodies and minds need time to slow down.

2.  It's Ok to make modifications and use props!  I love my Sunday yoga class.  One lady brings a mini-fan, because she is having hot flashes. Another lady brings her Yoga Jellies because of wrist and knee issues. I prop myself up with blankets to tilt my pelvis forward due to a tailbone injury.  The key is our instructor who makes us feel comfortable and encourages modifications.

yoga meditation
image from Pixabay

3.  Find a qualified instructor who offers modifications.  It is now a pet peeve of mine to go to a class where modifications are not offered - and it happens a lot.  Newsflash - many of us are doing chaturanga wrong.  You have permission to put your knees down to maintain correct form. I now look for teachers who have been teaching a while.  I also have been beginning to look for instructors with  500 hours of training, most have 200 hours.

4.  You don't need to do a full 90 minute class, seven days a week.  If you can - great!  My schedule doesn't allow it these days.  My yoga looks more like one 45 minute home practice and one 90 minute studio class per week.  I will also add a few poses at the end of a walk or run.  

5.  Yoga isn't about the poses anyway.  You can practice yoga all day long by just trying to be mindful.