Have you been thinking about becoming a yoga instructor or simply deepening your knowledge of yoga? Perhaps you do not wish to teach but yearn for further understanding. We all begin somewhere. Yet where does that thought lead? We can continue to participate in daily classes or workshops here and there, or we can dive into a program. The first step is a 200-hour yoga teacher training and there are thousands to consider. There are many factors in deciding when is the right time. Before taking the dive, explore these questions:

• How much time do I have to commit to this training and my practice for the next 8 months?

• What do I want to learn?

• How would I benefit from training with Studio Bamboo?

• What is holding me back?

• If I begin this training tomorrow what would I gain? Lose?

• Where would my supports be throughout the program?

Are you practicing with us? If not, you should be. Why? To get a feel for the studio, our faculty, for our style of yoga, and our ethical standards. It offers you a chance to speak about the program with teachers and past graduates. Many of our trainees have gone on to teach at Studio Bamboo.

Content Sourced from Yoga International

Arrive Early

Usually, arriving a good fifteen minutes before class starts is appropriate.

Give yourself enough time to arrive at the studio, hang up your coat, take off your shoes and socks, and turn off your cell phone. You’ll need to sign in and pay for class, which often involves a bit of paperwork if you're new to the studio. You’ll also want to give yourself a few extra minutes to lay out your mat, gather props, and bring your breath to an even and steady pace.

After all, it's pretty challenging to get centered if you're racing in just as class is getting started, and there’s little worse than being the cause of a disruption when everyone has just begun to relax. Usually, arriving a good fifteen minutes before class starts is appropriate (not too much more, as sometimes the teachers need prep time, or a prior class may still be going on in the studio). What should you do if you ARE late and class has begun? Check at the front desk for the protocol. Most teachers don’t mind if you slip in silently and take a place in the back. No one should be too uptight. It is yoga, after all.

Attending a yoga class for the first time can be slightly intimidating. As a beginner, entering a room full of barefoot adults rolling around on rubber rectangles can be rather daunting--but don’t let that stop you! In an effort to make your transition into yoga more fluid, here are 5 tips for taking your first yoga class.

• Keep an open mind - Like anything in life, the first step in trying something new is to approach it with an open mind and the willingness to grow. Accept that your first practice may or may not be what you expected, and be OK with that. There are many different types of postures, practices, classes, teachers and studios in the yoga community, so trust that your first class is just a sampling of all that yoga can offer. If your first experience isn’t wonderful, keep an open mind until you find what works for you and your body.

• Do a little bit of research - If you’re nervous about your first class, a quick scan of a studio’s website or social media pages can help answer some of your questions. You can learn more about the atmosphere of the studio, where you check in for class, where you store your belongings and what items the studio provides versus what you may want to bring. This may help you feel more natural and “in-the-know” upon your arrival. You can also learn more about the classes that are offered, the teachers and more.

Content Sourced from Yoga Journal

What Is Yoga?

The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as “union” or a method of discipline. A male who practices yoga is called a yogi, a female practitioner, a yogini.

The Indian sage Patanjali is believed to have collated the practice of yoga into the Yoga Sutra an estimated 2,000 years ago. The Sutra is a collection of 195 statements that serves as a philosophical guidebook for most of the yoga that is practiced today. It also outlines eight limbs of yoga: the yamas (restraints), niyamas (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyani (meditation), and samadhi(absorption). As we explore these eight limbs, we begin by refining our behavior in the outer world, and then we focus inwardly until we reach samadhi (liberation, enlightenment).