Yoga at Home For Beginners: No Strain is All Gain in Gentle Yoga

Above new book is now available at Amazon.com

This past Saturday, I had a coaching call with one of the first readers of my new, introductory yoga book shown above.  We chatted about her new daily yoga regime which she started two weeks ago. Karyl is already a model student because she has gone downstairs to her yoga space in her basement virtually every morning for to do her practice.  A+ for your commitment, Karyl!  And, she says she feels calmer and more toned.

Anyway, when I asked Karyl if she had any challenges with her yoga practice, the principal issue she mentioned was her temptation to push herself to stretch as far as she can even if her body resists it.  She admitted that she had experienced some shoulder pain when she had strained to do the backward handsclasp on one of her sides.  She attributes the tendency to force herself beyond the comfort zone to doing ballet as a teenager.  Ballet classes tend to advocate that. I recall several scenes in this year's award-winning flick, Black Swan, that the protaganist forced her body through considerable pain so she could create a stellar dance performance.

Well, yoga, is not ballet, even though I sometimes do yoga with Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake  playing softly in the background and imagine myself to move as gracefully as a ballerina.  As trite as this phrase may seem, "no strain is all gain in gentle yoga."  Always listen to your body and learn patience! As I advised Karyl,  gravity will eventually allow you to master poses and create equilibrium in your body so can stretch equally far on both sides in the alternate leg pull or the backward handclasp.  Another helpful tip is to visualize your body stretching farther as  you do a pose.  Eventually, your body will follow your mind!  This has worked quite well for me.

Yours for a gentle, attentive yoga practice,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez

 

Comments

[Karyl]

Wow! I feel honored! :) Thanks.