Question for Yoga people

[tripperfunster]

I am considering doing some yoga this year, but am ... horribly unflexible and out of shape. Will I shame myself if I just show up at a yoga class and flop around like a landed trout? Or should I use the internet to learn some poses and build up some strength first?

Are you expected to hold the poses for the required amount of time? Or do people 'tap out' and sit quietly/stretch while everyone else does the downward dog for an hour?

also? I've done some looking on the internet, and uh ... they all seem pretty ... spiritual? I don't want to do a sanscript prayer before I stretch. I just want to stretch.

Comments

[foxestacado.livejournal.com]

Pretty much my experiences are reflected by everyone's comments already. But in any case...

Yoga is non competitive. You're encouraged to hold poses as long as you can, but you should also be mindful of your body's limits and listen. My classes allow for different variations, and the teachers give you a choice on how far to take it. It is all about your personal practice, and not how to measure up to everyone else in class. I don't feel pressure to do poses I don't feel like I am ready for. For example, I am the only person in one of my classes who can't do a handstand yet. My teacher will come to help me up if I want the help, but otherwise, I get to choose how far I want to go.

I am also the most inflexible person, and I am slowly getting some flexibility. There are people in class who are way less flexible than I am. The teachers offer different variations for people to comfortably do poses but also challenges their body to work on flexibility. It's a pretty open ended practice.

Also, there are some spiritual aspects to my practice, but it is completely up to the individual students to decide if they want to participate. There is an optional chant before some of my classes, and we always chant om, but it is always presented in a very non secular way. Some teachers like to do more work in self realization and self improvement, but it depends on the teacher.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I still think there will be people judging me. ;) But that's just my brain, I think.

I'm looking forward to going. You are one of the people on my flist who talk about your yoga experiences in a very positive light, and that's why I thought I might enjoy it.

[foxestacado.livejournal.com]

It's strange but yoga isn't a form of exercise for me (even though it is that), it is a daily retreat. I go there to achieve a measure of peace in an otherwise chaotic day, and it does wonders. And it's an intellectual exercise for your body. I had to think about how to move one muscle one way and another muscle another way, and it took conscious effort and thought, and doing that was very mentally clarifying. For once, I wasn't worrying about tomorrow, I was thinking about how to move these muscles.

I guess that's why I talk about yoga a lot. It's a very positive, beneficial, and wonderful experience every time I go. And it makes me immensely happy that the little bit I talked about yoga in my journal has actually inspired others to try it. I hope you enjoy your yoga experience as much as I have enjoyed mine! I can't wait to hear about what you think of it.