Ancient But Not Foreign
Yoga is tied to ancient Indian philosophy, so yoga poses have both Sanskrit and English names adho mukha svanasana is more commonly known as downward-facing dog, for example and you may hear both in a class.
But even if you have never tried a yoga class, you may already be familiar with some yoga poses. Ever tried a plank? Youve done yoga.
Trainers and fitness classes around the world, not to mention college and professional sports teams, are including yoga into more traditional workouts as a potent form of mind-body conditioning, helping athletes to breathe better and increase their focus.
Which Yoga Course Should I Choose
No one yoga class works for everyone, and you will likely find yourself drawn to specific courses over others. We recommend looking at all of the free classes on our list to see what appeals to you. If youre worried about being bombarded with emails, you can set up a separate email account to keep all of your free class information organized.
Yogic Lifestyle Union Between You The Other And The World
Here comes the last piece of the puzzle the union on the highest level of worldly existence between you, the other and the world. This means that Yoga is also worthless if practiced only on the mat. So when learning yoga, especially when practicing the body-mind union, consider if:
You speak the language of nature and how youre connected to nature and its basic elements? Do you complicate your existence by thinking that you are in the center of the world and require extra attention and acknowledgement?
Thinking this way interferes with the practice of yoga. And surely, you might wonder, what should be done here in order to create that harmony in union? Youd be amazed to know that there is one important yogic movement that needs to be done. That is:
The action of not doing anything but contemplating! Then yoga happens.
Yes, this goes beyond the physicality and mentality of your being. As our bodies play just a tiny part of the evolution of existence, we must not attach to the world in that sense clinging to worldly life with that insatiable urge that generates worries and anxiety but rather grow through life with detachment and the attitude that life has been gifted to us with the purpose to realize that gift and attain the wisdom of life.
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Tip #: Install Mirrors For Alignment
Especially for your home yoga practice, where you cant benefit from the hands-on adjustments of an experienced yoga teacher, its crucial to stay properly aligned in order to avoid injuries. Mirrors are a great tool for that and complete the yoga studio vibe at your home yoga space. Whats more, they make even a small corner feel more open and spacious.
Especially yoga beginners may find it helpful to practice in front of a mirror until they learn how their bodies should align in certain poses. Consider it a valuable tool that helps you train your body intelligence.
If you find big mirrors distracting, you can opt for smaller decorative mirrors. They will not only help you with posture guidance but will also turn a simple white wall into a fancy piece of your yoga space.
Short Beginner Yoga Videos
These beginning yoga videos are great to use if you are short on time. You can quickly check out these short yoga videos to help you refine what you enjoy and find helpful in an online yoga class. Once you are comfortable with these short videos, continue and explore the medium length videos next to build up towards a more challenging and fulfilling practice.
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To Facilitate Mentorship Sessions & Community Conversations
Whos using it: Barrie Risman, yoga teacher and author of Evolving Your Yoga: 10 Principles for an Enlightened Practice
How does it work?
WebinarJam is a live webinar platform. It offers unlimited webinars, live chat, automated reminders, recordings, a registration page builder, and payment integration.
What are its benefits?
It allows for cleaner delivery of live presentations then video-conferencing services like Zoom because you dont have the distraction of extraneous noise, participants cameras, or people coming in and out. It can also handle more participants than many video-conferencing services. There is a solid registration process, and payment integration is easy. You can customize as many email reminders as you want. Events are recorded and can be automatically emailed to participants who miss the live event.
What should teachers keep in mind?
Its a good option for paid classes and content. Its less efficient for free offerings because of the registration process. However, you always know those who participated because they sign up with their email addresses.
Any challenges to watch out for?
Participants can only participate via chat, so one constraint of this platform is that you cant see people, and theres limited interaction with your audience.
Hot tip:
Professional and enterprise plans include a Panic Buttonif your connection starts getting sketchy, hit the button and itll reboot you and all participants into a fresh room.
What Are My Options If I Want To Learn Yoga By Myself
The most common methods to learn yoga on your own or at home are books, youtube videos, online yoga courses, yoga studios, and private 1-on-1 sessions. Each has its pros and cons relating to how effective, safe, and economical it is.
| Method |
Learn Yoga From A Book
Books are readily available, come in hard copy and digital formats, and are durable. They allow you to practice practically anywhere and can also be valuable references. But, can you learn yoga from a book?
Books arent the best way to learn yoga. They are either too general, so you need several books to cover the topic, or too focused, meaning you need more books on various topics. And they are not interactive, meaning you cannot ask questions or see demonstrations.
The main appeal of a book is the price, which may range from a free ebook to $50+ for a well researched and produced text.
But books arent as cheap as they seem.
First, everyone asks, What is the one yoga book I should get?? And there isnt one. To cover yoga postures alone, youd need at least 2 or 3.
For example, Light On Yoga is the book modern yoga postures are based on, but its not the best book to learn the poses. And most yoga posture books are not yoga anatomy books, so you need another one for that. Thats three books right there.
Plus, if you really want to explore yoga, youll need books on philosophy, sequencing, injury, movement, etc. Your library can add up quickly.
Pros
Cons
Learn Yoga From A Youtube Video
Its very distracting.
Pros
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Im Not Flexible Or Athletic Can I Still Do Yoga
Lack of flexibility is one of the central myths that people cling to as an excuse for not starting a yoga practice. Years of seeing images of yogis who can contort themselves like pretzels have conditioned people to believe they need to be an acrobat to take up yoga.
The truth is that flexibility is not a requirement of yoga, its a result of practicing yoga. All poses can be modified to help you hold them correctly, and with time you will grow more limber.
How Much Do Online Yoga Classes Typically Cost
In general, online yoga classes are either free or part of a paid subscription service that can cost between roughly $10 and $30 per month. Live studio classes will run you about $25 to $35 per class, depending on the location, brand, and instructors experience. Purchasing a multiple course pack can bring the cost down significantly, but make sure you like the class before you invest hundreds of dollars. That said, most health clubs and gyms offer yoga classes in their lineup. You can also check with the local community or senior center for free yoga lessons.
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Do You Yoga : 7 Free Month
Do You Yoga is a yoga-based fitness community with courses for different practices from different teachers. While most of these are paid programmes, there are seven free courses for an introductory month to yoga.
The courses include a beginner’s 28-day guide, a men’s 30-day challenge, a bikini body challenge, a meditation program, a 30 days of yoga challenge, advanced level pilates, and a guide to slow Vinyasa. You will need to register to access each course, and get it delivered to your inbox.
The good news is that you can check out the entire month-long package before you commit to doing it. This way, you know what to expect in the next day’s email and are ready for it. Each class is a 15-20 minute video lesson from the teacher.
If You Need Something That’s Easy Af To Follow:
Sworkit
Free to download and $4.99/month for a subscription on the App Store and
Sworkit is the fitness app that has just about everything you could imagine for your workout journey that doesn’t require leaving the house OR purchasing a bunch of equipment. Working with a physical therapist? It’s got exercises for that. What about something easy to follow along with your younger siblings or kids? Sworkit launched a Youth Initiative program with a library filled with kids’ workouts that is completely free without a subscription. Like I said, it really thought of everything.
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How To Do A Downward Pose
1) Start in a standing position.
2) Place your hands in a prayer position.
3) Inhale and raise your hands up fully extend from the side and finger tips touch at the top.
4) Exhale and hinge into standing forward bend with palms touching the mat.
5) Inhale and extend your spine into standing half forward bend with fingers touching the top of your feet.
6) Exhale and step or jump back to plank pose.
7) Exhale and push your hips toward the sky as you step each foot back until your body exhibits a downward dog in the shape of an inverted V. Keep palms flat on mat.
8) To exit pose, move your feet forward into standing forward bend with palms touching the mat.
If Youre A Bit Of A Control Freak:
Yoga Studio: Mind & Body
Free to download or $8/month for a subscription on iTunes and
Want to choose your own yogi adventure? This apps class building feature allows you to customize the moves you do during your practice. Just pick the poses you want from the apps library, and use the smart-link function that strings the postures together into one cohesive flow you can follow via video.
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Medium Length Beginner Yoga Videos
These medium length videos will give you a good taste of what a longer yoga practice feels like both physically and energetically. These videos will also help you refine your skills to move you towards attending an hour-long class, and the videos at the end of this list will prepare you for a more athletic vinyasa or flow yoga practice.
The Beginners Exercise Creativity Upon Body
The first and most important element to learn and practice yoga is of physiological and psychological nature: Stillness:
Thats it! Thats the creativity upon the body-mind union. The validity of this creativity lies in the stillness and observance of that union. In this practice you can learn to understand and catch the moment the main ingredient of life.
Life is a sequence of moments and knowing that youre able to manage that sequence is a new level of living life, called dharma the practical and skillful way of living. An essential character develops as a result of practicing this discipline.
However, be aware that we are still talking about outward elements of yoga the gross levels whereas the subtle, inward elements are yet to be approached, learned and implemented. It is on these subtle levels that you can realize the depth of spirituality and the essence of yoga.
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Getting Started With Yoga
Advancing Your Yoga Practices
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Virtual Yoga Classes Are More Sophisticated Than Ever
Besides the many yoga DVDs and books on the market, online yoga classes and digital downloads are bringing home more of the benefits of a live class. While an instructor isn’t physically there to observe your alignment and adjust your pose hands-on, multimedia is the next best thing…and for some, it may be even better.
What To Know Before Learning Yoga On Your Own
How do I know if I can learn yoga by myself? Here are some questions to help guide you.
Are you close to any yoga studios?
Where you live can play a decisive role. If you live in a rural area or place where there arent any yoga studios, then learning yoga on your own might be the best option.
How disciplined and motivated are you?
Are you someone who can follow along in a book and stick with it? If so, you may be the type who would enjoy learning on their own. However, if you prefer the energy of a group or need help with your motivation, then you might feel lonely learning yoga by yourself.
Are you good about listening to what your body needs?
For instance, do you regularly get enough sleep? Do you take breaks when youre tired? If the answer to both is yes, solo yoga is definitely an option.
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Practice In A Quiet Area
The environment plays a huge role in your yoga session. Make sure you have a quiet area in your home where you can fully commit to your workout. Most beginner videos dont require you to have much in terms of equipment, but if you have a yoga mat grab that, some water, a towel, or whatever else you may need before you begin. For an added bonus, consider lighting candles or using aromatherapy to help you relax and fully get into your space and your movements.
Are You Ready To Face Your Fears And Learn How To Teach Yoga
If you are truly ready to take that leap of faith and start the process of becoming a yoga teacher, here are some links you will want to check out:
Yoga Teacher Training Schools Here are a list of yoga schools that offer teacher training programs from around the world. These schools offer some of the finest programs and have helped many individuals transition from student to teacher
Finding the Right Yoga Teacher Training Choosing the right yoga certification program can be daunting. This article will offer many tips and suggestions on what to look for in a yoga teacher training program and what to expect while you go through it.
Yoga Teacher Training Curriculum This in depth article will give you an idea of what you can expect to learn during your training program. It is important that if you want to learn how to teach yoga, you select a school with the curriculum that fits your needs. So make sure that before you sign up for one, that you ask them what is taught and that it aligns with what you are looking to learn and of course, teach.
Yoga Teacher Training Tips Ask anyone who has undergone their yoga teacher training program and almost everyone will tell you that it is a very challenging experience. There are going to be some bumps along the road and challenges you will need to face and this article offers some advice and things to keep in mind
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