What should I bring to my first class?
 | | Wear comfortable clean exercise clothes. Form fitting clothes tend to be more comfortable and less | | | distracting than loose clothes. Either shorts or long pants are appropriate. Yoga is practiced barefoot. If
you have long hair you’ll probably be more comfortable with it tied back away from the face. Remove
watches and jewelry.
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| | Bring a towel.
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| | Bring a yoga mat. If you don’t have a mat you are welcome to use a studio mat.
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| | Come well hydrated. You can bring bottled water to drink before or after practice. Please refrain from | | | drinking during practice to avoid distractions and prevent the body temperature from cooling down, thus
quenching the fire (tapas) we are trying to build. Be sure to drink plenty water for several hours after
practice.
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| | Yoga is best practiced on an empty stomach. Refrain from eating anything but a light snack for at least 2 | | | hours prior to practice. Avoid coffee for a couple hours prior to practice.
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| | Please arrive at the studio 5-10 minutes prior to class start time. This will give you time to set up your mat, | | | arrange your props, and relax.
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| | ALWAYS TURN OFF YOUR CELLPHONE, or just leave it in the car. There is nothing more disturbing to the | | | class and embarrassing to hear your ring tone during Savasana.
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| | During class there should be no conversation among students. This is important to maintain the | | | concentration of everyone in the class.
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What should I expect from my first class?
Approach your first few classes with ease. Don’t try to do everything, especially if the instructor specifically
asks you to leave out a posture or to repeat the previous posture. This is not punishment, rather caring
advice intended to minimize injury. An experienced teacher can assess your range of motion and skill level
within the first few moments of class. If you feel fatigued during class, take a short break in Child’s pose,
and resume practice when you feel ready.
You may be tempted to look around you during class to see what the other students are doing. This is
acceptable – in moderation. In general, the teacher should be providing enough verbal queues for you to
follow. If you are struggling, the teacher will likely come to your assistance. You will likely receive only a
small number of adjustments per class. This is not because the teacher wishes to ignore you, but rather,
because progress comes gradually, and there is only so much new information a student can absorb in one
class. An experienced teacher will likely provide rudimentary feedback at first. This will give you the basic
outline of the posture and ensure that you do not injure yourself. As your experience grows and ability
improves, you will receive progressively more subtle adjustments. Trust the teacher to give you the amount
of instruction that is appropriate for you at your level. Having said this, most teachers appreciate your
proper feedback. If you feel any pain or discomfort during an adjustment always speak up immediately.
Other feedback or questions are welcome after class.
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Does Yoga practice conflict with my religious beliefs?
It shouldn’t. Yoga is a spiritual practice but it is not religion specific. The main purpose of yoga is to
strengthen the body and calm the mind in preparation for a spiritual experience – with your God and
following in accordance with your beliefs and customs. Having said this, Yoga is an ancient Indian tradition,
and consequently, it has links to other Indian traditions like Hinduism and Buddhism. Out of respect for
yogic tradition, we maintain the Sanskrit terminology and yoga customs. The beauty & power of yoga is its
universal appeal.
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Could certain medical conditions interfere with yoga practice?
Some postures or yoga practices are not appropriate for certain medical conditions. For example,
| | Inversions are not recommended for individuals with Glaucoma, high blood pressure or detached retina
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| | Individuals with severe osteoporosis are cautioned to approach bending and twisting carefully.
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| | Some postures can aggravate migraines.
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| | Individuals with injuries should be cautious not to aggravate such injuries.
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| | Women are advised to rest during the heavy flow days of their menstrual period.
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| | Consult your physician first if you are pregnant.
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| | If you have a serious condition affecting major organs or a serious illness or injury,always consult your | | | physician.
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Why should I consider practicing Yoga?
| | Practice and All is Coming - Regular yoga practice will change your body, mind, and your life. Yoga develops | | | discipline, which carries over to other facets of life. Patience and non-attachment are the keys to success
and fulfillment.
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| | A complete physical exercise routine - yoga practice tones and strengthens the body, improves flexibility, | | | balance, and coordination. Ashtanga practice particularly emphasizes strengthening the upper body –
abdomen, shoulders, and arms. Vinyasa practice provides excellent aerobic exercise.
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| | A low cost alternative to costly medical care - Yoga is not a cure to serious illness. For this, western | | | medicine is the most appropriate course of treatment. However, Yoga combined with a healthy lifestyle is
the perfect preventative care, and is appropriate for the treatment of many chronic diseases such as
obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety & depression, addiction, and insomnia. It is a complete
physical practice addressing the skeletal, respiratory, circulatory, digestive, nervous, and endocrine
systems. It tones muscles but also internal organs. Yoga can be a healthier alternative to pharmaceuticals,
but ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR before altering your treatment regiment.
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| | Lose unwanted weight - Yoga helps you get rid of unwanted body fat in 4 ways. First, you are burning | | | more calories while you practice. Second, yoga practice raises your resting metabolic rate, so you burn
more calories even while you aren’t practicing. Third, yoga increases your awareness of hunger and
satiation levels, and why/when/what you are eating. Fourth, Ashtanga practice reduces stress and
tension; many of us overeat as a reaction to stress.
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| | A social experience - As your yoga practice gradually takes on a prominent role in your life, you will develop | | | a longing to be around people that share your passion and interests, and are interested in exchanging
ideas.
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| | Something special to share with family & friends - Wouldn’t it be nice to have an activity that you share with | | | your spouse, mother, daughter, or friend?
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| | There is nothing to buy, just show up and practice - In spite of the recent commercialization of yoga | | | (perhaps a tribute to its success), there is really nothing to buy, except for a rubber mat. Progress in
yoga comes simply through mindful repetition of the practice – not by spending money on gadgets. It’s a
different way of thinking. You might find that it affects your spending habits in other areas as well.
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| | The practice is yours to keep - We will teach you the asana technique, body alignment, breathing | | | techniques, sequences of postures – everything you need to build your own practice. While we’d love for
you to keep coming to classes, our goal is to make you independent of the school, so you can do your
practice anytime and virtually anywhere.
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| | An ancient tradition universal in its appeal & reach - Share in a tradition and way of life that is not only | | | thousands of years old, but also practiced throughout the world. Take your yoga mat on your travels – you
are virtually guaranteed to find a yoga school at your destination. Enjoy the wide range of yoga styles,
the rich philosophy, and the many wonderful people you will meet on this journey.
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| | We promise to challenge you - Whether you are a long distance runner, professional dancer, a martial | | | artist, long time yoga practitioner, or a couch potato – we will complement your current skills, and provide
you will a challenging yoga program. Once you master one version of a posture, we’ll show you a more
advanced one; If you’ve mastered a series, we’ll show you the next one.
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