Being a newbie in a yoga class can be as intimidating as being a freshman in high school. Yogis are, of course, not as judgmental as high school students, but a few tips can make the difference between having a great experience and feeling like an insecure teenager.
Choosing a spot
In your first class, you probably don’t want to be the “enthu-cutlet” in the front row and you are not quite ready to be a backbencher. The middle of the classroom can feel very conspicuous, so I would suggest a middle point but along the wall. This allows you to see what the others are doing and to be close enough for the teacher to give you some personal attention. The strong stability of the wall is perfect for those moments when you feel you might loose your balance. It is also a great blind spot for those moments when you don’t want anyone to see you grimace with pain.
ADVERTISEMENT
Once you have got your spot, roll out your mat. It is very important to do this quietly. Yoga mats can make a surprisingly loud slap as they hit the floor and you risk the wrath of the “serious students” whom you have disturbed from deep meditation.
Place your towel and your water bottle close to the top edge of the mat. All other items (especially your mobile phone) should be kept outside the room, or in the corner designated for this.
Don’t try any of the exercises, breathing or chanting that the others are doing – simply lie down on your back and close your eyes. Relax your body and mind (avoid sleeping and definitely avoid snoring), until the teacher arrives.
ADVERTISEMENT
What to expect from your teacher
As a new student your teacher will acknowledge you and ask if you have any injuries. If you do have an injury, you must tell her. I understand that it might be embarrassing that you cracked a bone in your bum as you fell off a chair last year but it’s important that she is aware of this so that she can protect you from further injury. Having said that, remember that the question is not an invitation to your entire medical history. A good rule to follow is that any injuries (in the last five years) related to your bones, joints, muscles or tendons and any ailments related to cardiac activity must be disclosed.
A chat with the teacher the day before the class might be needed if the ailments are more complicated. Please remember that your yoga teacher is not a replacement for your doctor.
Don’t expect a long introductory lecture before the start of the class. Your teacher might just tell you to follow her instructions and do as much as you can. She is not being lazy or shirking her responsibilities, this is the way yoga has been taught for centuries. As Guruji Pattabhi Jois famously said, “Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory.”
Traditionally, a teacher would ask you to sit in a corner and breathe for at least a week before you joined the class; so don’t expect your teacher to be hovering around you the entire class or adjusting all your poses. She needs a few classes to understand your body and your capabilities before she takes you deeper into the practice.
What to expect during the class
Expect to be a little confused. I know you don’t understand what it means to “hug your muscles to the inner line” but neither did you understand what iambic pentameter was when you first read Shakespeare.
There will be some postures that you cannot do. That is fine. Remember the first day you tried high heels? Not so easy, right? But today you can dance to YMCA on six-inch heels. In the same way, standing on tiptoe, balancing on one leg or touching your toes might not be possible for you today, but through practice it will become possible.
Your teacher will offer you modifications for some poses. Choose the modification; don’t try to be a hero because tomorrow it’s going to hurt.
Your teacher will continuously remind you to breathe. This will seem like a pointless instruction - we all breathe automatically right? We should, but very often, especially when we are struggling, we hold our breath. This leads to strain in the body and can lead to injury. Breathing deeply helps to relax the body and calm the mind.
Quit looking around the room and focus on your journey. Sure there will be a girl whose leg looks like it is going to touch the ceiling. Seeing her achieve this with apparent ease whilst you are still struggling not to fall on your face might make you want to sink to the mat and slink out of the room. But there was also a day when she felt exactly as you do today.
Expect pain. Expect to be achy, uneasy and uncomfortable. Expect your breath to feel a little choked and ragged. Expect a bit of dizziness, slight giddiness and a feeling that you are going to fall on your face. Also expect to feel calm and peaceful; expect to feel present in the moment. Both these feelings are a part of the practice. Eventually you will feel more calmness and less pain and then you will know that you are progressing in the path of yoga.
If you feel dizzy, lie down on the mat until your breath becomes steady. There is less shame in this than falling on your face. And that can happen.
Don’t expect too much. Your teacher might even stop you before the rest of the class. Don’t feel bad and certainly don’t insist that you can do more. It takes a few classes for a teacher to assess your body and it is in your best interest to trust her.
When the bell rings
Take your time getting out of savasana. Sit cross-legged for some time enjoying the silence. Thank your teacher. You will have a hundred questions in your head but remember, as Guruji Pattabhi Jois also said you must, “Practice and all is coming.”
Finally, come back! Even if you hated the class, if you felt uncomfortable and miserable and if you felt that it was some form of Chinese torture. Try to do at least three classes before you make a final decision. Like most “acquired tastes”, yoga takes some time getting used to, but can become an addiction.
The writer is a former Miss India who traded a glamorous life in front of the camera for an adventure behind it, before finally finding her home on the Yoga mat