We can’t see any other answer to this question than yes. Yoga is absolutely for you.
Yoga can be practised by anybody, regardless of physical ability.
In this series of blogs, we will do our best the introduce you to the magic of yoga.
We know it’s daunting to take that first step into a yoga studio. We’ve been there too. What if you aren’t good at it? What if you aren’t flexible enough? What if everyone else watches you, and god forbid laughs!?
Thao Dien Eco Wellness is a safe space for you to start your yoga journey. You are more than welcome to visit the studio or talk to one of our teachers before joining a class. Just send us an email, and we’ll happily show you around.
What is yoga?
The physical practice of yoga is simply…
Moving mindfully while breathing consciously.
The combination of movement and connection to your breath strengthens awareness and prepares your body for long periods of meditation.
Meditation is an internal discipline to make the mind one-pointed. It is a way to understand and deepen the connection to yourself.
There are 84 primary poses or asanas. They vary in difficulty, but most teachers will offer variations for the more challenging poses. Our teachers are there to guide you, not to put you off.
Typically, in a class you will be taken through a warmup sequence, a round of sun salutations, standing poses, a balance or 2, and a warm down. There will usually be a short meditation, and in extended classes, some form of breathing exercise called pranayama.
Despite what you may believe, you do not have to be flexible to begin yoga. Flexibility may (or may not) come over time. It really is down to the individual. There's no shame to use a chair, the wall, and props like blocks, bolsters and straps to help you along the way. In fact, it's encouraged!
And we promise you. No one around you will be looking at you or laughing. Even if you do tie yourself in a knot and fall over. Yoga is a personal journey. Everyone around you will be focusing on their own practice.
Benefits of Yoga
A regular practice will improve your strength, flexibility and mobility, both mentally and physically.
Instead of the generic list of benefits, we wanted to give you some real-life examples from our teachers. Here is what they have personally experienced through their yoga practice.
“I was able to reduce my stress levels.”
Yoga can have substantial positive effects on emotional well-being and resilience to stress. Women in particular suffer from stress. If you perform traditional roles in the home at the same time as achieving a great career, you are more likely to feel overloaded. Yoga will give you a fighting chance against stress.
“Vast improvement to my posture.”
Poor posture is often a result of extended sitting at a desk, laptop or in front of the TV. Over time, yoga will strengthen your core, back and shoulder muscles. Certain poses will also stretch the shortened muscles across your chest. The more you practice yoga asanas, the more you will find yourself sitting straighter and standing taller.
“Yoga calms my thoughts.”
Regularly training your mind to focus on one point, as in meditation, will slowly help you to gain control over your thoughts (instead of them taking control of you!). This has a positive impact on how you feel because every feeling starts off as a thought. You are likely to improve your emotional and mental stability after just a few classes.
“It’s time to focus on me.”
Taking time for yourself is so important and is often overlooked if you have children or a family. You may find that you often prioritise their needs over yours. The more time you take for yourself, the better you can care for those around you.
“It helped throughout my pregnancy and recovery.”
Keeping up a practice throughout pregnancy is popular with expectant mothers. Studies have shown that women who attend yoga classes are more likely to actively prepare for labour than women who don't engage in a practice. Certainly, everyone is different, and we recommend you get the OK from your obstetrician first.
“It helps me to maintain a natural physique and weight.”
While it is proven that yoga slows down your metabolism, it can help you to control your weight and improve your muscle tone. Your practice doesn’t have to be vigorous to achieve these results. A gentle practice every day will work just fine. Yoga also attributes to making better lifestyle choices because you are more in tune with yourself.
Yoga has existed for thousands of years and has been adopted by millions of people as a regular wellness and life-promoting practice. In our opinion, everyone should try it at least once…
Sign up to one of our classes here.