Sage Advice to New Yogis - How to Embark on your Yogic Path

The decision to incorporate yoga into one’s lifestyle is one which can be immensely rewarding in terms of one’s physical, emotional, and mental development—or, in other words, in terms of yoga’s ability to bring harmony and unity to the body and mind.  People may be drawn to yoga for a variety of reasons, and may be eager to jump into a practice head-first; yet, with all the information and resources out there, a foray into yoga may seem daunting, especially with a lack of a tangible starting point. 

To help beginners who might feel overwhelmed, this video elicits advice from six of Toronto’s top yoga instructors and practitioners on how best to get started on the yogic path.  Speakers include Marguerite Arbour of Yoga in Riverdale; Gerry Lin, yoga instructor; Heather Morton of The Yoga Way; Cynthia Funk of Yoga Sanctuary; Ron Reid of Downward Dog Yoga; and Kathryn Beet of Yoga Space. 

Much of these yogis’ wisdom revolves around the two-fold nature of yoga as a deeply personal practice, but also as one which is most advantageous when guided by a trusted and experienced teacher or guru.  As Marguerite Arbour advises, because yoga is so personal and experiential, it is critical when starting to first define what it is you expect from your practice, and to then find an instructor who can guide you through the fulfillment of your goals.  With so many options to consider, be sure to take the time to outline your objectives and to modify your practice accordingly.   

Indeed, one of yoga’s great advantages is that it may be modified to accommodate for personal goals and limitations.  Cynthia Funk notes that with adaptation, a practice may successfully be integrated into diverse lifestyles and in accordance with specific intentions.  With this benefit in mind, Kathryn Beet also recommends being wary of schools or instructors that tell you that their way “is the only way.”  Adopting a “my-way-or-the-highway” approach is not only discouraging to new students, but can hinder personal development by stifling exploration and passion.

While personal aspirations figure greatly in one’s practice, Ron Reid also reminds beginners that it’s important to learn something well if you’re going to commit to it, and that often, this requires instruction from a competent teacher.  Gerry Lin expounds on the notion of competency by pointing out that it’s not enough for a potential instructor to guide beginners through a sequence of asanas, but that they should also impart a functional knowledge of anatomy.  By teaching about the way the body works, an instructor can provide valuable insight when it comes to determining how yoga might affect one’s body or improve upon specific health or wellness issues.  Developing a dialogue between teacher and student regarding physical wellness can go a long way to positively influencing a beginner yogi’s acquisition of knowledge and their appropriate application of asana.

Heather Morton is careful to encourage new students that they should embrace all aspects of yoga—not only the physical, but also the spiritual, the physiological, and the intellectual—in order to make practice as meaningful and comprehensive as possible.  Although asana has a wonderful impact upon our well-being, it is not possible to focus solely on asana and expect to receive other benefits.  Rather, Morton suggests using asana and the physical aspects of yoga to uproot and disengage oneself from a place of stagnation or ill health, and to facilitate an expansion into other areas of wellness and personal improvement.