Yoga for Beginners Explained
[GUEST BLOG by Nicola Park]
Maybe you’re wondering if Yoga for Beginners is for you.
Yoga for Beginners is for absolutely everyone. The beauty of it is that we work at the pace that is needed, depending on who is there. A real mixture of people come along to this class so every week is different.
Why Yoga for Beginners?
People choose Yoga for Beginners for all sorts of reasons:
It helps them feel better and sleep better when they learn good basic breathing patterns and release unnecessary tension from their bodies, and I DO encourage that in every class.
The pace is slower than some other classes so it is great if you are a beginner, recovering from or working with an injury or other condition, or if you’ve been away from yoga for a while.
There’s lots of verbal instruction and demonstration. I watch out for what is going on with each student and work alongside everyone so that no-one is left behind.
We break down trickier postures into kramas (a step by step sequence) so that everyone can get somewhere in each posture and those who are more experienced also get a lot out of it.
You learn the benefits of a posture or reasons why we are working on something.
In class students are able to go into their own world as they get into the breathing and movement, and ease out of their busy minds. We look to feel the stillness that is there, just out of sight, during our everyday lives and get an experience of it so that we are more aware of it more often.
There is something really magical that happens when people get into the zone for a while and forget to notice their thoughts. Their bodies feel freer and lighter, and learning to breathe well when they move helps generate feelings of real wellbeing.
People often say they feel great, “I really needed that”, have their best sleep of the week after class. They say it is harder than they thought it would be (but that they feel good!), they say it went really quickly, that they were hot…probably too close to the radiator!
What is Yoga for Beginners like? What do we do in class?
We always start class by connecting to the breath and acknowledging what is going on in the body today with gentle movements to release any unnecessary tension.
We then move into postures that resonate with the season we are living in, including beginners variations of ashtanga postures as I know people will want to try the other classes at MCY as they get more experienced.
I believe the Ashtanga primary series is ‘yoga medicine’ and my own personal experience tells me that the sequence unlocks many postural and breathing problems in the body that keep people from feeling truly well.
And we ALWAYS finish with Savasana!
Still feel a little nervous or anxious about joining class?
Many people feel nervous or anxious as they join yoga class for the first time (sometimes people are literally shaking when they arrive).
Over time you’ll begin to feel more and more at ease. You’ll be given a level of each pose that is accessible to you and you can feel good about that. After their first class most people are relieved and happy, really pleased with themselves for giving it a go and keen to come back as soon as they can.
You can even make use of some of the moves or breathwork we do in class and use it in your day to day life to help you feel better. I often say “you don’t have to be on your yoga mat to do this” or “you could practice this one when you’re waiting for the kettle to boil”. We can take what we learn on our yoga mats out into the world.
In Yoga for Beginners we like to keep it light and peaceful with a sense of humour. We work hard but have a bit of a laugh too. No matter how you arrive, I hope you leave feeling relaxed and smiling.
Practice Yoga for Beginners LIVE ONLINE!
There’s never been a better time to give yoga a try in the comfort of your own home.
Join Nicola every Monday at 8pm for Yoga for Beginners.
Nicola’s class is a great place to start if you’re new to yoga or not sure about following along to a class online. She’ll help you begin to move and stretch your body, become aware of your breathing and feel more focused and calm.
The pace is relaxed and there’s loads of instruction and demonstration to help you.
Visit our timetable to book your place.
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