<h2 id="65fad585-5f01-492b-88ed-0f8a009864dc" data-toc-id="65fad585-5f01-492b-88ed-0f8a009864dc" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">The yoga class I almost talked myself out of</h2><p>I remember what it felt like to begin yoga in my forties with health challenges and plenty of questions. I did not arrive looking like the people in glossy yoga photographs. I arrived as myself: curious, cautious, and hoping there might be a way to practice that respected the body I had. If you have ever searched for yoga for beginners who are not flexible, perhaps you know that little voice that asks whether you will fit in before you have even entered the room.</p><p>My path was not a straight line. At one point, I was told I was too sick to enter a yoga teacher training. That experience stayed with me. It made me think about how often people are asked to prove that they belong before anyone asks what support would help them participate. Later, I completed my training through White Crow Yoga with Mary Irby, including an intensive while working long days and commuting. The experience helped shape the kind of teacher I wanted to become: someone who offers clear options and meets students where they are.</p><h2 id="c5c400b6-3c85-4da9-9399-de837ec7d2c4" data-toc-id="c5c400b6-3c85-4da9-9399-de837ec7d2c4" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Flexibility is one possible result, not an entrance exam</h2><p>Yoga is much broader than making a particular shape with your body. Movement is one part of practice; breath awareness, attention, meditation, study, and reflection can be part of it too. A student may be exploring steadiness, learning to notice when a movement feels comfortable, or practicing how to pause. None of those experiences requires touching your toes.</p><p>Bodies differ in proportion, mobility, energy, and history. The same pose may feel very different from one person to another, and the best option may change from day to day. A thoughtful yoga class offers variations as normal choices, not as consolation prizes. You might stand, use a chair, stay seated, work on the floor, or rest. The purpose is to make the practice meaningful and appropriate for you, not to copy someone else’s photograph.</p><h2 id="eaaa6cdb-adc6-430d-aee0-652edb6f979c" data-toc-id="eaaa6cdb-adc6-430d-aee0-652edb6f979c" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">A kinder way to begin yoga</h2><p>Start by asking what would make a class feel supportive. Perhaps you need a slower pace, a chair option, more space, or a teacher who explains transitions before asking you to move. It is reasonable to contact a teacher and ask how they handle rest, different mobility levels, and questions. If you have a health concern or injury, seek guidance from a qualified health professional about what is appropriate for you, and share relevant needs with your teacher.</p><p>Your first practice can be small. Sit where you feel supported, notice the room around you, and let your breathing stay natural. Ask whether one adjustment would make the position more comfortable. That is already a beginning: you are paying attention, making a choice, and learning from your own experience. No special outfit or level of flexibility is required.</p><h2 id="34e765c6-2c90-4b12-b5f3-8cb9a7bf78cb" data-toc-id="34e765c6-2c90-4b12-b5f3-8cb9a7bf78cb" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Continue the conversation with Bertena</h2><p>If this story spoke to you, I invite you to keep exploring with me. Visit my Substack for personal reflections, spiritual teachings, yoga conversations, and new writing from Bertena.</p><p>You can also listen to the Spiritual Sanctuary podcast or watch on YouTube. Choose the way you like to learn, and join me for more conversations about yoga, meditation, inclusive practice, and the path of becoming a teacher.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://bertena.substack.com"><span style="color: rgb(123, 35, 72);">Visit my Substack</span></a>&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bertena.org/en/podcast"><span style="color: rgb(123, 35, 72);">Listen to the Spiritual Sanctuary podcast</span></a>&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@thespiritualsanctuary11"><span style="color: rgb(123, 35, 72);">Watch on YouTube</span></a></p><p><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-size: 11pt; line-height: 112%; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br></span></p><p></p>

Think you’re too stiff, too old, or too new for yoga? Discover why flexibility is not a requirement and how to begin a welcoming yoga practice.

Week 1: You Don’t Have to Be Flexible to Begin Yoga

The yoga class I almost talked myself out of

Flexibility is one possible result, not an entrance exam

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Week 1: You Don’t Have to Be Flexible to Begin Yoga

Week 1: You Don’t Have to Be Flexible to Begin Yoga

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