LexiYoga

First Time Doing Yoga

Written by Diana Koch.

Naturally, I have always enjoyed high energy activities so I knew that yoga was going to pose a new set of challenges. I have heard so much about yoga and its benefits that I decided to purchase a video for beginners. I was unsure of what to expect but nonetheless excited to go home and try the different exercises.

first time yoga

My first mission was to find the perfect moment of peace and quiet at home. This was going to require a little planning so I waited until I put my daughter down for her nap. I had to improvise and use her soft cushion play mats as a yoga mat. I inserted the disc into the player and began my yoga experience with Backbends. The reason I chose this exercise was because I had been dealing with a sore back for the last couple of weeks.

The first thing I noticed about the video was that the instructor was on a breathtakingly beautiful beach. Since I have a love for the outdoors, this was appealing to me. The narrator's voice was very calm and soothing. The Backbends exercise was 10 minutes in length and I was able to complete it. But unfortunately, I was incapable of doing the Sun Salutations for the entire 20 minutes. I didn't take it hard on myself considering this was the first time that I was making an attempt to do something new.

I discovered that yoga is much more than just an exercise. It encompasses body, mind and spirit in an intricate balance. There were moments during the exercise when I found myself completely absorbed in what I was doing and in tune with myself. Regretfully, I could not maintain my composure for an extended period of time. I had a difficult time concentrating on the fluidity of the movements and I am assuming that yoga is all about focus. But when I did achieve the correct pose I experienced some bodily strain but I'm sure that this is pretty normal for a first timer with limited flexibility.

Besides the physical challenges I found it incredibly difficult to relax my mind. There was constant commotion in my brain. My thoughts would wander from my baby to whether I was practicing the poses correctly to what I was going to make for dinner that night. I realized that the mind is a powerful tool and that I am the only one that can take control of the chaos.

Personally speaking, I believe that the meditation aspect of yoga is perhaps the most demanding task. Once you begin to understand how to regulate this part, the rest will follow. Another reason for my inability to keep up was due to the terminology used to describe certain positions. I found myself trying to understand the meaning of some words and I would become distracted. This only led me further away from spiritual enlightenment.

My experience was pleasant and I would definitely give it another try. I learned that yoga requires great patience and an untapped energy source that I have yet to discover.

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