Beginning Yoga

The benefits are so great that beginning yoga just might be one of the best things you’ve ever done. But with so much “yoga stuff” going on out there today, it can be hard to know how to get started. I think I can help …

You’re interested in yoga because you want to improve something about yourself. If you approach yoga properly, I’m certain you’ll find what you are looking for. 

Yoga, properly understood and taught, has amazing benefits and immense potential. But there are a few things you should know before beginning yoga. 

Yoga Facts - Cutting Through the Rhetoric 

A lot of folks have hyped yoga to the max today, selling it as the solution to all our problems. What they’re often teaching, however, has very little to do with yoga. 

They’ve taken yoga, the most profound and comprehensive science for health and personal transformation, and stripped it right down to clear-cut, practical techniques. 

They teach you specific poses for certain conditions, and precise techniques for combating particular health problems. This is not only short-sighted, it’s just plain wrong! 

Yoga is not just an exotic form of physiotherapy, and anyone who approaches yoga in this way will not find the results they are looking for, and most likely won’t stick with it for long. 

And that’s a BIG shame! … 

Because yoga certainly is extraordinary. In fact, in my opinion and my experience, there is nothing to compare with yoga - not only for what it can help us to achieve on the physical level, but on the mental and emotional as well. 

I’m not telling you all this to turn you off yoga. Rather, I’m telling you this to save you a lot of disappointment and frustration. I’m telling you this because beginning yoga PROPERLY is the key to success. 

Properly Beginning Yoga 

All you need to begin yoga is an open mind and a willingness to explore some new things. To truly benefit from yoga, we must keep in mind that it is not just a bunch of physical exercises. It is a profound system for self-discovery and personal transformation, which also happens to include many physical practices in its box of tools. 

Where to Start? 

Do’s: 

1. Find a teacher who teaches more than just group classes that focus primarily on yoga asanas (poses). 
2. Join a yoga program (online or offline) that approaches yoga in a step-by-step manner - one that will teach you about all the various aspects of yoga and also the proper way to practice the many yoga exercises and yoga techniques. 

Don’ts: 

1. Don’t just follow the crowd. Even though everyone seems to be talking about yoga today, there are few people who truly know much about it. Just because some types of yoga are popular, doesn’t mean they really reflect what yoga is all about, or that you will learn much about yoga through them. If you follow the majority of yoga crowds today you’ll probably end up going nowhere … except in circles. 
2. MOST IMPORTANT of all … Don’t become a “yoga tourist.” Avoid sampling various classes from all the different types of yoga popping up all over the place today. Ditto for downloading free yoga videos or e-books too. Doing these things will probably make it even more difficult for you to figure out what yoga really is all about. 

… and if you don’t really understand what it is that you are doing with yoga, then you will eventually get tired of going through the yoga motions and drop it altogether. I’ve seen this happen over and over again, and I don’t want to see it happen to you. 

You don’t want to waste your time, so right from the start I encourage you to follow the above 4 points of advice and PROPERLY learn yoga! 

Our Basic Yoga Trainer is also a great way to get a broad understanding of yoga and to develop a foundation of healthy yoga practices. It’s perfect for beginning yoga. 

When you’re ready to go further, our 1-year Yoga Master's correspondence and home study yoga course will help you to get there. For more information about Yoga, visit: Yoga Basics - The 8 Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga