For the beginners: yoga is NOT just for hippies, so disregard any stereotypical preconceived thoughts.
1. You don't need to be flexible.
That's right, you DO NOT have to be flexible to practice yoga. People go to yoga to become more flexible. That's how it works. Aside from this being the worst excuse I hear (and I hear it all too often), you can't expect to be bendy if you avoid anything that will increase your mobility.
2. "But... I don't know what to do."
Saying that you don't know what to do when you are starting out or are taking a different style of yoga is completely normal. No yogi out there knew what was going on the very first time they attempted a yoga class. It's a misconception that when in class you have to do EXACTLY what the teacher cues.
Well, news flash, that's a lie! You do you. If you just want to lay there, then lay there; the people around you won't judge you. If for some reason they are passing judgments, then they aren't practicing yoga (and then the joke's on them)!
3. "But... I can't do the poses."
That's an irrelevant excuse. Trust me when I say no first-timer just goes in and assumes a phenomenal crow pose and holds it for 10 seconds. No one expects you to be perfect or even remotely close to it no matter where you are in your practice. Also, don't ever worry about perfection in yoga, because I like to think it doesn't exist, and for a good reason it doesn't.
Each day you practice, your body feels slightly or dramatically different than the last time you practiced, so, expecting your body and mind to function in perfect unison and in perfect form is pretty much just out of the question (and that's OK).
4. Yoga is FUN.
Anyone that doesn't practice (or doesn't practice the type of yoga that suits them) doesn't seem to find yoga fun. But, in my experience, it's exhilarating. There are so many different types of yoga that I guarantee every person can find one style of yoga that they mildly enjoy, if not love! Personally, I am a die-hard heated vinyasa (free) flow type of gal.
5. The benefits.
Yoga is so much more than just a physical practice. It's an opportunity to look inward and learn about yourself. Yoga offers you tools to reflect on and work on yourself. It's an individual practice within a community of yogis. There are stories of people in extreme pain or restriction, and yoga not only liberated them of their pain but also sometimes actually offered the ability of movement once again (you can Google these stories to see for yourself!).
Working through mental and physical blockages is one of the most rewarding aspects, I think, that yoga offers. Plus, at the end of class or my practice, there is this euphoric high that I feel is infectious and addictive.
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For yogis: I don't need to offer an explanation for why we practice. Our reasons differ from person to person and within the same person from day to day. Sometimes it's to further dedicate an intention, escape the ever-spinning world, or focus on ourselves.
Yoga has been around for thousands of years for a reason. It works... give it a shot, and you might even like it. Don't worry about anyone else but yourself. And, most importantly, trust yourself and have faith in yourself. You deserve this!
