Yoga Tips

Yoga is the best way to relax both your body and mind while getting an excellent work-out. What a win-win situation!

Yoga has numerous health and well-being benefits, is cost- and time-effective, and can be practiced anywhere. So whats stopping you!?

In all, Yoga gives us back control of our body, mind and consciousness, while increasing flexibility, creating overall fitness, reducing stress, and promoting a healthy and natural lifestyle.

Below are some Yoga tips .. little things to know that will make you feel more comfortable before you begin a class.

-Find a good Yoga mat. The traditional word for this is "tapas". A Yoga tapas can be found almost anywhere today - from Target to Walmart. Make sure its not too thick, and should lay flat. Most tapas on the market today are clearly marked 'for yoga'.

-Learn Yoga from a Yogin, not a physical trainer. Gyms today have physical trainers, or those who are schooled in physical fitness, like weight-lifting and cardio machines. Generally, they take a 2-3 hour class in Yoga to be certified.

I am a Yogini who has been practicing and living my Yoga for 39 years. Over the years I have met many students who have taken 'gym yoga', so am confident when I say: to learn Yoga, learn from a Yogin!

-Free Yoga! Hamsa Yogashala has FREE Yoga classes EVERY Thursday. Healing Yoga is a great way to help you feel better. These classes are specially designed to restore health while gently detoxing the system.

There are THREE FREE Healing Yoga classes on Thursday:
7-8am
4:30-5:30pm, and
6:30-7:30pm.

Healing Yoga is more gentle than Gentle Yoga, so is a great way to introduce yourself to both a traditional Hatha Yoga class and get a quick-fix!

-Listen to Your Yogini! I will never ask you to push or strain, grunt or groan in a Yoga class. In fact, if you are doing these things, then you are not doing Yoga at all.

Yoga is natural bodily movement, and though your body no longer moves that way, it does know how to move. Reawakening our ability to move organically is one of the reasons we do Yoga.

-Dont eat (too much) before class. Or, eat a light meal about one hour before class. Bottom line: You know your body better than anyone, so decide what you should or should not eat so you dont get light-headed or feel too full.

-Arrive at least 10 minutes BEFORE class starts. Some students like to come 30 minutes early because Hamsa Yogashala is a REAL Yoga studio. Its atmosphere is peaceful and quiet, calming and .. well, very Yogic-like. So come early, lay down and relax, meditate or quietly chat with others, but please come before class starts.

-Where to sit? Many new students want to sit in the back of the class. Lots of times they will say its because they dont want the teacher to see them. A true Yogin - like myself - will walk the room, helping each student find the pose that is best for their body. So .. there is no 'back' or 'front' at Hamsa Yogashala.

-Wear Loose Clothing. Wear something comfortable, like those fun-colored pajama pants at Target, or stretchy pants and a baggy t-shirt. Sure, you can buy the expensive Yoga clothes, but more importantly, wear something you feel comfy in, that doesnt interfer with movement.

-Learn to Breath! Most of us think that, since we have been breathing since we were born, that we know how to breath. Even so, most of us breath too fast or too slow, too shallow or too uneven. The hardest thing you will ever learn in Yoga class is how to breathe - and it generally takes about two years to learn!

See you soon!

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi