(And this is the first time I've resurrected this infamous blog in a long time....so this is pretty damn special)
As most of you are well aware, I participated in a 31 day yoga challenge on instagram. It was a challenge presented by a yoga girl who lives in West Palm Beach, FL and her username is BeachYogaGirl. I decided to participate in the challenge because I thought it would be fun and amusing and would also promote the ancient art and practice of yoga.
During the 31 days, I posted a photo a day of whatever the "pose of the day" was. BeachYogaGirl would post a picture/video on instagram of the next day's challenge. The rules I used for myself were that I would not change my environment or outfit in order to post a pose of the day pic. I wanted it to be as authentic as possible which would also allow you to see a little glimpse into my everyday life--where I go, what I do, who I'm with, etc. This means that I did not plan out my pose of the day nor my outfits nor where the picture would be taken. The only pose I did change my clothes for was the day we did splits (hanumasana). I had on jeans and I changed into black yoga pants--no explanation needed there, I think. Other than that, I was pretty true to my personal rules for this challenge.
I received a lot of feedback from all of you. Way more than I expected. I received lots of sweet comments and personal messages from people telling me how much they were enjoying this challenge of mine and asking a lot of questions regarding my yoga practice. Some of you weren't even aware that I practiced yoga--and some of you mistook the pose of the day to mean that I was practicing every single day.
So here is a little history of my yoga story. You can also read a very informative and long blog I wrote about my yoga practice in 2011 here.
When:
I started practicing yoga when I was 19 years old. I originally started taking classes at our local gym in Meridian, MS. I then went to college in Jackson, MS and studied with Scotta Brady at Butterfly Yoga. I moved back to Meridian after college and started practicing and teaching for Theresa Luke who owns Thrive MS (which used to be Laughing Llama and then Maitri Wellness). I practiced at various studios around the country and when I moved back to Jackson in 2009, I started practicing regularly at Butterfly Yoga--which is where I currently practice today.
Who:
I have had the privilege of practicing with a lot of amazing teachers over the years. However, the ones who have had the most influence over me have been Scotta Brady (my current teacher) and Theresa Luke. I have also studied under and with: Tara Blumenthal, Desiree Rumbaugh, Sean Johnson, Jordan Bloom, Noah Maze, John Friend, Michelle Baker, Jennifer Richard, Andrea Boyd, Alicia Willemet--and I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting. I am truly thankful for each one of these teachers and what they have taught me.
I have had the privilege of practicing with a lot of amazing teachers over the years. However, the ones who have had the most influence over me have been Scotta Brady (my current teacher) and Theresa Luke. I have also studied under and with: Tara Blumenthal, Desiree Rumbaugh, Sean Johnson, Jordan Bloom, Noah Maze, John Friend, Michelle Baker, Jennifer Richard, Andrea Boyd, Alicia Willemet--and I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting. I am truly thankful for each one of these teachers and what they have taught me.
Where:
I currently practice at Butterfly Yoga in Jackson, MS. You can find me in class almost every Monday night at 5:30pm and Thursday night at 6pm. I highly encourage you to attend a class if you haven't yet. There are also a few other yoga studios in the Jackson area who have wonderful teachers and I encourage you to check those out as well.
I currently practice at Butterfly Yoga in Jackson, MS. You can find me in class almost every Monday night at 5:30pm and Thursday night at 6pm. I highly encourage you to attend a class if you haven't yet. There are also a few other yoga studios in the Jackson area who have wonderful teachers and I encourage you to check those out as well.
Why:
This could be a really long answer but I'll try and make it short. I started practicing at 19 years old because I was curious and wanted to do something other than long-distance running. I took ballet lessons from the time I was 5-16 years old and I wanted to incorporate some type of movement-based form of exercise back into my life. I also have always been drawn to eastern philosophy and have always felt a deep connection with Buddhism and Hinduism. To read a full in-depth reason of why I study yoga, please click here.
This could be a really long answer but I'll try and make it short. I started practicing at 19 years old because I was curious and wanted to do something other than long-distance running. I took ballet lessons from the time I was 5-16 years old and I wanted to incorporate some type of movement-based form of exercise back into my life. I also have always been drawn to eastern philosophy and have always felt a deep connection with Buddhism and Hinduism. To read a full in-depth reason of why I study yoga, please click here.
How:
Yes, yoga classes can be expensive. But if you aren't members of a gym or do any other type of paid-exercise, it's totally worth it. If you know you can get to more than 2 classes a week, then I would recommend buying a monthly pass to a studio. It's worth it and it will (usually) encourage you to go more regularly. Drop-in classes are usually $15-20 depending on the studio with class packages ranging from $35-100. Again, don't use money as an excuse not to take yoga classes. Everything is based on your perception so if you perceive money as a barrier to studying yoga, then change your perspective;)
Yes, yoga classes can be expensive. But if you aren't members of a gym or do any other type of paid-exercise, it's totally worth it. If you know you can get to more than 2 classes a week, then I would recommend buying a monthly pass to a studio. It's worth it and it will (usually) encourage you to go more regularly. Drop-in classes are usually $15-20 depending on the studio with class packages ranging from $35-100. Again, don't use money as an excuse not to take yoga classes. Everything is based on your perception so if you perceive money as a barrier to studying yoga, then change your perspective;)
What type of yoga:
There are so many different styles of yoga today that it's difficult to know what type you might like (unless you live in a town that has limited studios and types). The most common around these parts is Vinyasa (meaning "Flow" which is also synonymous with Power Yoga) or Hatha (which is a generic term that has come to mean a more gentle type of yoga that focuses on holding each posture for a longer period of time).
There are so many different styles of yoga today that it's difficult to know what type you might like (unless you live in a town that has limited studios and types). The most common around these parts is Vinyasa (meaning "Flow" which is also synonymous with Power Yoga) or Hatha (which is a generic term that has come to mean a more gentle type of yoga that focuses on holding each posture for a longer period of time).
I started off practicing Ashtanga, fell in love with Jivamukti, and then primarily practiced Anusara until about 2 years ago when the whole John Friend yoga scandal emerged. Today I would say that I practice an alignment based vinyasa style.
1) You DON'T have to be flexible to practice yoga. If I had a penny for every time someone said to me, "I would love to practice yoga but I'm not flexible" I would be rich (well, not really but rich in pennies). One of the many benefits of yoga is to become more flexible--but it is NOT the point of yoga.
2) You DON'T have to be into Buddhism or Hinduism to practice. You can totally incorporate yoga into whatever religion or spiritual practice you currently have--or if you don't have one at all, even better!
3) You DON'T have to wear Lululemon clothing or have an expensive mat. You can wear whatever you feel most comfortable in-- whether it's sweat pants, shorts, or your pjs. No one cares what you're wearing--except you;)
4) Everyone has experienced their first class. It's okay that you don't know what you're doing. It's okay that you haven't done it before. It's okay that you feel awkward and weird and are constantly wondering if you're doing down-dog correctly. The most important thing about yoga is just to show up and get on your mat--to get out of your head and into your body. I promise you it's okay to feel like you don't know what you're doing.
5) People fart in yoga. It's OKAY. I do it fairly regularly. No one really cares except YOU and possibly the person sitting in front of behind you;)
6) Just do it. I have so many people tell me, "I've always wanted to practice yoga but never really gotten around to it" so much that I now just nod my head and smile. If you really want to practice then do it, if not, quit telling me you want to practice because subconsciously you know I practice and you feel like it's the right thing to say. It's okay if you don't like yoga. It's okay if you don't ever want to take the first class. It needs to be a personal conviction and yearning--not something that you feel obligated to do because the rest of America is doing it.
And lastly...
the poses aren't the point of yoga. Yes, you do get the added benefit of watching your body change and as you become more aware of yourself and make that connection between your mind and your body things become different but I don't practice yoga in order to contort my body into various shapes. Everyone has different reasons for practicing yoga--and I'm not saying yours can't be to transform your body into a "yoga body" but that isn't the reason I personally practice. And anyone who stays with anything longer than a few months knows what I'm talking about. Yoga is a wonderful pathway on an adventure with yourself that is sometimes difficult to achieve with other forms of "exercise". My reasons for practicing and continuing to practice have changed a lot over the years. Yours may too. And that's A-Ok!
I enjoyed my little 31 day challenge and from the looks and sounds of what I've read, you have too. And that makes my little heart very happy.
Thank you for your kind, encouraging, and thoughtful words and comments. It truly made the days and month much more meaningful and special.
If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Thanks for playing along with me and HAPPY JUNE!!!!!
As Always,
Jennifer
Common Misconceptions about Yoga:
1) You DON'T have to be flexible to practice yoga. If I had a penny for every time someone said to me, "I would love to practice yoga but I'm not flexible" I would be rich (well, not really but rich in pennies). One of the many benefits of yoga is to become more flexible--but it is NOT the point of yoga.
2) You DON'T have to be into Buddhism or Hinduism to practice. You can totally incorporate yoga into whatever religion or spiritual practice you currently have--or if you don't have one at all, even better!
3) You DON'T have to wear Lululemon clothing or have an expensive mat. You can wear whatever you feel most comfortable in-- whether it's sweat pants, shorts, or your pjs. No one cares what you're wearing--except you;)
4) Everyone has experienced their first class. It's okay that you don't know what you're doing. It's okay that you haven't done it before. It's okay that you feel awkward and weird and are constantly wondering if you're doing down-dog correctly. The most important thing about yoga is just to show up and get on your mat--to get out of your head and into your body. I promise you it's okay to feel like you don't know what you're doing.
5) People fart in yoga. It's OKAY. I do it fairly regularly. No one really cares except YOU and possibly the person sitting in front of behind you;)
6) Just do it. I have so many people tell me, "I've always wanted to practice yoga but never really gotten around to it" so much that I now just nod my head and smile. If you really want to practice then do it, if not, quit telling me you want to practice because subconsciously you know I practice and you feel like it's the right thing to say. It's okay if you don't like yoga. It's okay if you don't ever want to take the first class. It needs to be a personal conviction and yearning--not something that you feel obligated to do because the rest of America is doing it.
And lastly...
the poses aren't the point of yoga. Yes, you do get the added benefit of watching your body change and as you become more aware of yourself and make that connection between your mind and your body things become different but I don't practice yoga in order to contort my body into various shapes. Everyone has different reasons for practicing yoga--and I'm not saying yours can't be to transform your body into a "yoga body" but that isn't the reason I personally practice. And anyone who stays with anything longer than a few months knows what I'm talking about. Yoga is a wonderful pathway on an adventure with yourself that is sometimes difficult to achieve with other forms of "exercise". My reasons for practicing and continuing to practice have changed a lot over the years. Yours may too. And that's A-Ok!
I enjoyed my little 31 day challenge and from the looks and sounds of what I've read, you have too. And that makes my little heart very happy.
Thank you for your kind, encouraging, and thoughtful words and comments. It truly made the days and month much more meaningful and special.
If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Thanks for playing along with me and HAPPY JUNE!!!!!
As Always,
Jennifer
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