I want to try yoga, but I’m not sure where to begin....

With yoga continuing to gain popularity in the mainstream, more and more people are becoming intrigued by the practice.   From seeing images of super human strength, to hearing about how yoga can improve just about every problem you might have - it is becoming clear that this practice might have something to it.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2013 showing impressive core strength with this yoga pose.

I’m writing this to tell you that there really is something to this yoga thing.   I’ve been practicing yoga for about 8 years now and have been teaching for close to 6 years.    I can honestly say that over the course of the last 8 years, yoga has undoubtedly changed my life.    For the better.  

Yoga has changed my life in a very simple, but profound way.   It has given me awareness.   It has held up a mirror to me time and time again.    A mirror that hasn’t always been very easy to look into.   Yoga has shown me Truth, it has infused my life with gratitude and it has provided an exciting & perfectly challenging path on which I can meander along each and every day.   Yoga has made my body strong and supple and has shown me the value of appreciating & accepting impermanence.  

A few other things I’ve learned along the way:  

Yoga is not a cure all.   The yoga media might lead us to believe it is, offering practices for anything and everything.   Any magical claim that “yoga healed my (insert malady of choice here)" made by yoga practitioners doesn’t show me how powerful yoga poses are, but rather they show me how powerful the human mind/body connection can be.   The yoga poses themselves are not magical - but I’m certain that humans ARE magical.   We have the choice to believe in the magic or not.   (think Tinkerbell here)  

Yoga is hard work.    Patanjali says in the Yoga Sutras that in order for yoga to work, it has to be practiced regularly over a long period of time.    The magic of yoga lies in your dedication to the practice.   You can’t just meditate once and expect that you’ll find thoughtless bliss.   It’s a practice.   You can do this practice at home, or you can find a local studio with qualified teachers that can help you develop your practice.     Once you start, you might notice big changes right away - you’ll feel the “magic” of your efforts.   The key to lasting transformation is to keep going!  If you like it, if it resonates with you then stay with it.   I can assure you it is worthwhile! 

Yoga is really easy too.    You can do it right now.    Close your eyes.   Take a deep breath, focus on how it feels to breathe deeply.   Then follow the breath with your mind's eye as you exhale.    Just one conscious breath is yoga.      On the days where it feels really hard to get on the mat to practice or to sit for a long meditation - know that yoga is only one conscious breath away.   Applying mindfulness to any activity is yoga.    Even doing the dishes!  

You might be thinking “This sounds great! I want to be magical too!  I want to try yoga, but I have no idea where to start!” 

Starting yoga could be as easy as popping  a video onto your computer at home.    You could also check out a local yoga studio.   Sometimes a studio's class descriptions are a blur of information and some studios offer so many classes that it is confusing to know where to begin.  My suggestion would be to contact the studio directly and ask which class is best for a beginner to attend.   

Our upcoming spring schedule has a variety of options for you to choose from - and I am going to explain what each of these options are so that you know what you are getting into when you register for a class at Surya Yoga in Indian Head.   

April 2016 Surya Yoga Schedule 

 If you are BRAND new to yoga - my suggestion would be to start with the Yoga Basics for EveryBODY.  This is a 6 week program that is accessible, informative, and gentle enough for anybody.   We learn the foundation of the practice here.   This means that we will work on the poses you will find most often in classes,  we will work on building strength, and softening into mobility.   This class will also provide a foundation for understanding the role of the breath in yoga as well as the basics of starting a meditation practice.   Anyone can do this class!   

If you are new to yoga, or if you’ve been practicing for a while, the Meditative Deep Stretching class is a wonderful class for you.  This class is ideal for people who regularly experience stress in their lives, athletes,  yogis who often practice more strenuously, anyone who wants to learn how to cultivate relaxation and body awareness,  pregnant women, and those who have injury and need a more mindful and adaptable practice.   The postures in this practice are based on the Yin style of yoga - most of the postures focus on release through the torso and in particular, the hips and hamstrings.   The intent of this practice is to identify the experience of sensation or tension in the body and learn how to relax into the sensation gently and mindfully.   The purpose of this class is to improve flexibility with a focus on how the mind relates to the body.    The practice is slow with lots of opportunity for personalized instruction and guidance.   

If you want a gentle approach to practice, and have daytime availability,  come check out our Gentle class on Wednesday mornings.  This is an accessible, adaptable practice that focuses on improving strength and mobility as it’s foundation.   Aches and pains?  This is definitely the class for you.   

If you want to combine your fitness time with your yoga time - but also want to remain mindful and connected to your body then join us for Extreme Core Strength Yoga or Power Yoga.    

Extreme Core Strength yoga is ideal for anyone!  It is a very challenging practice, and you should be prepared to work hard and sweat.    Luckily, it is also only 45 minutes!   The class involves a variety of core strength yoga postures & movements combined with breath & energy awareness.   We use the power of the core to fuel strength through the entire body!  You will not believe how incredible you will feel when you begin to tap into this amazing source of strength.   After adding core strength postures to my regular practice, I have noticed a distinct difference in how many postures feel to me and often in pleasantly surprising and unexpected ways!   You can never underestimate the importance of a strong core!  It can and will transform your practice!   

Power Yoga is a more challenging practice and not ideal for beginners.   Although, if you are in decent shape and up for a challenge, Janelle is able to guide all levels through this practice so that nobody is unable to enjoy this faster paced breath focused flow.   Power Yoga focuses on strength through movement and is one of the most popular styles of yoga.   

In May, we will have even more options for you!  We will be starting a Mens Yoga class - a class just for men that will focus on building strength through a simple vinyasa style practice.   I’ll also be rolling out my new class on Saturday mornings.  This class will be a little more on the unpredictable side as I explore my personal practice with you.   Every class will include a bit of philosophy to set the theme (usually an exploration of what I’m currently reading/ studying) and a posture practice that will change, and evolve with the intent of digging into the myriad of possibility offered by the yoga tradition.  I can assure you that the practice will always be a flow style vinyasa practice - because that’s my favourite way to teach!   Details for this drop in class (starting on April 23 ) will be announced soon!   We also look forward to offering one more session of Kids Yoga before the summer begins.  

Tell me in the comments below - what is your favourite yoga class?   If you are new to yoga, what class do you think you will try?  

To register for these classes, send me an email message.    For more information about our studio or the class dates, times & prices visit our website.

If you are in Regina - join me at Argyle Park for classes.  Level 1 is just like “Yoga Basics for Everybody” and Level 2 is just like the Saturday morning class here!    Details found here.