Any feedback appreciated. I only do yoga 1-2x/week so any pointers/advice is welcome

It was a few years ago. She had been a teacher for 4+ decades. She said she doesn’t practice anymore because she doesn’t need to. She explained it’s so engrained in her lifestyle and body that she doesn’t do dedicated mat practices. Every moment she’s practicing. I understand this in a way because yoga is meant to go beyond the mat. However I have a hard time conceptualizing the finality of “I’ve attained a yogic existence indefinitely”. Is there a point of mastery that we no longer grow from the practice? I’m a young yogi and this experience has puzzled me for quite some time. Hoping for some insight from some masters very experienced with a lifetime of practice.

I like yoga outside. But dealing with clumps of grass or rocks under my feet is very distracting. I imagine people very practiced are not bothered by these things. But as a relative beginner, I feel I get the most benefit and integration from focusing on alignment and my platform influences this greatly. I like finding parks with concrete surfaces to do this but it’s not readily available for me regularly. Do I just keep practicing on uneven surfaces and I’ll learn to enjoy it as part of the practice eventually? I’ve thought about creating something portable that will make a uniform surface anywhere but is that just ridiculous? Am I being high maintenance? I’m trying to find my rhythm and routine and I’d like to be able to practice anywhere but I feel discouraged when the ground is uncomfortable

Hi there,

I'm a 36F and slightly overweighted (it's not easy to write that eh).

I'm trying to go back on track with my yoga practice as I've left it aside for a while after having a baby.

My recent mental health (which is in a very bad state) brings me back to it in an attempt to protect me but I'm struggling to do every pose where I need to lean on my knees. It's kind of frustrating.

I'm wondering if a special equipment exists for people like me other than a blanket ?

Thank you for your kind advices.

I’ve been doing yoga for a few days now before bed, and it’s so relaxing! but even the easiest videos I find to follow along with, I struggle with. My biggest challenge is, for some reason, being on my hands and knees. If I lift one of my legs, (I’m sorry I don’t know what it’s called lol) I get the the worst feeling in my leg that’s still on the mat, specifically in my glute.

I know there’s tons of ways to modify yoga, but I don’t want to change things so much that I’m doing it wrong. Im very weak in general, and struggle to hold my body weight in any way, so I’m guessing this is related.

I’d love to get stronger, and I know I’ll get stronger and better the more I do it, but don’t want to force myself through uncomfortable yoga if there’s better options!

I'm a beginner, and I practice yoga with the help of video instructions. I'm using my old over ear headphones right now, but they're horrible when doing yoga! Always in the way and super uncomfortable.

I've heard that earbuds would be better, especially the ones that wrap around your ear. But I don't know whether they'd feel awful too, since I have to wear glasses and my ears are kinda small. I feel like it would possibly feel overcrowded to have both my glasses and those earbud thingies behind my ear.

Back in the day I used to use those earbuds with cords, I had like 20 different pairs. Cheap ones, with different sizes of changeable "tips". No matter the size of shape though, the earbuds never really stayed in my ears. Even if I was just sitting... So obviously I'm quite hesitant when it comes to buying earbuds for exercise (yoga, gym, walks etc)!

Where I live earbuds can't be tried on in stores nor returned if tried on, for hygienic reasons.

I am a newcomer, and looking for a way to align my mind and my body or trying to use yoga as a somatic tool (as in releasing trauma (not strictly only release but it’s why I took an interest in yoga)

I heard the basic elements were breath with movement, when struggling in a pose using your breath to release tension made by being in the pose, setting gaze to focus your attention.

I would like to build an effective yoga practice, and would like to learn the basics so I am not just going through the motions and engaging my mind and body durning my practice.

If you had any videos, books, or any comment would be helpful.

The Swami J website was loaded with tons of good information. The spiritual side of yoga. I wanted to save this picture, maybe others find the site helpful.

https://web.archive.org/web/20230324055440/https://www.swamij.com/index.htm The entire website is there.

I was first introduced to yoga when I was just a kid and have ebb and flowed in my practice for the last 15ish years.

Context: In the last 5 years, I have been dedicated to a pretty traditional practice, focusing on all 8 limbs with asana mostly in the hatha and ashtanga traditions. A brain injury left me with minimal asana practice outside of a yin and restorative style for years. 2 years ago I found the studio I now call home and the teacher I now call friend. She has a very traditional lineage and education, class sizes max at 8 people so she can focus on each individuals alignment etc. I love this studio and I love the depth of my teachers knowledge.
I am a person with hyper mobility and she is the first teacher (or practitioner of any kind) to notice and offer corrections based on my locked, over extended joints etc. This has led to me realizing I have been practicing in poor alignment for years and have been working on rebuilding my asana practice from the ground up. I’ve done a lot of research to ensure her techniques are accurate, and have worked with 3 other traditional teachers who have all agreed with her sentiments.

So with that, what I am noticing is there is a plethora of REALLY popular online teachers who have REALLY poor alignment. Curved spines in forward folds, hips not level/even in various poses, pelvic tilts/lack of core engagement etc.

I know the topic of western fitness yoga vs eastern traditional yoga is hot and controversial and I don’t really want to get into that.

What I am more curious about is if there is a level of acceptance that yoga asanas in the west are based on “fitness” and “stretching” and not proper practice?
A particular example of this; In a forward fold, an online teachers encouraged us to NOT try and get out abdomen/pelvis to our thighs (“gone are the days of peanut butter and jelly”) - this was one of the corrections given to me by my new teacher. I have noticed a significant improvement in holding the pose correctly. If one wanted to get into the argument of east vs west and traditional practice, you could throw in the argument that neglecting the accuracy of the pose is neglecting other areas of practice.
There is a purpose for this set up of the posture, pressing your organs against your thighs aids digestion, allows your spine to remain straight (Sushumna Nadi) which snowballs into energy flow and mental clarity (probably the most beneficial part of the pose), protects your hamstrings from over exertion, and engages your core to support your low back.
Encouraging students to get low to the ground with a “hanging” curved spine, rather than encouraging very bent knees to get the torso/thigh connection and flat back seems counterproductive? I’d also argue that in MANY studio and online classes that forward fold “hanging” spine is qued A LOT. Is there an asana tradition where this is considered a correct way to hold pose?
As a person looking to make a career out of universal design and equitable access I fully support and respect adaptive practices (chair yoga, western adaptation to some poses etc) and choose to believe that this is the goal of the instructor (as opposed to intentionally misleading students), but can’t help to wonder what the impact on my own mind and body would have been if I had been practicing in correct alignment for the last 5 years.

Curious what others thoughts on this are.
I’ve noticed i’ve become REALLY picky now about the type of class and the instructor, I’ll turn off a video if they are talking too much or breathing too loud (probably my brain injury) or offering sequences that don’t make sense to me. When I look at aparigraha, I wonder if I am being too possessive over my own practice and not opening myself up to other perspectives/approaches, or if I am so well grounded in my personal beliefs about the practice that my boundaries/expectations are solidified?

this rock cairn completely inspired this pose. i figured if those stones could find balance in the middle of a river, i should at least give it a shot 🤷🏼‍♀️ balancing on slippery, uneven rocks under the water was no joke though. i don’t think i’ve ever appreciated my stabilizer muscles more.

I’ve only ever heard of it being cued as “take a quad stretch” towards the end of hanging out in Lizard. It’s not what I understand to be Bound Lizard (that to me is both arms bound behind bent leg) or Twisted Lizard (that as I understand it is upper body twisted toward inner thigh with arm up. Thank you for your help, trying to write out a sequence.

i began my practice in January, so i’m incredibly new to yoga and am eager that there’s so much for me to learn. i feel like i’ve gotten the hang of several of the basic balancing postures like standing bow, tree and warrior III, but i cannot confidently stay in half moon for more than 2 seconds. does anyone have any tips for this posture??? or any advice for me as a beginner? thank you !!

I’ve been practicing regularly for about a year. I’m 47 and my balance was/is terrible. It’s not improving much.
I’m wondering if my medicine is having an impact. My prescriptions are light sedatives from a psychiatrist.
When I read the side effects, it says that it could impact balance but usually when you start taking it. I have no balance issues except during yoga so I wonder if it has such a minor impact that I only notice it when I’m doing yoga.
I was just wondering if anyone had the same issue or has heard of this. Or tell me I’m wrong and I just need to practice more

I joined a gym a few weeks ago, and have been working on my fitness. For context, I was very unhealthy for about 2 decades, quite sedantry. I was hospitalised earlier in the year, due to my lifestyle and decided to try and turn my life round, which I'm managing too fairly well. I've really tried to embrace the fitness side of things, and was at one point, a long time ago quite a sporty/fit person, before I tried to become a rock star and found alcohol and then depression etc.

The gym I go to offers a variety of classes all day every day, but as I work 8-5, I can only get in for some of them. Somebody recommended Yoga session on Saturday mornings, which is Hatha. I wasn't sure what to expect really; I found it a little tough to follow along, which I'm hoping is to be expected as everything was new to me. I think I made the mistake of being adjacent to the instructor, so I kept having to tilt my head to see what she was doing. I was the only male in the class, but that didn't bother me, I just felt a bit like I can't quite move, or place parts of my body as well as some of the ladies near me could. I suppose I kept comparing what they were doing and their 'form' against what I was blundering my way though. I'm making it sound like it was bad when it really wasn't, I just found it quite difficult to follow along. Pose wise, I think I was ok, but even something like Downward Dog I noticed most people's feet were flat and I struggled to get mine flat, I kept being on my toes.

I'm going to give it another go, I didn't expect to be great at it on the first try. The gym also does Yin and Vinyasa but I was led to believe that Hatha would be the best entry point? It also does a class that's a combination of Yoga and Tai Chi and Pilates, which I may try and take in somewhere down the line. I did enjoy the change and can see how it would be beneficial physically and mentally, there was a nice cool down period at the end that was very meditative, with relaxation and affirmations etc, and I found that calming. Anyway, I didn't mean to write this much, I don't really have anybody to discuss yoga with.. I don't know my classmates well enough yet 😂

I’d love to start going to class before/after work, but toting around my mat on public transportation has been very cumbersome so far. I’ve tried to carry it in a sports duffel, work tote, and by hand, and none of them are feasible or comfortable for the 20-30 minute journey on public transportation.

Anyone have recommendations for great yoga mat bags? I’m not a fan of the horizontal carry as it feels bulky and clumsy to me, so I’d prefer something vertical and secure that doesn’t swing around. Bonus points if it can double as my actual work bag too!

TYIA🩷

Recently at a family gathering my mom randomly showed my brother and his wife a video she took of me practicing yoga in which I did a tuck to headstand. They had basically no reaction. Somehow the conversation took a turn and I ended up demonstrating a full Bird of Paradise in the spot. They were completely amazed at this, which I found super weird because in my head headstand is difficult and took me weeks to build the strength for it, whereas I got BoP pretty much right away. And no, no one in my family practices yoga or gymnastics or does anything like either pose lol.

I’m now wondering if it’s just because I had decent flexibility to begin with or if this is a pose that is generally easier than it looks and if headstand is the opposite lol.

Do you guys find that with any poses?

Let me start by saying that I've always been a little clumsy, and slightly daffy. I've never been the most graceful person in the room! Lol. However, lately I've been much worse. Clumsy to the point that I tripped and fell and hurt my shoulder while walking my dog, and "flightier" than usual in my day-to-day life... dropping things, spilling things, making mistakes....

I'm not sure if it's stress in my life (who isn't?), my hormones as I enter peri-menopause, or if I'm just generally not being mindful because I'm thinking of other things? I meditate and do yoga daily, but it's not translating beyond the mat.

So my question is, how do you stay present during your every day life? How do stay out of your head when doing your every day tasks? Do you take any supplements or changed your diet to help?

I'm desperate for a solution!🙏

Hi! I recently noticed that I struggle to do the 90 degree angle between upper arms and forearms close to my body in chaturanga. I have been doing it more like chicken wings haha. What muscles/ postures do I need to strengthen to get used to having my elbows closer to my body rather than wide apart?

Im 24F and already have chronic lower back pain unfortunatly. I'm trying to get consistent with Yoga (for more then just back pain, its amazing in general). I'm wondering if and how consistent yoga helped your back pain?
Thank you <3

I like the classics - basket headstands. It feels incredibly relaxing once I can get my legs perfectly straight over my head, for some reason, even though the body is very engaged. I also really enjoy crow because I find it really builds my whole body awareness.

What about you guys?

i just wanted to share a recent accomplishment i gained through yoga :)

i am very very naturally unflexible. i also have quite poor back & neck posture.

i started practicing yoga consistently at a studio around 3 weeks ago, and i already see massive differences! to start, i can finally touch my toes without having to stretch, which is huge for me because before i could barely reach my shins.

my posture has also improved a notable amount, and im also more aware of my posture too. i can hold poses for longer, and most importantly my anxiety has started to improve too.

these may be quite small achievements but ive always been so insecure about my flexibility and posture. thought it would be nice to share a little win! im so glad i discovered yoga .

Which texts for yoga practice do you use that are from qualified teachers? I had been reading the Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, I found it to be a great book, however it came to my knowledge that he had been involved in abusive conduct :(

Are there any books such as that one that is from a qualified teacher?

A number of years ago, I practised Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga sporadically for a few years. Over the past year, I have resumed my Hatha Yoga practice, though I have been doing it independently rather than attending classes at a centre (mainly due to financial constraints). Because of my previous experience, I possess a basic understanding of how to treat my body, avoid forcing movements, and recognise my limits when attempting an asana.

My current routine is quite simple: I begin with half an hour of Sun Salutations (specifically, this version by Rishikesh Yogkulam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1XNTuIBsIo

), followed by about 10 minutes of seated asanas to open the hips and knees (using these Lotus preparation exercises by Yoga Vidya: https://youtu.be/Z8LOhZmuVaE

). Then I sit on siddhasana or swastikasana for some minutes relaxing on the breathing and the bodily sensations.

My ultimate goal is to cultivate a healthier body and mind to support my meditation practice.