8 Takeaways from Yoga

1. Discover not-too-friendly muscles.

Yoga, easy? Far from it. The different postures bend you into unfamiliar poses for a few breathes. Your hamstrings will definitely talk to you in a yoga class. Close runner-ups are your quads and back muscles. They will probably whisper quite loudly. We listen to those whispers.

2. It’s a pretty sweaty exercise.

Don’t let the peaceful breathing fool you. Yoga will get you sweating by the end of the session.

3. Breathing is actually hard.

Singers and athletes are very familiar with controlled breathing. Breathing in yoga is very deep, rhythmic, slow, and controlled. Deep breathing focuses on both the belly and the chest.

4. There are props!

To think that there are tools other than the mat! The basic ones are the block, strap, and blanket. The block, comes in a variety of materials: foam, corduroy, and wood. The blanket is my favourite. Use it as a form of support, padding, or elevation, the blanket also is used to cover up in Savasana.

5. Some poses feel like a massage.

There are many poses that stretch your muscles and joints just right that feels so good, you just let your body melt into the pose. There’s nothing better than being your own personal masseuse.

6. Sanskrit is a beautiful language.

I teach pose names in English and Sanskrit. Saying the Sanskrit names is very meditative and meaningful, almost as if each word held a unique power or energy that was transferred into each pose.

7. Always go to heart space.

Bringing hands to heart space helps structurally align our bodies, especially in poses that involve twists. I imagine that there’s also a meditative purpose to bringing oneself down to heart space. Perhaps as a physical reminder to focus inwardly.

8. Savasana is the best pose of them all.

Of all the yoga poses you may one day learn should you choose to, the most memorable one will be Savasana. In the Savasana, otherwise known as the corpse or death pose, you lie on your back, arms and legs spread out comfortably, with palms facing upwards. Your eyes are closed and your breaths are long and deep, utilizing breathing from the belly and chest. It probably doesn’t sound as complicated, but it is an important pose in which one should be very physically aware of their entire body, especially areas of tension that could be released. It is simply relaxing, relaxing, and some more relaxing.