Yoga is not a one size  fits all!  How could it be, your body is as individual as your DNA.  There are a plethora of variables that go into how your body feels on any given day. Examples are, how did you sleep last night, are you getting over a cold, are you nursing an injury in your shoulder, have you not been eating well, are you going through something emotional, I could go on and on, but I’m hoping you get the picture.  All these factors change daily and have relevance to what you can and cannot do on any given day .  It is all of these things that help me determine what’s right for me on that day or helping a student understand.

We bring a lot of emotional thoughts that we bring to the table when we are exercising and stretching .  Some people grew up thinking they were terrible at sports, or are not very coordinated, or not very flexible, or a great athelete and this has a bearing before we even start to move. Our relationship to pain is another important thing to consider or understand with movement . Ask the same 10 people to do the same exact move and one person will tell me it’s painful and someone else will say it feels great.

I believe that starting to tune in to these different ideas and thoughts we have first about our bodies, movement, pain, and flexibility are the first things to bring some clarity to and understanding. I know for myself I have a type A personality when it comes to movement, so for me slowing down,  not pushing is an important part of my process.  I also have a high tolerance for pain and I have learned that is another area I really need to pull back and slow down.

Next time you go to exercise or whatever movement you’re doing walking, swimming, yoga, notice how you feel, think about what you’re really feeling in your body and let that be your guide.

Of course great yoga teachers and other teachers & classes are a great way to help you learn these things. It’s not about finding some perfect yoga pose alignment, it’s about finding the right yoga pose alignment just for You!

I am a yoga teacher in NYC and love it