First of all, I have some questions for you!
What are you looking for with your yoga practice?
Is it a physical practice to support your gym workouts, the opportunity to meditate, or a place to meet like-minded people? The reasons are as varied as there are people! And there is no right or wrong answer. 😊 It helps to know what you are seeking. And if you don’t know – that’s all good too! All I knew when I first started yoga in 2004/2005 at the QUT gym was that I was curious about this “yoga” and I felt good in class/after class. And that’s all there was to it.
Location Location Location
Where are you located? Did you know there are free classes in your local area?
Yes, if you search online and find the local gym, local studio and also the Brisbane City Council website, there are free classes around. Also, have a look at Event Brite for free yoga events for you to have a trial. I recommend going for at least 4 weeks to get a feel for yoga.
Also, have a look around your workplace or school because going to yoga there may be convenient.
Cost vs investment
The cost of yoga depends on where you go. You can sign up to yoga through your local gym or through a studio or find a teacher in your area. Gyms are great because you can have a workout and you have a suite of classes to choose from. Variety is the spice of life after all! Teachers in gyms are great and sometimes viewed as not delivering “real yoga” compared to studio yoga! I have taught in gyms before and attended yoga classes in gyms. All yoga teachers need to qualify to teach yoga and undergo at least 200 hours of yoga teacher training and assessment before teaching. Naturally there will be a difference between a teacher with 12 months of teaching experience compared with someone with 20 years of experience.
I also love yoga studios and have a membership at Soho Yoga in Brisbane where I have been going for about 3 years now. Prior to Soho Yoga I practiced at Yoga in Daily Life with Sadvhi Shivjyoti. The reason I switched from yoga in a gym setting to a studio was because I was getting hooked on yoga vibes! I wanted physical movement and also to still my busy mind. I also wanted all the yoga classes which I got through Soho Yoga – Vinyasa Flow, Early Morning Yoga, Yin Yoga and also beautiful events like Kirtans and Yoga Workshops on food, meditation and extended practice.
But it costs so much
And yes, there is definitely a price to pay for your yoga and gym memberships. I mentally struggled with this a few years ago because I wanted to spend money on partying, long lunches, booze, dying my hair, pedicures and manicures! But…recently I have swapped where I spend my money as I have started to see yoga and gym as a financial investment for my health rather than a cost. Plus, I needed to find money to be able to pay for my yoga courses and flights to complete yoga teacher training so I swapped my beauty money with yoga teacher training money…BTW no shade to anyone that dyes their hair and gets manicures and pedicures! I love nothing more than being spoilt myself, getting my hair and nails done and I am a big advocate for self-care, however that may look or feel. 😊
Find your teacher
Finding the right teacher for you is important. You won’t vibe with all the teachers you meet. And that’s OK. Keep looking until you find the right person. You will feel it.
Time
When will you go? Does an afternoon or morning or lunchtime class suit? Also, paying upfront helps to make a commitment so that you do go. It was when I committed to my practice that I began to see results. Not just physically, but more emotionally and mentally. I started going once a week and then twice a week and then three times a week! Then I started dong 6 week courses on meditation and chakra, then came retreats! So it can certainly snowball! Haha…I would recommend at least 1 x week over a month to start with and get a feel for practice.
Let go of ideas of what yoga is
Let go of images of the perfect yoga student, the perfect yoga this, the perfect yoga that. Sometimes this can stop people from attending yoga class – pre-conceived ideas. Yoga transcends religion, gender, income, education and flexibility level. Yoga is an incredible tool physically, mentally and emotionally to find peace within and to discover your strength. My teacher Bex Tyrer shared yoga in conflict areas in Palestine, it has helped me with depression and anxiety, yoga has helped athletes and surfers. So please let go of ideas that may be stopping you from practicing yoga. 😊
And all of the points listed above were key considerations that influenced where and when I learned and continue to learn about yoga.
With love, Roxy xo