Often, when I tell people that I do yoga, I get a mix of responses from “I love yoga too!” to “Oh, you must be really flexible.” The response that always makes me sad, however, is “I could never do yoga. I’m not flexible (not strong, too old, etc.) enough for that.”
Today, I want to flip the switch on that mindset.
I believe everybody can do yoga because yoga is for every body!
One of my favorite things about yoga is that practicing yoga is about meeting your body and mind where you are — in general, that week, that day, that moment.
Sure, it is easy for someone who hasn’t done much or any yoga to get discouraged when they see posts of yogis doing headstands, handstands, or crazy balancing poses. But the truth about yoga is that it isn’t really about those poses, it is about finding balance in your body and life so you can be more comfortable and happy as you go about your day.
Sounds nice, doesn’t it?
So, for someone who is new to yoga and feels that they may be too weak, too inflexible, too old, too sick, or that there is some other obstacle making it impossible or too difficult to practice yoga here are a five things to consider.
- Yoga meets you where you are. There are many levels of yoga classes at any given studio, and as a teacher you come to expect that in any given class there will be a wide range of experience and ability. And that is okay! Teachers know how to modify poses and classes to suit the majority of the class population and to make poses more attainable or harder. So in a new class, especially a beginner class, teachers will work on poses with props such as block and straps to make balance or stretching your hamstrings easier. Additionally, because yoga is an individual practice, it is not about what your neighbor or the yoga teacher on instagram who came from a gymastics background and has been practicing for 10+ years can do. It is about you, your body, and how your teacher can help you deepen your practice — whatever that may look like for you. Be a little selfish. Stay humble. And enjoy the benefits of challenging your brain to learn something new!
- Yoga is about finding balance in your life. When you first step into a yoga class you will likely either be stronger than you are flexible or visa versa, maybe super anxious about being in a new setting, and perhaps finding it hard to be quiet and sit with your body for an hour. You are normal! I believe one of the primary benefits of a yoga practice is how it balances you out. For some people it helps match their strength and flexibility. But it can also help you balance your mind. While most yoga classes are not an hour long seated meditation, the simple act of moving into different postures, breathing through the discomfort, and coming out of it just fine (and maybe even feeling better) gives your mental and physical body time to reset. This reset is often something that can carry through into your everyday life — work, taking care of the kids, arguing with a spouse, or containing your self on social media when you see a post that drives you nuts. By learning how to slow down and sit with discomfort in the physical poses, your mind is also being trained to manage life in the same way.
- Yoga can be started at any age, in any physical condition. I love how adaptable yoga is. Though not every class, studio, or teacher great about having adaptable classes — trust me — they are out there. There is chair yoga, yoga you can do laying down, trauma informed yoga for people struggling with various forms of PTSD, yoga for seniors, yoga for tots, and just about anything you can think of. Here are some videos of people in all stages of life doing yoga: a soon-to-be mom, a disabled veteran, a 99-year-old woman, a kid. Yoga is for every body.
- Yoga can help your body heal. Time and time again I meet people in a yoga class or read a blog who share about yoga helping them heal. For some it is PTSD, for others it is chronic illness, and at times it can be injury. Though I started my first yoga classes at a summer dance intensive, I didn’t become a consistent practitioner until later in life. It became a lifeline for me was while I was dealing with a chronic illness flare. At first, when I started yoga again, I could only do about fifteen minutes, but as I continued to practice my body got stronger and continued to heal. The gentle weight bearing mixed with stretching helped me get my body moving again. It also has been a huge help in calming my mind that likes to run a hundred miles a minute. By focusing on your breath and getting your body moving, you are given time and space to heal.
- Yoga is about enjoying the journey not the result. We live in a success driven society. And while it is easy to think that learning a new pose is success — the reality is there is no win or lose in yoga. Instead, it is about the journey. This is such an important lesson and one that I need a consistent reminder of. When we stop focusing on results and can learn to enjoy the journey, we become so much happier because we are not always chasing the next thing that will make us happier but being happy in every moment, pose, breath, and challenge. Enjoying the journey is another benefit that will permeate into your life, how you do every day tasks, and how you interact in your relationships. This is not to say you should not challenge yourself or do your best, but instead if you don’t succeed at first, you can be happy about doing your best and trying something new. In fact, I believe by being less worried about failing, we can have greater successes because we feel the freedom take more chances.
If you are reading this and still don’t think you can do yoga or it’s is not for you – that is okay. Not everyone will enjoy yoga. However, if you want to gain more strength, flexibility, healing (physically and mentally), balance in your life, or just have fun. I encourage you to
TRY IT!
At worst you lose an hour of your day, and perhaps you will find that there are great benefits too.
Any questions about starting yoga, deciding on a teacher or studio, or what to expect in your first class (public or private)? Contact me in the comments or on my contact page! I am happy to answer your questions. And sign up for e-mail updates to catch the latest blogs to encourage, challenge, and deepen your yoga practice — whatever that may look like for you!
Peake Yoga 