How to Mentally Prepare for a Yoga Class

Yoga is as much about the mind as it is the body.

One of the great challenges to yoga is calming the mind, which is actually the purpose of the physical movements. Most of us see yoga as exercise, not as a means to an end, i.e. a calmer mind. A calmer mind and inner peace are definitely a direct result of regular practice, and are very beneficial to overall good health.

In order to gain the most mental and physical benefits from yoga class and practice, try to follow these basic tips.

How to Mentally Prepare for a Yoga a Class

Tell Yourself Yes

Many people talk themselves out of yoga before they even take class.

"I can't sit still."

"I can't relax."

"It's not for me, I have to be moving."

All of these statements are actual reasons I heard for people not taking yoga, while I worked at a local gym. They contain basic misconceptions about yoga, including the idea that it is about stillness.

Yoga is about movement of body and stillness of mind, and even the most avid exercisers can find a yoga class that suits their needs. People just have to tell themselves, "Yes, I can do this," or at least, "Yes, I can try this."

Forget the Grocery List

A yoga class is not the time to replay the conversations you had at work, the rude drivers on the road, or to mentally make a grocery list. Yoga is supposed to be down time for your mind.

By paying attention to the detailed instructions of the instructor, your mind will be thinking "Breathe in, breathe out," or thinking about placement of your hands and feet, not whether or not you need milk and bread.

Do not Compete with Other Students

During class focus your mental energies inward, while moving your body into poses and breathing in and out. Do not worry that the person next to you can stretch further or hold a pose longer. It doesn't matter. What matters is that you are focused on your own yoga practice and on your own body.

Learn to Listen

Sometimes trying to follow an instructor just by watching them can be confusing, especially when they are facing you, and appear to be doing the opposite movements of you. By mentally tuning in to your listening skills, you can focus your mind to follow verbal directions, and when the teacher says, "Place your left foot out and stretch to the right," you will do that rather than the opposite.

Do not be Self-Conscious

Trust me when I say that other students are not there to watch you. They are there for the same reason as you, to become more fit and mentally relaxed and focused, and to further their yoga practice. Will some poses make you look awkward or downright silly? Maybe. But it doesn't matter.

It's not about how you look during yoga, it's about how you feel mentally and physically, and until you learn to let go of your self-consciousness you will not be able to fully benefit from yoga class.

Listen to your Body

One of the simplest yet most profound statements I ever heard in a yoga class was, "Listen to your body." By tuning in to your body, you learn your physical and mental limitations. By knowing your limitations, you will know how far you can go without causing injury. Listening to your body also tunes you into how to further challenge your body, when you are ready.

It's the Journey Not the Destination

Think of each pose in yoga as a journey, not a destination. It is not about stretching as far as the teacher, it is about using your breath to stretch into a pose, and enjoying the act of the movement, not where your body ends up.

By mentally preparing yourself for yoga, you will feel more at ease during yoga practice.