5 Things I Learned During My First Month of Yoga

I’ve started my yoga journey and I’m learning so much! Check out these 5 things that I learned within my first month of practice.

1. Focus on your breathing.

Remember when I told you guys that I started my yoga journey and I shared details about how I was bored and unmoved the first time I ever tried yoga? Well, I’m realizing that a lot of what I thought wasn’t challenging was a result of me not being focused on my breathing and setting an intention for my movement.

If I had to choose one of my biggest learnings from yoga classes and my at-home practice, it’s that breathing is key becasue it sustains your every move. When I’m holding a plank and my arms start shaking like crazy and I want to give up, I draw my mind in and focus on my breathing. It’s amazing how something as simple as a deep breath can give you a second wind (No, pun intended.) and push you further than you’ve ever imagined.

2. It’s all about your core.

If you want to strengthen your core, yoga is the way to do it! Every move is centered around your core strength and the stronger your core, the easier things become. Core is king in yoga.

One way that I’ve learned to connect to my cor is by always attempting to leangthen through my tail bone in standing postures. Some describe it as a pelvic tilt, but I prefer to all it legthening through my tail bone becasue when I combine this with lengthening through the crown of my head, my alignment improves and my core immeditely goes to work.

3. Don’t be afraid to modify.

One of the first things that I learned in yoga was there’s a modification for everything (Thank God!). Just because you do a different variation of a move, it doesn’t mean you’re weaker or less capable than others. Our bodies are all made differently and through patience and perseverance you’ll start to notice that some moves that were once difficult come to you more easily.

On the other end of the spectrum there will be some poses that you’re able to do at an advanced level immediately. It all depends on your body type, strength level and mindset. Just remember modifications are OK and they actually help you get stronger and better.

Some of my favorite yoga props for modifications are yoga blocks, a yoga strap, and a blanket.

4. You’ll have to learn Sanskrit AKA yogi-speak.

The first time I attended a yoga class I found myself thoroughly confused with some of terms that were used when describing different types of flows and poses. That’s becasue my teachers were using Sanskrit to cue us. Sanskrits is known as the original language of yoga. It is the ancient language that the first yogis spoke and that most yoga texts were written in.

I like to call this yogi-speak. Yogi-speak takes some getting used to. When I do a handstand, I call it a handstand, but in yogi-speak it’s actually called Adho Mukha Vrksasana. I’m still learning the ways to pronounce different things and to actually know what the heck the teacher’s talking about when they speak about different postures and poses in yogi-speak. Just stick with it and you’ll start to notice yourself slowly but surely becoming more comfortable with Sanskrit! I’m not there yet, but the more I study and learn, the more comfortable I find myself becoming.

One of my favorite books for learning all about asana (poses) and flows, chakras, breathing and of course Sanskrit is the Yoga Toolbox for Teachers and Students (3rd Edition).

5 . Always take time to get on the mat.

I’ve always wondered why people said they practiced yoga. When I think of something that you practice, it’s deeper than just doing it for fun. You’re doing it to get better and to eolve and grow. I

Sometimes I don’t want to step on the mat after a long day of work. I just want to lounge on the couch and cuddle with my cat Desi, but I have goals. I want to get better at yoga. I want to be stronger than I’ve ever been and do things that I never thought that I could, so I remember that desire and I go for it. I never regret taking the time to set an intention and grow in mind, body and spirit.