August Yogi of the month : Josh

Live and Breathe Yoga Townsville Yogi of the month Josh

I’m very excited to introduce you to, our super chilled and always smiling, Josh…and our first male Yogi of the month for 2015! Josh feels stronger and more courageous after practising ashtanga yoga which is what we are all about here at Live and Breathe Yoga…helping you to be brave and feel confident to try new things.  Josh has provided some fantastic advice for the newbie yogi too. Check out his story below…

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When and where did you first start practising yoga?

I don’t remember exactly when but it probably 10 or 12 years ago. It was Iyengar yoga and I was generally the only male. I was also struggling to find any flexibility at all.

 

Why were you interested in the first place?

My partner Amanda and her mum attended the studio. They are both strong and flexible, and our teacher Julia was fantastic.

 

What is it that got you hooked?

I liked that it was meditative, and also the physical GOOD that you feel afterwards. I practised in bits and pieces. Some years later Amanda and I tried ashtanga yoga and enjoyed its physical and dynamic nature but our teachers were a bit hardcore (or maybe that was us in transition).

 

What do you love about Live and Breathe yoga?

Amanda found Live and Breathe Yoga when she joined me in Townsville in 2012. We enjoyed the friendliness, and the sense of community that were part of every class (and beyond the studio). It was also great having enthusiastic, supportive and fun teachers. The subtext is that we love Live and Breathe Yoga, and feel it’s love in return.

 

What benefits/changes have you felt since practising yoga?

Originally Iyengar yoga helped me increase flexibility (from almost zero) and was part of a cycle of looking after my body and mind better than I had been. Ashtanga has made me feel stronger, and bendier, and more courageous about what my body can do.

 

How often do you practice in a week?

Whatever I say is going to be a non-truth so I’ll give a long answer. Asanas may get practised between 0 and 7 times per week. Non attachment, gentleness to self and others and other elements of yoga I try to practice many times every day.

 

What’s your favourite thing about Ashtanga Yoga?

My practice is constantly changing. In December, I was unable to sit in Lotus but was doing complete Mariciasana D. Now D seems like a fairy tale but I am increasing my comfort and integration of lotus into my practice. That is fun!

 

What would you say to someone who is thinking of trying yoga?

I would say go talk to people who love yoga and think about what you want from it. Try a few styles, and a few teachers, and the right combo will turn up. You get from yoga what you put in. If you put a competitive and comparative mindset into your yoga, you may feel defeated and worse than others who practice around you. But if you practice with a smile, some sweat, some courage and some fun, that’s likely to be what you get from it.

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