Namaste, yogis!

Interested in yoga? You should give yoga a shot. Seriously, it’s changed my life. Ever since I started practicing yoga in the beginning of 2012, I’ve fallen in love with it and cannot get enough of it. Not only have I improved my strength and flexibility, it’s become a positive attribute. Yoga is magnificent because it releases stress and keeps me motivated in all aspects of my life. I urge you all to give it a shot in a classroom setting. Trust me; it’s so much better than doing an instructional video.

One of my favorite places to take yoga is at Totally HIP Fitness in Brownsburg. For beginners, I highly recommend taking Jessica’s classes. She’s very laid-back, friendly, and extremely helpful. Her classes are taught in a dim room, where she plays calming music and walks everyone through poses step-by-step. She guides you through sun salutations, beginner balance poses, and various stretches. If you ever feel you’re not doing a pose correctly, just raise your hand and she’ll be by your side to push you further and position your body appropriately. And yes, even she falls sometimes in balance poses. But instead of shaming herself, she dusts herself off, laughs, and gets back into position. You’ll feel so comfortable in her presence and have a lot of fun. Guaranteed!

Also, I love Peace Through Yoga in Zionsville. There is also a location at Eagle Creek, but unless you want to pay for admittance into the park, I suggest making a trip to the Zionsville location. My good friend, Laura Fiddler, instructs on Sunday nights for beginner to intermediate yogis. Let me tell you—she is awesome. Most of her classes are heated, which I personally love, because there’s nothing more satisfying than challenging yourself and leaving class dripping with sweat. Sorry for the nasty details, but who doesn’t love validation that you kicked butt? Anyways, back to PTY and Laura, give them a shot after you’ve practiced yoga for a while. Also, Laura has a yoga blog where she shows beginners how to excel on various poses step-by-step in the privacy of your home. Check out www.yogabylaura.blogspot.com for more information!

At the beginning, I was rather intimidated going into this practice; I felt everyone in the room could smell I was a newbie. While everyone was mastering their headstands, I was just glad I could nail the dolphin pose. However, I learned after a few trips to class, that nobody is wondering where the heck I am came from, or why I can’t master my chaturanga, which I still haven’t fully grasped. Everyone is in their own world and focusing on their practice, NOT judging others. The only person who can judge you is you. Don’t ever judge yourself. They call ‘yoga’ a practice for a reason: practice makes perfect. Don’t worry so much about what the person next to you is doing—concentrate on how you’re bettering your mind, body, and spirit and go with the flow. Challenge yourself, but don’t be so harsh on yourself. Most importantly, have fun!