Get the Biggest Yoga Bang for your Buck

In attending a yoga class, you are dedicating a portion of your day to a mindful practice of peace for yourself... and for others.  What is good for the goose, is good for the gander.

Yoga is a practice of connections, bringing awareness within ourselves of the patchwork of interwoveness between our thoughts, emotions, body and spirit; it also brings awareness to the interwoven connection between ourselves and other beings (both animate and inanimate) in the world.

In practicing awareness of the micro and macro connections in our lives, yoga also aims to establish a practice of peace.  The more peace we cultivate for ourselves when mindfully dedicating time to yoga, the more we practice peace towards others.

In order to get the biggest peace bang for your yoga class buck, patiently set your intention to being more genuine and integral in your commitment to your practice.

Here is a list of ways to further empower your experience from your dedicated yoga time:

*If driving to your class, aim to park your car at least 30 mins before the class is scheduled to start, and park at least 4 blocks away (as such dress for the weather).  Having a short walk before the class helps to encourage good circulation of blood, breath and lymph, in preparation of your class.  Aiming to park early also allows you to feel unrushed, allowing for adequate time to walk to class, breathe on the way and get set up properly before your class begins.

*Be aware of your breathing as you walk to your class.  Breath is at the very core of a yoga practice, engaging in breath awareness before the class even starts will help you establish a yogic frame of mind.  Follow your breath in and out.  Resist the urge to change it.  Allow yourself to simply be aware of whether you are breathing short, rapid breaths, or long, forced breaths, or easy, relaxed breaths.  Breathe.

*Set an intention for the class.  Do you need to practice working harder, or accepting where you are today?  Do you need to practice patience with yourself?  Loving kindness to your body and mind?  Do you need to be quiet, to speak your mind, or make connections with other students?  Knowing what you are going to the class for, ahead of time, will help you to set an intention and attempt discipline in regards to honoring it.  Yoga can also be a practice of discipline and continence for effective use of energy.  Having a goal set before you arrive, helps you to cultivate discipline through out the class.

*Establish a healthy pre-class pattern.  Much of our human experiences are based on neurophysiological patterns (aka habits, or in yogic terms samskaras).  Some of these habits lead to ill-health, some of these habits (like drinking water regularly, having a rhythmic sleeping routine, as well as breathing evenly) lead to well-being.  Sometimes the act of simply stepping onto your mat is enough to switch you into yoga mode.  h However, a simple pre-class pattern can help you establish a well-trod path, or neuropathway, for your journey to bliss and enlightenment.  A suggested pre-class pattern could be: get your mat and any props you need, find your spot in the room, roll out mat, establish yourself in either supported supta baddha konasana (reclined bound angle pose) or supported supta virasana (reclined hero pose), close your eyes, focus on your breath and on being present in your body.  Once the teacher enters the class or greets everyone, come out of the posture (gently and mindfully, no rushing), extend yourself briefly into adho virasana (forward extending hero pose) or child's pose.  Come to sitting, perhaps in sukhasana (content pose), and hopefully your yoga mode is well switched on!

Namaste,
Jenelle