Yoga Class: My 4 Stages of Practice

“Om Monday”, anyone? ๐Ÿ™‚ I will be talking about yoga, yoga classes, yoga styles and practices on the blog on Mondays now as part of my “Om Monday” blog series. No set in stone schedule for that one yet, but will see if it works out into something regular. Ready?

om monday

So Yoga… Have you ever done yoga?

I’ve been practicing it on and off since forever but lately (the past 3-4 years) – regularly, several times a week – both on my own and in a yoga class setting.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve seen me rave about Yoga at Simply Well – our local yoga studio, starting to work on my Sport Yoga Instructor Certification and striking yoga poses all over the place ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚

cape may

I’ve always been pretty flexible, so no trouble there. It is something else that yoga has always been and still is for me – my peace and quiet time. “Me time” to use a popular clichรฉ. Without going all “yoga talk” on you I’m just going to say that a regular yoga class or a home practice comes in 4 stages for me.

Yoga Class: My 4 Stages of Practice

1. Mental Chatter

or “Ohdamnitiforgottoputthisonmyshoppinglist” stage comes first. I’m still thinking about my “to do” list or plans for the day ahead. This is the hardest part to overcome and toย silence that little voice in your head. The answer for me here is easy to say and hard to do – just BREATHE. Shift the focus from the voice in your head to your breath.

yoga

2. Self-Judgment

or “Oh good…This feels good. If only I was more flexible” stage – the body starts to warm up, stretches feel great but I’m still thinking critically of myself. That forward fold could have been done with more grace, that backbend did not feel so great, my arms are too short for this, and so on. This is where that mental clutter of self judgment starts coming back and I take Round 2 of fighting it. The answer is still in the breath and reminding myself that it is not the time of judgment – by self or anyone around. By the way, if you think that anyone will be watching and judging you while in downward facing dog – you’re wrong. Very-very wrong. ๐Ÿ™‚

 

yoga

3. Noticing Progress

or “Oh how awesome! I can do something I struggled with before!” stage. This is one of the best parts of practicing yoga (or practicing anything for that matter) – seeing the progress. Me? I started seeing progress 2 weeks after starting my regular practice. Being able to go deeper into a pose, hold it for longer and just getting into it without going out of breath is something you see if you pay attention every time you practice. So the key in this stage for me is to PAY ATTENTION, or in another clichรฉ – “Listen to You Body”. It’s pretty rewarding to see the progress!

aerial yoga

4. Relaxation and Acceptance

or “I’m just going to enjoy this” stage. By this time I’m done with self-judgment, self-doubt and other self-inflicted negativity ๐Ÿ™‚ย  I’ve let it all go while I was struggling to get into that second position of Pigeon. I’ve forgotten all about it while making sure my body alignment is correct in that Warrior II. I’ve reached the Savasana part of it all and I’m pretty proud of my accomplishments of the last hour. ย So I give myself a pat on the back for that and just enjoy the last few minutes of relaxation with a smile on my face. And you know what? The first 3 stages might vary – some days one will be more pronounced than the other, but this part never fails – a smile and a sense of accomplishment.

yoga class

Those are my 4 stages of a yoga class and ways to handle them.

Talk to me: do you practice yoga? What is your favorite style of yoga? What do you struggle with the most?

Have a great week, guys!

Namaste

Pick up a few essentials for your yoga class:

Comments

  1. I like this post! I’ve fallen off of the yoga this summer. I tend to do it more in the winter time. I always feel better when I do though! have a great week
    Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Freekeh, Roasted Eggplant, Tomato & Pasta SaladMy Profile

  2. I love stage 3 and 4 ๐Ÿ™‚ But I guess you’ve got to get through the first 2 to get there. That photo of you doing aerial yoga is great! I tried aerial yoga a couple times and loved it.
    Chaitali recently posted…Wine and Dine Half Marathon training – week 5My Profile

    • Thanks ๐Ÿ™‚
      I think the stages come in various orders – their own for everyone. Sometimes, doubt and self-judgment creep in in the middle of the practice or at the end.
      I think the important part is to end with a smile.

  3. Hi Lena! I saw your post from BlogHer. I just put one up on Yoga as well. I love my sporadic practice of yoga. It truly does give you “me time” and time to just breathe deeply and focus on the present. Thanks for sharing!
    Angela @ Setting My Intention recently posted…Coming to the Mat as a BeginnerMy Profile

  4. I can’t wait to read all about it because I just started practicing yoga myself. LOVE IT!!!!
    Diatta @ Femme Fitale Fit Club recently posted…7 Best Fitness Trackers Under $100My Profile

  5. Hi Lena! I read your post and find good information for yoga , You are doing excellent .

  6. That’s a great reading and got some helpful info on yoga practice! By the way, I appreciate the reading and going to share this helpful post on my social media pages to see my friends and followers. Thanks and have a good day!

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