Does yoga intimidate you? ride it like you stole it....

The whole thing with yoga being a fade is that people do it for the wrong reason and others that want to do it for the right reason are turned off. They don't want to be in a class with a cute little blonde girl wearing a matchy fancy outfit, bending each way...its intimidating.

Since being back in the US after 5 years abroad, I do feel a shift away from this perception and more towards the essence of yoga. I want to be clear that the wrong reason I mean, is doing it cause it is cool. But doing it for a workout only is ok, in fact it is great. That's why I started yoga. Dip your toe in before you swim! And maybe you'll only ever do yoga for the physical, thats just fine. Each to their own; each is on their own path this life. There is another world to yoga, if the structure and the spiritual path makes sense to you saaah-weet. If not, hopefully you find something that makes you happy, gives you answers and hope.

Some people in the East get irritated and do not understand why people just do it for the workout. I mean working out makes us feel good - releases endorphins, sweat out toxins, get healthier and more fit. All great things. So why not get a little more bendy and muscle tone. Understanding spiritual isn't something a lot of us is brought up with, its the unknown. The new age, we're all energy, "oming" is weird to a lot of people. I get that, I was one of them. So I say do what feels comfortable, and follow what speaks to you. And who knows I was the last person I thought would be on the Astanga Path and here I am....

Back to my original objective to help people be less intimidated doing yoga and hopefully with anything they face in life. People don't watch you, if there are they are just trying to figure out what they should be doing. And if you don't know, that's cool, cause your looking around for a few cues too. People are not thinking about you, they are worried about themselves. Or should be. And really shouldn't be worried, or thinking at all. The goal of any class is to let go, detached from the thought, judgement and just work with yourself....how you are today.

Try not to be intimated. Yoga is a welcoming place for all - don't let your mind trick you otherwise. Ride it like you stole it - or walk in there like you own the joint. Confidence is 98% of the battle...

First 2 pics: what people fear seeing in a yoga class. Second 2 pics: whos actually doing yoga