Yoga for the Inquisitive Beginner: Stretch, Breathe and Laugh your Way to Wellness

Welcome, future yogi! So, if you have happened to click on this article, then chances are, either the mat is calling for enlightenment or old mate karma has just hit you where it counts and now youre gonna be doing downward dogs pose (or laughing in an attempt at one) But, this is all in the correct location anyways. At Udyamyog. Here at Gaiam Life. So, let’s dive in!

Yoga for the Inquisitive Beginner: Stretch, Breathe and Laugh your Way to Wellness

Why Yoga? Since Pretzels Need a Little Fun Too

Yoga has roots in ancient practice – but don’t let the “ancient” part scare you. It is just a tool to get back in touch with yourself. Your body, your mind, that lil voice telling you how great it would be if you could buy more yoga pants;) The best part: it doesn’t matter if you can’t touch your toes (yet) or if your dog judges when you downward-facing do. Yoga is all about balance and self-discovery, both physically and mentally.

Why You Should Be Doing Yoga (Besides Wanting to Rock a Pair of Tight Pants)

 Convenience: You no longer have an iPhone moment of when you drop something behind the couch and feel like it needs to be extracted by a teamismic. Yoga can help! Before you know it, your cat will be impressed by all the bending and stretching positions in that repertoire.

 Power: You will not turn into The Hulk, but you definitely start to become stronger. Every pose engages muscles you didn’t even know existed (mystery muscles reminiscent of the ones that are sore after a vigorous day in the garden).

Stress Relief Wether it’s from the stresses of work, family or remembering your Netflix password life can be stressful. Yoga allows you to take deep breaths, clear your mind and focus on the present moment rather than remembering that embarrassing thing you said in last week’s meeting.

Balance: Not only that oh-so-important physical balance (yay no more dropping 100 grocery bags) but mental and emotional balance. Yoga will enable you to deal with the minor (& major) struggles in your life, retaining peace of mind. Now for the best part: taking it!

Yoga for the Inquisitive Beginner: Stretch, Breathe and Laugh your Way to Wellness

Beginner Yoga Poses That Will Make You Wonder (and Keep You Smiling)

1. Mountain Pose (Tad asana)

 What it is: You are standing your feet together, arms by your sides and chest open. Picture yourself as a mountain: grand, immovable and another email unanswered just does not interest you.

How it helps: All about the posture. Besides, you never know when someone asks at a party what yoga pose that is the only one, they can do! “Look at me, I’m a mountain!”

Fun idea: Try squeezing this pose into your daily life Are you standing in line at the grocery store? Boom! You’re doing yoga

2.Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

What it is: Start in all fours position, set your hips back up and PUSH FOR an upside-down V shape. It is analogous to a yawn and stretch of your dog wag once it wakes up. Extra points if you have a dog giving you the “What in heck are doing” glaring at mentality look.

Why it is great: A complete body stretch, and one that will wake you faster than your traditional morning coffee. Well, it’s a tiny bit embarrassing starting out but hey — So what? You take dog-like steps, so to speak!

Fun thought: You are now one step closer to becoming a dog. That’s pretty cool.

3 Child’s Pose (Bal asana)

What it is: Kneel down, stretch out your arms in front and put your forehead on the mat. As if this was the yoga equivalent of, Quick nap right here.

Why it’s awesome: This is your classic chill pose. Pause Child’s Pose whenever things start to feel a little too intense. It is the “Call me if anyone needs anything” yoga pose of all time.

 Fun thought: You know when you were younger and used to hide under a blanket because homework was so annoying? All this is what, but socially correct.

4. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

 What it is: Just stand tall and bring one foot up to your inner thigh or calf and collect your hands at chest height from there. Imagine you are the tree, gently moving in tune with the wind.

Why it’s awesome: The tree pose is all about balance, physically and mentally. You may feel like a regal oak tree one day and the next, an uprooted shrub­-and that is perfectly fine.

 Fun thought: If you tip out of this one, just giggle and say your “falling leaf. Summary content here. Extra points if you can reenact the noise your chair makes.

5. 10) Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana/Biti asana:)

What it is: Begin on all fours, arch your back like an angry Halloween cat (also known as Cat Pose), and then drop the belly, lifting the head and tailbone up towards to sky (Cow Pose). Repeat.

Why it is so great: This pose does wonders for your back and gets your blood flowing in the morning! And it is kind of daft to switch back and forth between a cat and then immediately being a cow, but in the end that’s fun too! Silly idea: Find your farm animal Is there a rule that yoga can not be fun and somewhat of an act?

Yoga for the Inquisitive Beginner: Stretch, Breathe and Laugh your Way to Wellness

Yoga: The Journey, Not the Destination

Yoga is not about perfect. To know that it is about getting on your mat, doing the best you can and finding humor in falling out of Tree Pose for the fifth time (we have all been there). The further you go along on your journey, the more apparent those small improvements become-both in body and mind.

Just then, I realized that while consistency is important so too was patience You are not going to turn into a human pretzel term) overnight. Like all good road trips, Yoga is a journey; it comes with pit stops and detours, an accident might happen or even the occasional snack break (yes you can totally eat after yoga).

Whether you’re on the hunt for a workout that focuses mind over matter, seeking Zen from an otherwise frantic lifestyle or simply want to be able to touch your toes like cats do – yoga is there. You just have to go there, put your mat out and breath in for the first time.

Namaste (Sanskrit for – you got this)

Ready to give yoga a try? No need to get it perfect the first time (or even second, or third). Yoga is the best because you are in no hurry, no competition and there is never a finish line for it. In your own time, step by step and each one should put a smile on their face.

So, roll out your yoga mat, inhale deeply and remember- the only bad pose is one left unexplored.

And now we can be mountain-y, nap-taking yoga glowing beings.

Yoga for the Inquisitive Beginner: Stretch, Breathe and Laugh your Way to Wellness