Yoga for Beginners

As yogis and yoga teachers, we know that Yoga is for everybody. If you have a body, you can practice yoga! We also know that yoga is not just about the physical movements and that physical movement is just one piece to the self study puzzle. Not everyone is aware of the compassionate and loving undertone of the sacred practice of yoga. That said, yoga for beginners can be intimidating; specifically, the idea of joining a public yoga class with other yogis can be a bit scary. Feeling as though you don’t know what you are doing or that you can’t keep up can deter beginners from ever beginning at all. People might fear being judged or fear the feeling that they don’t belong. A beautiful way to begin to practice yoga is from the safety of one’s own home!

There are many ways to access yoga via the internet. Live stream and on-demand yoga classes became very popular at the beginning of 2020 and have blomosed even more ever since. There are many options for online yoga classes and My Vinyasa Practice has a beautiful online platform that is user friendly and affordable. True to their essential values, My Vinyasa Practice offers affordable, accessible, and authentic yoga online and in person. If you are looking to find yoga for beginners, you can find live classes with amazing teachers who are passionate about sharing the practice of yoga with all. You can also find pre-recorded, on-demand classes for any time of the day. From five minute meditations intended to get practitioners embodied to full length, 60-minute vinyasa, restorative, yin and many more types of yoga classes, My Vinyasa Practice’s online platform is the perfect place for you!

My Vinyasa Practice also offers online yoga courses! Micaela Powell, Lead Trainer, Yoga Teacher, and Peer Support for MVP’s online yoga teacher training, created an author course that helps yogis who may looking for yoga for beginners feel comfortable stepping onto their mat. Micaela’s Intro to Yoga course offers information on the history of yoga, the spiritual and philosophical sides of yoga, as well as common beginner yoga poses, all-level classes and sequences, and prompts to guide the practitioner through self-study. These tools will allow the student to step into any general public studio class and feel comfortable moving through the sequence without feeling too lost or overwhelmed. It also sets the student up for success with their at-home practice by offering tips on getting started and teaching them short vinyasa yoga sequences that can be utilized on their own. This course is great for anyone who is uncertain about committing to a full 200-hour online yoga teacher training.

If you are looking to begin exploring yoga for beginners on your own in the comfort of your home, below is a sequence that is all-levels friendly and a great place to start exploring. All you need is your body, comfortable clothes, and some space to practice. 

Begin in table-top position, or on hands and knees, with your wrists stacked under your shoulders and knees under your hips. 

1. Cat/Cow
   1. Inhale for cow, drop the belly and arch the spine as you look up
   2. Exhale for cat, round the spine as you tuck the tail and bring chin to chest
   3. Repeat as many times as you’d like, adding in organic movement as it feels nice
2. Low Lunge
   1. Bring one foot forward between your palms and use an inhale to lift the arms and torso up
   2. Press into the top of the back foot and squeeze the inner thighs together
   3. Replant the palms as you’re ready and bring the knee back under the hip
3. Low Lunge, second side
   1. Bring the other foot forward between your palms and use an inhale to lift the arms and torso up
   2. Press into the top of the back foot and squeeze the inner thighs together
   3. Replant the palms as you’re ready and bring the knee back under the hip
4. Child’s Pose
   1. Take the knees a bit wider than your hips, bigs toes might touch
   2. Exhale to sit your hips back to your heels as you extend your arms forward towards the top of the mat and melt your chest and forehead down.
   3. Hold for 10 rounds of breath

You can repeat this sequence or begin to add on if you are feeling comfortable exploring new movements! You can also end this sequence with a traditional savasana, coming to lie on your back with legs and arms relaxed to rest with the eyes closed for a few minutes. Savasana is one of the most important parts of an asana class, creating time and space for integration of the work that is done mentally, physically, and emotionally throughout the practice. Again, if you are interested in yoga for beginners or if you’re looking for a compassionate guide back to your mat, check out My Vinyasa Practice Author Courses, Intro to Yoga, and online live-stream and on-demand classes. Happy Practicing!