Yoga means union. Our goal in yoga is to listen and improve communication between the mind, the body and the breath. When we improve the communication between these life sustaining entities we improve our bodies natural ability to experience relaxation. When we connect back with our ability to naturally relax our relationships, finances, and overall health all can improve.
In my yoga classes I focus on connecting the breath with the movement. Engaging in yoga postures helps us to open up the body so the breath can come into different areas. For some people breathing can be challenging. I recommend focusing your attention on the movement of your stomach if breathing is challenging for you. Your stomach should go out on the inhale and in on the exhale.
Since we come to yoga to listen to our body and improve the communication showing compassion to ourselves and where we are is an important part of the yoga practice. We come to listen and improve, not to judge and condemn. Making peace with where we are, while taking steps to get where we are going is how we see progress.
When in class, do what you can. Stretch yourself a little bit, but never push yourself into pain. You can always take a break, a moment to stop and rest and perhaps to enjoy a sip of water.
Come to yoga in comfortable clothes. Be sure to prepare your schedule and your loved ones for your class, so you will not be interrupted. Eat something light no less than 30 minute before your class. Hydrate before the class – with at least 8 ounces of water.
As tempting as it may be to leave at the end of class when we go into corpse or resting pose known as savasana – please stay. Savasana is an important pose to help ‘remodel’ your body. The work you do in the yoga poses known as (asana) warms the body, and helps to break down old physical and mental habits and patterns. When you rest in savasana the body cools into the mold you created in class kind of like setting the new habits and practices into place.
At the end of the practice you will hear me say ‘Namaste,’ which means the light in me honors and sees the light in you shining and coming through.
