Yoga is a mind and body practice that can build strength and flexibility. It may also help manage pain and reduce stress. Various styles of yoga combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation.

Modern yoga focuses on exercise, strength, agility and breathing. It can help boost physical and mental well-being. There are many styles of yoga which we will explore.

Yoga is more than just a form of exercise, it’s a way of existing in the world, a way of being, so to speak. The word yoga itself means “union” in Sanskrit, union among all aspects of your life.

When you live in a state of union, or yoga, there is no separation between your thoughts and your present state. That means, no whining and wistful thinking about the way things should or ought to be.

While this mindset can take years to cultivate, you can get started before ever stepping foot on a yoga mat. Take a moment to appreciate your body, your life, and your circumstances, exactly as they are, right now.

The moment you begin to practice gratitude, you will feel expectations start to slip away, expectations such as “I should be able to touch my toes already…”.

Try to focus on the core of what you’re doing, not the extraneous fluff. Though you may be here to try to find the best way to start yoga physically, I’m here to tell you that it’s most important to start with it mentally.

Get yourself into the right mindset and then the practice will evolve naturally, beautifully, and safely.

Yoga is not about extreme flexibility or contorting your muscles and spine into fancy shapes. It’s about breathing, finding inner strength through meditation, and creating freedom in the body with basic yoga poses, it’s truly that simple.

So don’t worry about losing weight or bending over backwards (those will come soon enough). Instead, understand that yoga is a process and a lifestyle.

The physical practice is only one of the eight limbs of yoga.