“here and now is where yoga begins.”— The Yoga Sutras 1.1

Yoga begins when you take a conscious breath. It doesn’t begin when you purchase your first $100 mat or your first pair of fancy yoga pants. It doesn’t even begin when you learn your first asana (yoga pose). Yoga begins with simply recognizing an inhalation and an exhalation. Or noticing your feet touching the ground. Or feeling true connection with another person. Or sensing the cool breeze on your skin and the warmth of the sun.

All of this is easier said than done. Stepping onto your mat and learning the yoga poses gives you many opportunities to pay attention and learn mindfulness through your physical body. You can pay attention to what the teacher is saying. How your body is aligned. How your body feels. How your mind is reacting. Whether you are breathing or not. The yoga mat and physical yoga poses can be the gateway to consistent connection with our world and to living a more mindful lifestyle.

There are many many approaches to teaching and learning yoga. My approach is both technical and relaxed in that I explain how a pose works, then encourage you to explore what to do in order to make that pose work for you. My approach is exploratory and freeing with no hard and fast rules, only tips and tricks to try. The only rule is that your practice feels nourishing and useful in your body. I truly believe you are your best teacher and hope to empower you to step into that role!

Interested in learning more about this rules-free practice? Check out my freebie: “Three Yoga Alignment Cues: Debunked.” There is a little surprise for you when you sign up!