Yoga Expectation vs. Reality
Yoga Expectations Vs. Reality
When I first attended my first yoga class I was very nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t really sure I understood what yoga was/wasn’t. My brain was going a million miles a minute up until the point that I got inside of the studio and set up. Even through the class I still felt as though I wasn’t doing it “right” I had such high expectations for not only myself but for what the experience was going to be like.
Sound familiar? This is usually everyone’s experience when trying yoga for the first time, or really trying any new thing for the first time. It’s scary. It’s uncomfortable. It’s challenging. But once you get past that layer, it’s so rewarding. I wanted to write a little about some yoga expectations vs. realities to uncover some of the fear involved with trying yoga for the first time.
Myth 1: Everyone will be more flexible than I am.
Reality: We are all in a different part of our journey; some days we are ahead, some days we are behind--this journey is within yourself. You will surprise yourself on your mat with how much you can do. You will also become frustrated with yourself on your mat with the things you can’t. These are challenges for you to overcome. How we handle things on the mat is how we handle things OFF the mat as well.
Myth 2: All yogis are skinny and young; I won’t fit in!
Reality: The great thing about yoga is that it is just so accessible to those willing to try. Yoga sees no limits, it welcomes diversity regardless of age, presentation, orientation, weight, etc. More importantly though, Emerald Yoga Studio welcomes you no matter who you are. We help students of all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, and everything in between.
Myth 3: I’m not in shape I won’t be able to do yoga.
Reality: So I hear this one a lot. You don’t just wake up one day able to run a marathon, right? First you walk, then you jog, then you sprint! The first step is getting in the door, setting up your mat, and doing whatever works for you. You’re not only showing up for us, you are showing up for YOU!
Myth 4: The teacher is going to ask me to do things I can’t do and I will feel embarrassed.
Reality: I can’t speak for every studio so I’m going to zoom in a little bit to our neck of the woods at Emerald. All of the teachers here are trained to be able to hand you modifications and variations in poses that will allow you to get into some form of the poses they are working on--they may look a little different for your body, that’s okay! The one that is coming to mind right now is Pigeon pose. Sometimes when I have students with knee issues/hip issues I will have them flip on their back and do Reclined Pigeon pose. This is the beauty of yoga, we can all do it! Our teachers will never shame you for not being able to do something.
Myth 5: Yoga is only for women/it’s religious/it’s a cult/you need to have a completely plant-based diet/etc.
Reality: Come as you are. No--seriously. That messy bun, those yoga pants that you’ve never worn to actual yoga, bring yourself here. We live in a world of excuses rather than a world of reality and change. We come up with so many different reasons why we shouldn’t do something and completely overlook all the reasons that we should! I can promise you that you will feel better leaving a yoga class than when you walked in.
If you are brand new to Emerald Yoga Studio and you are interested in signing up please try out our intro special for new students.
See you on the mat!