For the past 5+ years, I’ve been on a self care journey. I had 2 surgeries in one year, and that’s when all of this really began. It started simply enough with a hand creme. I won’t take you through the whole journey…that’s an entire blog post itself.
But during this journey, I found yoga. It started with a simple Google search: yoga for seniors. Now, I don’t exactly think of myself as a senior! But I was under no illusions as to my capability to do yoga. So I figured if it was geared towards seniors, I should be able to handle it. My hubby actually joined me for awhile, but he has long since fallen away. But I’m still here and going strong!
Yoga started out as something purely physical. I was out of shape and overweight with constant aches and pains. We started with the most basic yoga, which was nothing more than fancy stretching. We stayed with this for several months.
Then I began to branch out. I went to YouTube and searched for beginner yoga videos. I would try them out. If I found someone I particularly liked, I would check out their channel and try more yoga videos. I’ve been doing this for 3+ years! Oh, I’m still overweight (although I’ve lost a significant amount of weight). And I’m certainly not bendy like most of the yoga teachers! But I’ve gained so much from my yoga practice.
Yoga is a safe place for me. It’s more about the mental/emotional aspect than the physical. (Although, I do appreciate that my body hurts less, feels stronger, and my balance is much better making me a little less clumsy.) But truly, yoga has brought more peace and calm into my life. And aren’t we all desperately craving those things right now?
Through yoga:
*I’ve learned to breathe: use my breath to calm my emotions, regain control, work through something that’s physically difficult.
*I’ve learned how to let thoughts come and go through my mind and not fixate and ruminate on one thing.
*I’ve developed an affirmation practice. Setting an intention is often suggested at the beginning of a yoga practice. I’ve learned to carry this off my mat.
*My endurance has increased in walking and hiking.
*I’ve seen improvement in my relationships.
*Don’t skip savasana! Spend a few minutes at the end of each practice in savasana! (Here’s a cute t-shirt I designed for anyone practicing yoga! Available to order in my Etsy shop.)
I’ve been asked a few times over the last couple of months about what some of my favorite yoga videos are. That’s what inspired me to write this blog post. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to share some of my favorite yoga teachers and videos!
For me, it’s a combination of how they teach, what their voice sounds like and how I feel when I’m practicing with them. Don’t be afraid to stop a video and move on if it doesn’t feel right. It’s also a good idea to watch all the way through to be sure it’s going to be a good fit. If you see a lot of poses that look too difficult, you can either Google for modifications or just try another video.
Do Yoga With Me is where my hubby and I started. We started on their website and did several of the free videos there. David Procyshyn was our favorite. But there are other good ones.
Yoga With Adriene was the next one I tried. Fair warning: She’s chatty! And that takes some getting used to. I’m not a huge fan of chatty when I’m practicing yoga, but I really enjoy Adriene’s teaching style (especially as a beginner).
Jess Yoga is another favorite of mine. Her voice is perfect…soft, quiet, relaxing. Some of her videos can be challenging, but she has a playlist dedicated to beginners. And the yin/restorative yoga practices are good for anyone.
Sarah Beth Yoga is a new one I’ve discovered. I’m really enjoying the simplicity of her practices.
Travis Eliot Yoga…I hesitate to add this one as being for beginners. He does a lot of ‘power’ yoga that’s difficult and NOT beginner friendly. But I do like his yin/restorative practices. His voice is sort of unique and I find it very compelling. He also throws in a lot of motivational quotes, poems, sayings, etc. No one is more surprised than me at how much I like those.
These YouTube video links are all FREE! I’m sure each of them have a paid membership to join, but I’ve been practicing completely free for years.
If you’re in the Atlanta GA area, be sure to look up my friend Allison Moore Yoga. I had the privilege of practicing with her online for a few months. But she does in person classes. The info is all on her page.
If you’re in the Savannah GA area, you definitely need to check out Flow With Your Bliss. We did yoga and a sound bath them during our Retreat in Savannah. It was fantastic! Highly recommend checking them out!
Need a hook up for some simple beginners yoga accessories, these are what I’ve been using.
And this is my favorite blanket to cover me during savasana! (Did you check out my shirt?)
I’m always open to suggestions, so if YOU have a favorite yoga video that hasn’t been mentioned here, please drop me a line in the comments!
(This post contains affiliate links. You don’t pay any extra, but I may receive a small commission or product credit.)