What Would You Tell Your Past Self?

When I look back on my first few yoga classes and even into my first year of learning about yoga there are so many things I wish I could go back and tell myself. I remember feeling strange in my body when I started my yoga practice and a little anxious when in class. The main struggles I remember having were about my appearance and my performance….

I began taking yoga classes as a way to reconnect with moving my body after no longer being a part of a dance team. My main reference point for each yoga pose was my previous jazz and ballet training. Many of the yoga poses were similar to dance shapes and stretches however, minor differences in how they looked on the yoga teacher vs. what I thought they were supposed to look from a dance technique perspective made me question how I was “supposed” to be doing the pose.

I remember feeling extremely aware of the students around me in each class I took. I would compare my body to theirs, my balance, or the shape of the pose they were making vs. myself. I wanted the teacher to notice me and admire how well I was doing, I wanted to be the star student of the class.

If I could go back and tell myself one thing it would be, LET GO.

Let go of perfectionism

Let go of other peoples’ opinions

Let go of performing

Let go of competitiveness

This is of course something I learned how to do over a longer period of time but I wish I could have had more peace of mind when I first started my practice.

If you are new to yoga or maybe you have been a long time practitioner I want you to know one big thing! Yoga might be very visually appealing to look at and take photos of, but the realness of yoga can only be found when you let go of how it looks and drop into how it feels.

This is the number one thing I am most excited about sharing in the upcoming beginner series. Yes, we will be going over the names and typical shapes of foundational yoga poses, but the focus will be on how it feels in your body. What adjustments can you make to the pose, your props, etc. to embody the pose while you are in it. This might be really challenging for many people. It was for me when I first started yoga which is why it was easier to focus on the outward appearance and performance of the poses instead. You might not know how to listen and feel your body in each pose, you might feel disconnected from your body, or you might feel downright anxious about moving your body into new shapes all together.

All of these feelings are okay, welcomed, and accepted. My hope is to guide you through these next six weeks and give you some insight into how to find that connection between yourself and your body anytime you need. I want you to feel comfortable taking classes in any studio, gym, or home setting with the confidence to find each yoga pose in your unique body. Whether you are brand new to the practice or a seasoned yogi, getting back to the basics of yoga and mind-body awareness can be transformative. I know it was for me.

I would love to know what would you go back and tell yourself about yoga before starting or if you are a beginner what do you want to know now?

I am so excited to start this journey with you,

See you soon!

-Janae