I love yoga. When I meet someone new and they learn I’m a yoga teacher, they typically share their own experience.

People seem to either love yoga or believe one of the following:

• You need to be flexible to do yoga. If your perception of yoga stems from Instagram images, you might think you need to be a contortionist to join a yoga class. That’s unfortunate and not at all true. Yoga is not about mastering a pose. It’s about mindful movement … it involves connecting mind, body and breath. Flexibility is one of many benefits of yoga. And not just flexibility of the body, but flexibility of the MIND.
• All yoga is the same – it’s slow-paced and is not a workout. There are many styles of yoga. Restorative and yin yoga are very slow-moving styles, but serve two very different purposes. If you’re looking for a faster paced class, try a heated vinyasa or Ashtanga. There are many types of yoga. If you’ve been to one, two, or a few classes and didn’t like it, there is much more to be explored.
• Yoga is expensive. Most studios have great intro rates. Some studios offer a free week or a deeply discounted month of unlimited yoga if you’re new. In addition, there are many different styles of yoga classes available for free on YouTube. Once you have an established foundation for the practice, you can roll out your mat and do yoga anytime with only a few square feet of floor space.

What’s your experience?