Yoga for Beginners - What Does it Really Mean?
I believe yoga for beginners or yoga for new students is less about the poses or the teacher and more about a students mindset. I am frequently asked if I teach beginners classes by students who haven't yet practiced with me and I really wonder about that. If you haven't taken my classes before how do you know they're not beginner friendly? I think part of this challenge comes from what yoga is portrayed as in general media spots. We are shown yoga in a way that seems very acrobatic and gymnasticky (if that's a word) and it makes the majority of us say things like:
"I can't do that"
"I'm not flexible enough"
"I'm not strong enough"
This becomes so problematic because there is a whole community of people who won't even step foot on a yoga mat because in their minds they've already established what yoga is because of what they saw on TV or on an Instagram post. What we need isn't a yoga for beginners class. We need a mindset change. We need to realize what it means to be a beginner at anything in life.
Definition of Beginning - the point in time or space at which something starts.
It's just a starting point. Being a beginner means you are willing to start, struggle and be uncomfortable. It means you are willing to give this a try and work through the kinks. The best way to start is to just start. Take a class, any class and see how it goes. It will OF COURSE be hard no matter what the class is. Anything new is hard. The real question is, do you have the courage and willingness to continue?
We are way to used to life being easy that any form of challenge causes us to retreat and go the opposite way. We are way to dominated by fear over love that we give up too easily.
When I meet a new student the first thing I tell them is don't give up. Take at least 10 classes with 10 different teachers before you decide if you like yoga or not.
I laugh everytime I hear someone say "I tried yoga once. It wasn't for me."
There are so many different types of classes, teachers, styles and ways to practice yoga that it's impossible to understand the scope of it all in one class. This is also a great reminder for teachers. You can't dish it all out in one class. You can't transform a students yoga practice in one class. We all have to be a bit more patient and, in a world of instant gratification, patience truly is a virtue. Give yoga a chance and find a path that suits you. You might take a VInyasa Flow class with 10 different teachers and get 10 completely different experiences. The beginners mindset is about being open minded, willing to try, and continuously showing up. It's got very little to do with what the actual yoga class is about or who the teacher is. It's about YOU! What do YOU want for yourself? Why are YOU even thinking about starting yoga? What part of YOUR life are you looking to improve? What is YOUR purpose?
A great yoga class, for all levels of students and all levels of experience, will give you insight towards those questions. It will give you a chance to reflect on what you are up too, who you are, and how you are making an impact for yourself and others around you. This is what yoga is about. It's not a workout. It's a mindset. It's a way of life. It's a path towards community and connection. So, just do it ;)
Where to Start
The decision fatigue around where to begin, what teacher, what studio, when, where, what time of day, do you have the right equipment etc etc holds us back from starting most new things. This yoga video is a hope to simplify those decisions for you. You don’t need a mat or anything other than what you slept in (or didn’t sleep in 🤪). Give it a try!
You can also check out my FREE Karma Yogi plan under the Virtual Yoga Membership. You can access a free AUDIO recorded class every month plus check out there’s an Intro Series breaking down some of the more common yoga poses you will see in class.
I hope this resource helps you get started on your yoga journey. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or feedback please email me connect@jafferyoga.com or contact me through the website.
Namaste 🙏🏽