Author: Erick San Luis, edited by Alejandro Navarro
Celebrating the Wellness Month
Learn about this millenary practice and how it can help you create a more harmonious relationship between your body, mind, and soul.
Yoga is a discipline to improve one’s inherent power in a balanced manner. The word "yoga" literally means "unite"; we can attribute that its purpose has permanently been uniting the inner and outer self. We learn that yoga becomes a way of life; it empowers each person to maintain a balanced lifestyle.
Some yoga styles are intense, and others are relaxing or meditative. No matter which type you choose, yoga is a great way to strengthen your body, maintain focus, and cleanse your spirit. Here is our guide to your new way of exercising your mind and body.
Accept you are a beginner
When it comes to starting a yoga practice, remember being a beginner is okay. If you feel frustrated that your hips are still tight after a couple of classes, or you are still confused about the postures after a month, remember that you’re at the beginning, and just like tuning an instrument, fine-tuning the body takes time.
Go slow
There are many fast-paced, fitness-based yoga classes out there, which are great for cultivating an uplifted mind and sense of power, but they can also lead to injury if you are not familiar with the postures and transitions. Be patient for the first few weeks of practice, and choose classes that are a little slower so you can get to grips with alignment and movements on the mat.
Breathe
It might seem silly that you would forget to breathe, but we all do it. If you find yourself in a challenging shape or challenging balancing posture, remind yourself to breathe. When we breathe evenly, we message the body and brain to relax, which helps to reduce stress levels and increase a sense of wellbeing.
Release expectation
Within the yogic texts, we learn about releasing expectations time and time again. When we focus only on the outcome of a situation, we deny ourselves the ability to be present and entirely at the moment itself. We cannot control the result, so let go of being "good" at yoga and focus on the moment.
Forget the pictures and focus on yourself
It is easy to get caught up in the notion that you will have to squeeze yourself into a shape or perform acrobatic feats during a yoga class, especially when there are plenty of images on social media of pretzel-like forms and handstands perpetuating this idea. Forget the pictures you may have seen before; your yoga practice is all about you.
So now you know how to begin this exercise for body and mind. Today is a perfect day to start doing yoga so whenever you arrive at Marquis Los Cabos you can enjoy a morning session. You cannot beat the deep blues of the Sea of Cortez as a background for your first yoga selfie (just this time). -E.S