Getting Started With Your Practice

When someone tells me they want to begin their own yoga practice I turn into a giddy little girl who was just given her first puppy! I tend to get a little over excited about it. So, if you're reading this, you can go ahead and picture me sitting next to you, clapping my hands with a goofy smile on my face! Ok, I'm done. Mature switch is turned on now!

For those who have asked me how I got started, and how you can get started with your own practice, I want to put some tips and steps together for you!

Step 1 - Finding your Why

We all have our reasons for wanting to begin or dive deeper into yoga. Maybe you want to be able to touch your toes! With how much social media and yoga have been melding, maybe you follow & are inspired by someone who lives the yoga lifestyle! Maybe you want a toned body that people percieve as the "yoga body". No matter what reason you have, as you continue to practice, you will notice that the reason you begin actually changes and evolves the more you practice!

For example: If you go into your practice with the reason of wanting something as simple as a toned body, or better flexibility - be prepared to have your life rocked! Your Why will evolve into something so much more. Your beginning reasons will turn into the reasons you continue to practice, and it will be something so much more to you!

The reason you begin your practice will surely evolve, but it will be in your roots. This is why the first step is so important! It will be a huge part of your journey. So through your next class, set your intention to simply think to yourself. "Why am I here? Why do I want to dive into this lifestyle" You will find your Why. And when you do - Dive in crown first, you lovely Yoga Shine Yogi!

Step 2 - Find the Fear

Go! Go to a class, practice at home with the many yoga books out there, or find online classes - Dive in!

Ok, maybe I'm skipping ahead to fast. Diving in seems so simple, but you would be surprised how hard it actually is for some! As humans, it is amazingly natural to have fear. But, if you work past that fear, beautiful things can happen in your world. Know that, remember it when you feel fear, and ride past your fear on that hope of finding freedom from it!

But, wait! As you ride past that fear - take a look at it! Recognize it. Check out it's roots. That way you know where it came from, and you learn something from it! Finding and recognizing your fears - that is they key to ditching them!

Maybe you find out that you have a fear of not being good enough. Fears of not succeeding, fears of being judged, or maybe your fears are as simple as not wanting to get hurt! No matter what your fear is - it is valid, and it is real. But you do not need to live by it. You CAN do this. You can begin an amazing new chapter to your life with yoga, I promise you!

Think about it. Is that why you haven't started your practice, because of fear? How do you ditch what is holding you back?? It sounds so simple. That brings us to the next step!

Step 3 - Dive in!

Now, we can dive in!! If you have fear, you now know it. And you know that you can't let it hold you back. You must dive in, beautiful!! What is this life for if not for the challenge and adventures??

Diving in will help you over come your fears of diving in! Funny how that works, right?

For me - I dove in by going to a small yoga class at a health club 1 - 2 times a week. It was a fabulous beginning for me! I then looked into sequences and books to bring my practice home with me. My crescent lunges were not beautiful, and I actually didn't even attempt any arm balancing or inversions for another year after I began my practice! I started small, but with the craving to learn. I knew that what I was doing, was the journey I needed in my life.

SO. Find a class! In a studio, or a health club - with people around you. You may still have that fear with you. The fear that hindered you from coming to your mat sooner. Take a deep breath, and let it go. Because really, what is the point? You need to believe in yourself more than your fear. Be around those who want to love like you. They are there for the same reasons, and chances are they will be worried about themselves & will not be concerned with how good (or silly) your Downward Dog looks! This time is for you - to say hello to your body, and to your new practice!

Other options of course, that I use daily for diving into my practice:

-Online home programs! My favorites - yogaglo.com & yogatoday.com - Both very affordable and fun for beginners and gurus alike!

-Books - The Women's Health Big Book of Yoga by Kathyrn Budig and Yogalosophy by Mandy Ingber are the two books that I love and practice with often.

-Online yoga challenges - Like Erin Motz' 30 Day Challenge - She is so much fun to learn from! And being apart of a challenge is a great motivation!

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Alright, so now that I have poured my soul to you of what I learned in my beginning - Here are a few things to do after you pass through these 3 steps. Some things to keep your practice fresh, fun and light!

- Get yourself a cute little something to get you excited. Whether it's a cute little bracelet to remind yourself of your yoga practice, some mala beads for meditation, or even a new mat & leggings - having something new to inspire you always helps!

-Don't beat yourself up! You don't need to be perfect, that is not what yoga is about. It's about being perfectly imperfect & feeling good about it!

-Embrace your journey! There is no rush to get anywhere in your practice. Take one yoga class at a time. Be in the moment and learn from your practice each time you step on the mat!

If there is one thing I hope to inspire others to do, it is to step onto their mats! Let go of any fears or judgements, and just flow it out! You want to start, you want to deepen your practice. What better time than now? What better day than today?

Until next time, lovely Yogis

xoxo

Ash

PS This all goes out to everyone who has asked me how to get started with their practice! I want to dedicate this post to @sammylynn_tiu who inspired me to write it by commenting on one of my Instagram Posts about it!! Thank you Sam!

#beginners