Common misconceptions about yoga

Contrary to popular perception, yoga asanas are not about how far you can reach to touch your toes or how many repetitions you can perform. It is all about paying attention to how your body feels; how it moves without excruciating pain or agony! Yoga is all about breathing correctly about integrating the breath into your being. Conscious yoga does not call on you to force or strain every nerve and sinew, that is:

yoga is learning how to do things right so that you need to do less in order to achieve more!

1. You need to be flexible to do yoga
It is not a requirement of good yoga practice to be flexible. Learning how to relax your body and mind by focusing on how you breathe is the essential ingredient to good yoga practice. Flexibility comes from doing yoga.

2. I won't be able to do any of the poses so it will be a waste of time
Yoga can never be described as a waste of time. Yoga helps to release the tightness and rigidity as we age. Folding down so your head touches your knees is not critical to good yoga practice. It is the journey you take to be able to touch your toes that is the main benefit of yoga.

3. Yoga is too complicated and hard
Be patient, it took a long time for your body to become locked up, so it will take time and focus to unlock it. The benefits of yoga to your mind and body are worth every minute.

4. I tried yoga and the teacher moved so fast I couldn't keep up
You must always take it at YOUR pace. Never force a pose. As a teacher I assist each person throughout the class to move at their own pace and provide beginners with the reassurance needed so that after a few weeks the pace will no longer be an issue.