New to forum and Yoga

[schwinnja]

Hi, My name is Andrew. I just graduated from college and am currently searching for a job. While I had this free time, I decided to start yoga. I tried it for the first time today, and found it really enjoyable. I can't do all the positions yet, dispite it being yoga for beginners.

I'm sure everyone remembers when they were beginners, any suggestions for me? Or will I become more limber as time goes on?

I also run everyday, and work out regularly.

Thanks! I am very excited about both joining the forum and the yoga community in general.

[Pandara]

Hi Andrew,

Welocme to the forum and welcome to yoga. I always remind myself and my new yogis of the following:

"Practicing with total attention within the body is advanced yoga, no matter how easy the posture; practicing with your attention scattered is the practice of a beginner, no matter how difficult the posture. Hatha yoga trains the mind and the body, so focus your attention without lapse." From Anatomy of Hatha Yoga by H. David Coulter.

Then another important ingredient is patience, people think that yoga is a quick fix for everything and they want to see results now. Yoga is process specifically concerned with your total evolution and purification and this takes time.

Good luck with your new found yoga and tread the Path cautiously.

[sarahy]

though difficult, i was taught to always to approach every practice and every class with 'beginners mind', the openness to learning something new about yoga and about yourself. so as a beginner you have an advantage!

i've recently started advancing my own practice and so now i am in beginners again, learning new poses and sequences, trying, failing and picking myself off the floor to try again. i love laughing at myself, that helps. and also persistence and focus, and perhaps realizing that there are so many changes in the process, some very subtle, that only reveal themselves over time.

keep it up!
sarah

[A Better Me]

Although new to yoga myself (practicing just over a year) I found the more I became familiar with the postures, the less I actually had to think about them. This allowed me to become more present in my practice, focus more on the breath and then you'll find one day you are able to do something you were unable to do yesterday.

I remember the first time I was able to jump through to my hands from downward dog, wow was I excited. Unfortunately a little too excited in that my ego got the better of me. I came home and started to "brag" about what I was able to do to my family. Before you know it I was thinking so much I kind of lost the ability to do it!

Now I keep my progresses to myself, and smile from inside. No need to "brag" to my family as it seems to be taken away the moment the ego kicks in!
Enjoy!

[schwinnja]

Luckily, I am a complete novice, and am totally concentrating on the postures and doing everything correctly. I just try to take deep, slow breaths and make sure i'm following the instructions.

Needless to say, I am enjoying my new experiences, and I look forward to growing both mentally and spiritually. Plus being lean, and in good shape never hurt anyone.

I enjoy browsing the forum, and seeing how others percieve things. Thank you for your words of wisdom and your well wishes!

Cheers!

[pinky11]

Hello schwinnja

Yoga is such a vast subject where there is no end of knowledge you may acquire. I am trying to share whatever knowledge i have with beginners to yoga. Yoga is a way of life to live a healthy and happy life.

Daljit