Is Yoga For You?

My Yoga Experience

I started practicing Yoga as a complete beginner about three months ago, so I am not an experienced practitioner at all; but I have been recording my physical, mental and educational experience as a beginner Yoga student by writing the weekly blog for my Yoga class. It has opened me up to thinking in new ways about my body, and also about my approach to life and people.  I want to share my discoveries with you!

About this Yoga Column

Other beginners and more advanced Yoga students enjoy reading about Yoga from a “learning” perspective because they can relate closely to my experiences, which is why I have decided to write this weekly Yoga column for YouQueen Magazine. I think that Yoga is a wonderful way to integrate exercise into your life, and also a great way to develop a deeper awareness of the way your body works and what it is capable of.

#1 What is Yoga?

Many people think that Yoga is just about being bendy and being able to put your body into a variety of impressive-looking poses. Practicing yoga will certainly tone your body, lengthen your muscles and make you feel more fit and healthy; but it will also open up your mind to new ways of thinking about life, which can be very useful in helping you to deal with all kinds of stressful situations and people.

As a woman, I feel that yoga is a very feminine form of exercise. By this I don’t mean it is meant for women, but I mean that it focuses on the kind of self-study, self-discipline and self-devotion that comes to mind when I think of how a woman likes to pamper her self. When you really start to get into it, Yoga can begin to feel a little bit like self-worship, and I think that every woman needs a little bit of that in her life!

#2 What Can You Expect From a Beginner’s Yoga Class?

Gyms can be quite intimidating places, can’t they? All that heavy machinery, not to mention all the fit people who seem to know exactly what they are doing! I don’t go to the gym because I find exercise to be quite boring and monotonous, and to be honest, a bit of a lonely way to spend my time. I’d much rather sit at home and read a book if I’m going to be by myself, especially when the weather isn’t very inviting.

But saying all that, there is something a little bit addictive about seeing your body change for the better. I suppose this is why many people become addicted to gyms. If the gym is not for you though, then Yoga might be just right. When I attended my first Yoga class, I was pleasantly surprised; yes it was held in a gym, but the room was separate. All the mats were laid out ready, and there was gentle, calming music playing in the background. It felt like a very serene and meditative place to be. I was also struck by how friendly and welcoming everyone was. I felt like I was entering a kind of special club. I was to become a Yogi!

You don’t normally have to bring anything with you, aside from clothes you can move around comfortably in; you will be in bare feet. Mats and equipment are usually provided. Some of the more experienced Yogis may bring their own mats, a bottle of water and a small towel if the session is to be fairly intense.

I can only describe what my own beginner’s Yoga session was like and hope that yours will be similar. We were introduced to the basic principles and poses, the pace was kept steady and all instructions were clear and we could follow what the instructor was doing at the front of the studio. There was also an assistant who came round to make adjustments to our bodies in each position to ensure we were doing them correctly and getting the most out of the workout. We were also shown a variety of ‘resting’ poses that we could slip into if we needed a break.

Your classes may be slightly different, but the main thing to know is that people who practice Yoga are very welcoming and supportive, and there is no sense of competition; you all move through pose sequences as a group, and it feels great.

#3 Why Should You Try Yoga?

If you are looking for a way to tone up, and start using muscles in your body that you didn’t even know you had, then Yoga provides a friendly community of people to practice alongside. It is not expensive either, and neither is the basic equipment if you decide that you want to purchase your own so that you can practice at home.

Practicing Yoga will also improve your posture and give you more confidence as a woman. You will feel more attractive in your clothes, and more relaxed and focused to take on your working week.

What’s more you can follow my weekly column on YouQueen Magazine and join me on my Yoga journey of self-discovery! Next week I will be looking at some of the basic poses I learnt in my first week, describing how each one felt to me as a beginner Yoga Student, and what I took away from the class to use in my everyday life. Subscribe to YouQueen Magazine to read the column next week, or alternatively subscribe to my blog where I will be posting links to the YouQueen column, the blog I write for my Yoga classes, and also other inspiring topics I like to write about.

Cover photo: yoganidrafree.com