How to Begin Yoga Really Well

By Lea Kraemer

1. Do not eat a meal for one or two hours before practicing Yoga. If you need something to tide you over make sure that it is light and easy to digest, like some slices of watermelon or a banana.

2. Wear clothes that move and breathe with you, nothing restrictive like jeans or a belt. Natural fabrics such as cotton are also beneficial. For Kundalini Yoga, wearing white is suggested. The color white reflects all colors and symbolizes radiance and inner purity. A head covering is also suggested, though not required for Kundalini Yoga, as a symbol of respect and protection for the crown chakra.

3. Make sure you have water to replenish you during and after class. There is always filtered water at the studio. Water helps to strengthen your aura!

4. Explore some of our classes to see which type(s) of Yoga you are drawn to. Taking time to experience the difference between styles is important so that you can create goals for the future. See what forms (Kundalini, Vinyasa, Meditation, Healing modalities, etc.) spark your interest and inspire you most deeply. Some students enjoy studying only one kind of Yoga, others like to practice all types. Your preferences will be natural and trustworthy.

5. Begin with at least two practice sessions each week. When you commit to the same classes for several weeks you will soon feel more vital, steady and relaxed. Stay with a beginning level class to move at a slower pace, or come for open level classes and work at your own comfort level. It will take time to gain some basic insight about how the practice works for you, so keeping a regular schedule is the best way to progress.

6. Don’t judge yourself harshly. Slow down and have a great experience. There is no technique worth knowing that can be learned in one hour, no language, no sport and certainly not Yoga. Do not push to “achieve” postures fast, instead enjoy the journey as you go beyond what you thought you could do. Yoga takes many years to master, but the benefits are experienced right away.

Four Good Things To Know

By Lea Kraemer

1. PRANA MANDIR Yoga Studio provides a limited number of mats and blankets free of charge for our students to use during class. We do suggest that you purchase your own mat so that you can keep it clean, practice at home, and choose a color and variety that you prefer. A meditation shawl is also a wonderful spiritual “tool” and will become saturated with your own meditative energy. We have some beautiful pashmina shawls available at the studio.

2. Practice kindness and compassion. A Vegetarian lifestyle is recommended for all Yogis to help them in this pursuit. A natural vegetarian diet is known to be healthier, freer from antibiotics, hormones, and toxins. If you would like to explore a vegetarian diet there are many great natural restaurants in NYC to point you in the right direction, and many good books and resources available. Depending on your current diet, you might start with one "animal-free" day a week and add on as this becomes easier. Healthy habits emerge gradually as the mind and body become more balanced and "sattvic" or pure.

3. Create a habit to practice regularly and watch your energy increase and your mind clear. The discipline of coming regularly to class will support your health for years to come! Yoga students work up to (bit by bit) daily Yoga and meditation so that the mind, body and spirit are elevated and nourished. Traditional Vinyasa Yoga, like Ashtanga, is the most physically demanding and is best with six days of practice and one day off.

4. Many changes will occur at the start of a Yoga practice. Emotional and physical shifts are experienced from time to time, but may be especially dynamic in the beginning. Yoga is a 5,000 year-old science, which purifies the mind and body to support the highest awareness in the human being. This means Yoga works on you at every level, not just the conscious ones. Though your own journey will be unique, many others have shared challenges and revelations remarkably similar to your own. Hearing and reading about their experiences can be very self-affirming. Please feel free to talk to your teachers and ask questions about any aspect of Yoga.