We have all done that: getting hooked on a new hobby online. Especially during pandemics. Nothing wrong with that. However, when doing yoga, there are certain safety reasons to update yourself so you don´t accidentally hurt yourself while trying new things. If you have done yoga online, without the supportive physical presence of yoga teacher, and/or if you are completely new to yoga, and want to know some do´s and don´ts, here are some guidelines for you:
First, let me put one thing straight: Yoga may look like, but is not sports. There are many branches of yoga, and they all include movement, some more powerful, others more fast or slow movement; nevertheless, none of them has the purpose of making you fit, fast or strong. Those are side effects of yoga. Very welcome and often encountered effects, but these are side effects, and not the main purpose of the practice. In yoga, you do not compete with anybody, and you cannot win prices. You train for a more joyful life. That’s it. Not more and not less.
Second: Yoga can be challenging, but should never hurt. If you experience sudden pain while performing a movement, stop it immediately, and try something else. Push less, try another angle or just wait for the next exercise to come. If you are following one of my videos, you are also welcome to send me a mail asking for clarification for that tricky movement that made you wonder. Otherwise ask someone to show you in person, maybe a friend, who has practiced with a teacher for a longer while.
Third: Yoga is not about excellence, but about perseverance and extending our limits. In case it feels hard to hold a posture for a longer time or at first, even to replicate it, do not mistrust! Dare testing new things, but trust your body and honor its limitations. Bend and lift as much as your body allows at the moment, and let the more challenging poses develop over time. Something that feels impossible to do today is totally possible with time and renewed exposure. If you really would like to reach a goal (may that be a posture or a vision in real life), go for it again and again, … and again! Be patient with yourself, and when a breakthrough happens, notice it, and celebrate it! Like the flowers welcome the rain after a long period of drought: Bloom!
Yoga is not a sport. It is a way of life.
Listen to your body as you try to follow the instructions, and the yoga will unfold as you move.
Miazami 