Be a beginner.

“What is your intention for this class?” Sunny Pratt’s voice rang out across the class as I sat in child’s pose. Yoga instructors often urge us to “set an intention” at the beginning of class. Why are we here? Why does this matter? What am I working on today?

In the early days of my practice my racing mind struggled to think of something as we entered into our first rounds of Cat-Cow. It wasn’t until I began to look into what yoga intentions are and the difference they make in our practice that I easily landed on my daily intention.

The truth is, an intention can be as simple as you like, and you can reuse the same one as many times as you want and still get the same depth of practice from it. Sure, as you progress you may want to move into more specific intentions, but at the beginning a simple, easy to follow intention will take you the furthest. I think the easiest method of intention setting is to choose 3-4 intentions centered around the improvements you are trying to make and rotate between them for as long as they serve you. Today I will be covering several examples of beginner intentions that will deepen your practice and ease you into exploring other intentions.

 

Be A Beginner

If you are just starting out, this intention will free your practice from expectations and anxieties. Embrace not knowing everything as you begin the long and winding journey that is having a committed yoga practice. Like the fool in tarot, find inside yourself the spontaneity, optimism and potential of being a complete novice. Carry that message into your practice and do not let a fear of the unknown hold you back. Rather, dive into the unknown head first, for it is there you will make the most discoveries.

 

Breath

Breath was the very first intention I ever set. And it was just that: breath. Simply work on connecting your movement to breath and anytime your mind wanders, return your focus to how air is moving in and out of your lungs. This intention will connect you deeply with the roots of your practice.

As class begins, breathe deeply through your ankles and fingertips, feel your spine stretch and contract as your ribs make room for more air, the air swirling in the back of your throat between breaths. Focus on this, your Ujjayi breath, the entire class.

This intention brings a spiritual aspect to your practice that will deepen your connection to your body and mind. Starting with this intention will set an amazing framework to build the rest of your yoga practice off of.

 

Maintain Balance

It took only one hot hour class to realize I have terrible balance. Hot Hour is a class with a huge focus on balanced postures, so it is the perfect class to practice this intention.

Focus on flexing every muscle in your body and pulling outwards in equilibrium to stay upright. The goal of this intention is not to be hard on yourself if you fall, but to acknowledge what made you fall and correct it as you re-enter the posture. It is about being mindful of where you feel strong and where you feel weak. It will quickly let you know what you need to work on most vs what you are great at already.

Click here to book a Hot Hour class today!

 

Gratitude

While the previously mentioned intentions are amazing for tuning into your muscles, gratitude will tune you into the thoughts that play through your mind as you move through sequences. This intention is about celebrating your body for all it can do. No matter how many times you return to child’s pose or how many postures you fall out of, you tell yourself that you are amazing and strong and capable. I find this intention to be the easiest and most reliable. It is my fallback if I do not have a lot to bring to the mat that day because I know I will leave feeling satisfied, no matter what.

 

Form

While form is important to your practice, it is often not the first thing we think about as we step onto the mat. As you learn more advanced poses however, having proper form becomes more and more essential.

This intention requires scrutinizing yourself in the mirror as you flow between postures. It is about recognizing when your knee is slightly out of alignment with your elbow or when your hips are not squared to the floor; it is an exercise in full body awareness. It will often reveal where we are most and least mobile. Focusing on form will allow your to sink further into postures and deepen your stretch.

An amazing class to practice this intention is Hot Hour for Awareness. This class focuses on slowly moving through Hot Hour asanas with a spotlight on the form associated with each flow.

Click here to book a Hot Hour for Awareness class today!

Focusing on your form throughout a class will give you a deeper understanding of what your weak spots are and how you can overcome them. Good form is an essential building block if you want to move on to intermediate or advanced postures.

 

A well-set intention can make or break your daily yoga practice. It is what will connect your mind to the flow of energy in your body and allow you to find a deeper meditation than you ever have before. If you are new to yoga, or simply new to setting intentions before you begin class, try out one of these intentions today and notice how it improves or changes your practice.