Yoga Q & A
I asked our yoga community what questions they had for me about yoga and this is how they replied:
In your opinion, what is the best pose and why?
That’s a tough one.There are so many different poses that are great for different things so it depends on what you are needing. As far as poses that I enjoy go, I like child’s pose. It’s a classic that is used in almost every yoga class. It lengthens your spine, decompressing the lower back. Extending your arms overhead releases any tension in your shoulders and having your legs bent beneath you stretches your hamstrings. Having your head placed on the ground creates a connection between your third eye chakra (or your intuition) and mother earth. With your belly over your thighs, it brings your awareness to your breath. The best yoga poses should engage your whole being.
What kind of yoga is best for beginners?
It depends on what you are hoping to get out of yoga. If you’re wanting to gain muscle and discipline, try Ashtanga. If mindfulness and stress reduction are more your thing, try Kundalini. If you need to detox your body and enjoy sweating, try out hot yoga or Vinyasa. If you need some deep stretching and enjoy a slower pace, maybe Yin or Restorative yoga is for you. I don’t exclusively teach any of these styles of yoga but tend to blend principles of all of them into each of my classes. If you are looking for a traditional Ashtanga or Kundalini practice, I linked my favorite spots above. Regardless of what you choose, you can gain something from each style of yoga.
Where do you start after not stretching or doing yoga for a while?
Getting back into yoga can be a hard thing. I find that it tends to be more of a mental battle than a physical one. Your body needs the benefits of yoga, it’s the mind that fools you into being unmotivated. To counteract this, I would start by finding a studio or place to do yoga with other people. Doing yoga with someone else keeps you accountable and you’re more likely go. While your body may be a bit more tight after not practicing yoga, just know that there are always modifications, just be honest with your instructor and they can help you find a variation of each pose that works for you. Remember, make each pose work for your body, don’t force your body into a pose that doesn’t suit it. Be honest with yourself and the rest will come.
What equipment do I need to start practicing yoga?
You’ve decided to take the leap into yoga and buy all the unitards, the leg warmers...leg warmers? Unitards? Is this an 80's jazzercise class? You definitely don’t need either of those but you will need at least a yoga mat and comfy clothes. Most studios have equipment you can borrow, including mats but some charge you a rental fee so it’s best to bring your own if you don’t know their policy. If you prefer to use all of your own equipment, you should start with two blocks and a yoga mat towel (for hot or vinyasa yoga) as well as a mat. Each type of yoga will generally use those items and some, like kundalini, restorative or yin will use other props as well (like a meditation cushion, bolsters, blankets or straps). Mi Casa Yoga Studio has mats, blocks, blankets, bolsters and some straps, all free to use!
What other habits are helpful in conjunction with yoga?
There is ancient, yogic teachings about how to live and create a healthy lifestyle, it’s called Ayurveda. While it has become somewhat mainstreamed, there are some nuances to it. For starters, diet depends on what your primary dosha (linked to body type but also to your energy, take a test here) is. There are three different doshas that dictate what a healthy lifestyle is for you. While we tend to have more of one of these doshas present, we represent all of the doshas, just at varying levels. An imbalance can be cause by many things and present itself in different ways depending on which dosha it is affecting. For example, my primary dosha is kapha but lately I’ve been feeling hot and irritable which is associated with pitta. There are certain foods that I should eat and others to avoid in order to restore balance within my body. Read this article to learn more about the foods you should avoid and which ones to favor when you’re experiencing an imbalance.
Why do we lay flat on our back at the end of a class?
You should be laying on your back at the end of every yoga practice. This is called savasana, corpse pose or final resting pose. It is meant to be a time of relaxation, allowing your mind to clear and your body to absorb all the benefits of your practice. Each instructor and style of yoga has a different way of facilitating this time. Traditionally in vinyasa, 10% of your overall time in class is set aside for this final resting pose (around six minutes for an hour long class). Kundalini yoga tends to have longer savasanas as it’s a time for meditation. When I teach yoga, I lean towards having longer savasanas to allow everyone to simply lay down. This provides a space for thoughts to wander, still and hopefully meditate.
If you ever have more questions about yoga, my classes or anything else, feel free to reach out via email, Instagram or message me on my website.
Namaste,
Anna
