I don't think i'm a "yoga person"

To start things off - you are not alone. So many people out there do not think that they are the “yoga type”, but the reality is that there is no real “type” of yoga person.
As the picture above is alluding to - anyone can do yoga. You do not have to wear lululemon, have dreadlocks, wear birkenstocks, or any of the other stereotypical yoga type associations. All you need is an open mind to try something new, something that may prove to inspire and empower you!

How awesome is that!?

Yoga is not just about bending and stretching the body, it is about opening yourself up to the even greater possibility of knowing yourself better. Who wouldn’t want that?

Okay - so you think you are fine the way you are and you will stay the same for the rest of your life? Great! Maybe you do not need yoga...but for most of us out there - we find ourselves searching for answers in life...how to be the best at our job - how to be optimally fit - how to be totally happy - how to de-stress - how to have a great relationship...the list goes on...but more specifically searching for tools to achieve them!

Life is always changing, always challenging, and let’s face it - most of the time extremely stressful...BUT what if there was a way to be able to better manage and navigate through all of these things in life?

Like a magic potion perhaps? :)

When people reveal, “I don’t think I am a yoga person” - I get excited to talk about why they should try yoga and then they can make their choice again as to whether they think they are or not.

You see - yoga is a tool. Take away the fancy studios, the ladies with the green tea lattes in one hand and lululemon mat and bag in the other...and there is just YOGA.

Pop culture has jumped on the Yoga bandwagon and turned it into a bit of a fad. BUT...

Yoga is simple really and can be done anywhere, wearing anything.

As you bend and stretch the body, focus on the breath, you are practicing mindfulness - being in the present moment and better being able to deal with any frustrations that arise (like perhaps if you hold a posture for an extended period of time and get angry about it but you use the focus of the breath to calm the mind). You get to almost prepare yourself for real life situations - by practicing how to de-stress in a non-harming, non-aggressive environment first.

By practicing yoga you get your hands on simple tools that can make a world of difference in your happiness and the way you live your life!

Get your a*s on the mat - 7 Reasons why you should TRY yoga if you think you are not flexible

So often I hear, "I am not flexible enough to do yoga!"

Most often I want to respond by saying, "well get your a*s on the mat and you will get flexible" jokingly of course :)

In fact - it is true you will become flexible as you start to incorporate a yoga practice into your life but many people are in fact very hesitant to try a class because of this common misconception.

Personally I believe that yoga is for anyone; and will be beneficial to everyone!! But I also believe, as a teacher, that it is important to introduce beginners in a way that they will understand, giving them certain tools to slowly discover the benefits for themselves.

I have heard stories about people that try a yoga class for the first time and get discouraged for one of many reasons: the teacher moves too fast and it is hard to catch up, or they don't understand how to calm the mind because the teacher keeps saying "calm the mind" but doesn't teach essential breathing techniques that facilitates this "calming", or better yet the teacher start talking in a foreign language (sanskrit - and on a side not it's not weird...but i'll get to that on another post) that is really "out there" leaving the student thinking WTF?!

Look no further --> I am here to help you and you will get as flexible as you want to be!

For those of you who really want to try yoga and haven't yet...this is for you:

Get your a*s on the mat: 7 Reasons why you should try yoga if you think you are not flexible

1. You will GET flexible if you start. Flexibility is a product of Yoga = not a prerequisite!

2. There is always someone out there less flexible than you...(and once you do a few classes, you will realize no one is looking at how inflexible you are - because they are so focussed on their thing. Yoga is NOT competitive)

3. The least flexible people will probably benefit the most

4. A well trained body will help you to train your mind so you can be physically and mentally FIT

5. In yoga philosophy it is said that "age is measured by the flexibility of your spine" - so to stay feeling young - start bending!

6. As one of my teachers always says "The power is in the Process!" (Baron Baptiste). Flexibility is not going to happen overnight - but trust that it will in time.

7. It's not really about touching your toes...but what you will discover about yourself on the journey down there!

I teach classes designed for beginners and I will show you the ropes so you of yoga - so you can start to discover your body and mind in a new way!

Much love to all the soon to be toe touchers,

A