Whether you want to get the most out of your yoga routine or want to start practicing, these tips can help.

Tip One: Don’t let that ego win.

The ego is something many of us deal with every day. Ego means ‘I’, refers to conscious thoughts ‘ I am,. ‘I will’, etc. In Western life, there is a place for some amount of ego, but knowing what is too much is difficult; Without realising can lead us into an unbalanced life. The ego is created from outside us, constantly feeding from situations and experiences. Yoga may be uncomfortable to some at first, as it makes us see this ego and allows us to self-reflect.

Tip: Next time you fall or wobble out of a pose, instead of looking around to see who saw you move, think about the connection of your body and breath, and continue to focus on you, your breathing, your body, and your mat.

Tip Two: Don’t compare yourself to others

It is so easy to compare ourselves to others. But show yourself some love and compassion, and allow yourself to be you.

Learn to listen to your body and become your own yogi. As a teacher, I am there to guide you and offer advice -but you can choose what you need on that day. When I see a student deciding to relax into a child's pose instead of following the heated flow, that's when I know they have tapped into the internal state. It's a beautiful thing to see as a teacher.

Tip: keep those eyes on your mat.

Tip Three: Remember not to rush to class

Personally I know when I rush, I feel stressed, and dazed and actually don't get anywhere any quicker. By rushing, we increase the stress in our systems, sending us into the fight or flight mode, getting to class feeling all hot and bothered. This makes it harder for us to get into the calm space we hope to achieve in our yoga practice.

Tip Four: Using props

Well, let's first say that using props is not a way of making things easier! Props allow you to get into deep poses and challenge yourself to try harder ones -Props can help you make the practice for you. Remember that absolutely everyone is built differently: Some of us have long arms, some of us have shorter legs. Why not use those props to make your practice *yours*; you’ll be shocked at how much more connected you feel when you do.

Tip Five: Try not to hold your breath

When we connect our breath to our movement, it activates the cerebral cortex, which is what helps us become aware and present in that moment. There is therefore less chance for us to start overthinking and for the mind to wonder.

Breath also helps us have strength, and move with alignment. By holding our breath we are increasing stress, and lose that relaxing connected feeling.

Tip Six: Don’t focus on perfection

It is easy to fall into the perfection trap. But is this helping you on your mat and off? Most likely not.

When we focus on perfection we get stuck in our head, thinking about what we ‘should’ so and ‘why’ we should. This perfection is based on a thought in our mind, which if not achieved can make us feel stressed and annoyed - It can be a difficult viscous circle.

We should be looking more at the journey rather than the small elements of perfection. The best way of measuring the process is not the pose or end goal, it's realising how you faced the challenges along the way.

Tip Seven: Practice consistently

Yes, we hear this everywhere, consistency is key. Sorry to pipe on about it as well, but it's true! Consistency in our practice helps us build healthy habits, which we can transfer away from our mat too. The crazy thing is that the more you do the more you crave it; it becomes a habit and a lifestyle without thinking.

When we practice regularly we become more in tune with our body, mind and breath. We can use the lessons we learn on our mat to help us every day.

Tip: This can be hard, so I suggest finding a friend to help you keep that consistency or book a class so that you’re ready to go.

Tip Eight: Turn off your phones & watches

Clear out all the distractions and link to the real world. This is your space to move, breathe and enjoy the freedom. If you happen to get a notification whilst practicing, it could distract you for much longer than you expect. Have you ever noticed your wobbly after your watch lit up? That's your brain changing focus from your practice to whatever could be hiding behind the notification.

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Thanks for reading, let's enjoy the journey together and grow.

Imogen x

How To Get The Most From Your Yoga Class