Starting Yoga Online
It may not be immediately apparent but the word ‘Yoga’ means such a wide variety of things depending on the person you are speaking with. It seems these days that everyone has their own idea of what yoga is, whether they are a person who practices daily, one who has practiced here and there, or someone who has never rolled out a yoga mat.
We are all creatures of imagination, perspective, judgment and opinions - in a way this is part of the biological safety mechanism of the primal parts of our nervous system. Parts of this system are constantly making quick judgments to keep us safe and moving forward. Without awareness it is easy to live a life listening, and even obeying these constructed 'safety beliefs' without ever considering where they came from, or how true they actually are.
With that said, you might recognise how it can become easy to feel aversion, intimidation or fear around attending a yoga class in person. These 'safety beliefs' may even hinder our openness to learn how the practices may be able to support us.
When navigating our own nervous system responses and beginning the journey toward greater awareness, the best way to approach it seems to be by taking small, incremental steps towards something that may appear unreachable, intimidating, uninviting or even a little scary. The mere act of slowing down gives our nervous system the chance to find balance and eventually go beyond these sometimes conditioned 'safety beliefs'
Depending on how we have perceived yoga, starting a personal practice online can be an incredibly safe and empowered way to introduce ourselves. This may also keep a sense of safety for our nervous system as we may be shifting and changing our previously held beliefs.
Through the transformational practices of yoga, (especially when we choose to move at a pace that allows time and space needed for our body, mind and nervous system), we may experience an awakening effect - a sense of embodiment. We may then find ourselves at a point in which we sense there could be deeper layers to the practice of yoga, and another way to learn and discover more.
This is where coming to a dedicated place, (like a yoga studio) can be incredibly beneficial. Once our body has grounded in some of the practices, our nervous system has more space, and those potential 'safety beliefs' have had time to shift into clearer beliefs that bolster and support the idea of practicing yoga and the incredible benefits it may have. A dedicated yoga space can allow for a deeper experience of self learning, a deeper experience of safety within a community and the opportunity to grow alongside others as we widen our capacity to be a fully embodied free human.
Our experiences of life are fluid, we adapt and change as our nervous system finds safety and widens its capacity to experience different things in life. Sometimes we can become so attached to our limited perceptions, or ‘safety beliefs’, that we do not allow ourselves the space to change and mold into the person we truly wish to be, and know we are. Understanding ourselves and what feels truly safe in our body is essential to experiencing the pure joy of being internally free.
Knowing thyself is probably the most profound advice one needs, and the practices of yoga provide an embodied approach to that self-knowledge.