It’s easy to get confused when it comes to health and yoga. Even qualified experts often seem to hold opposing opinions. There are a lot of diet trends out there and it may be unclear what real yoga looks like. Yet, despite all the disagreements, a number of wellness tips are well supported by research.

Yoga for beginners is all about connecting to that yogi in us, to remind us of the wonder poses that we are all familiar with. This wonderful inheritance of our ancient tradition has a multi-fold effect on us. It helps us to increase our awareness; to be in the present moment, with a calm relaxed state of mind, while making our body flexible and healthier.

1. START WITH ACCEPTANCE

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.

2. RELEASE EXPECTATIONS

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…”

“This looks so easy on Instagram – why can’t I do it?

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.

3. UNDERSTAND THE CORE OF YOGA

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.

4. NOTICE YOUR BREATHING

While a teacher at one yoga class may instruct students in a completely different style of breathing to the yoga studio next door, it’s really all the same.

While the breathing exercise itself may seem important, the most important thing to learn is awareness of breath.

Whether you are taking a forceful exhale out the mouth in a Kundalini yoga class or filling your chest with fresh oxygen in a relaxing yoga pose, the connection between awareness and breath is one of the most beneficial aspects of yoga for beginners.

Simply starting to notice your inhale and exhale can yield better sleep, reduced stress, and more present moment awareness.

So even if you can’t do some of the more complex poses, making the effort to notice the breath and to carefully guide it will have equally profound effects on your practice. Way more profound than being able to throw your foot behind your head.

5. GET COMFORTABLE IN STILLNESS

Most of us find it very challenging to sit still.

We would rather run around, keep busy, and check items off our to-do list than just be.

Even when we are chilling out, our hands drum on our knees, our thoughts wander to the past or future, or our eyes hungrily scan an iPhone or T.V. screen.

(Sometimes all at once.)

So before you try to bang out the most advanced yoga poses you can find on the pages of Yoga Journal or Instagram, try the most basic tenets of yoga of all, being present.

The next time you’re waiting in line, riding public transportation, or (heck!) perching on the toilet, notice the temptation to whip your phone out for distraction.

Try to observe the urge rather than immediately give into it.

6. LEARN BASIC YOGA POSES

Once you feel ready for the physical side of your yoga practice, you can start to mindfully experiment with yoga poses for beginners.

There is no need to try to jump into the more complex poses (um, hello inversions) or to try to be as bendy as the person next to you.

In fact, you can begin your practice right at home with free yoga videos. (I’ve created tons of free yoga videos for beginners on my YouTube channel, but there are thousands more out there if you want some variety.)

Wherever you begin, whether in a local yoga studio or with an online yoga video, there are a few basics to start with.

Start with postures, or yoga asanas, such as downward-facing dog, child’s pose, and savasana.

In each pose, focus on pressing your hands or feet into the floor, lengthening your spine, and relaxing your hips. If you keep this in mind as you practice, you will be working with each pose exactly as even the most devoted practitioners do.

7. FIND BEGINNER CLASSES

The best way to learn yoga postures safely and effectively is to learn from an experienced yoga instructor.

You can find a registered yoga instructor near you on Yoga Alliance’s online directory, or browse local yoga studios yourself to find a teacher who inspires you.

Remember that almost every yoga studio offers at least one yoga class to students of all levels, so all you have to do is ask which yoga workout is right for you!

If you’re a little nervous to start, then go early and introduce yourself to the instructor. Let him or her know that you’re new and I promise you that they will make modifications and adjustments for you throughout the class so that you don’t have to struggle.

After all, we all want you to begin, too!

After you’ve worked through these tips for new yogis, feel free to try sun salutations, more online yoga videos, or even a yoga DVD.

And even as you begin to master the chaturanga, you will still need to continue practicing all of the points listed above.

You will be well on your way to a calmer, bendier, more self-confident YOU!