Welcome to your yoga practice. We come to our yoga practice with a feeling of graceful softening rather than a condensed or concerted effort. Yoga requires minimal gear - many practitioners enjoy the cushion and stickiness of a yoga mat. Others prefer additional support from blocks, bolsters or straps. These types of props can offer additional comfort and/or understanding of alignment in any yoga session. However, the most important gear for each session is an open mind, a willingness to learn and a sense of curiosity and exploration.

The breath is the foundation of yoga practice. It allows us to to come into the body - to embody our body. We learn to pay attention to the breath, allowing each inhale and exhale to guide us into and out of each pose. With our increased awareness of the breath we are better able to understand the alignment of our physical body. We become attuned to what is actually happening in and around us - physically, mentally and emotionally. When we use our breath to align our body we induce a sense of abiding calm within us. We experience the sigh of our practice. The mind softens and settles. The body becomes strong and flexible. Emotions gain balance and harmony. To experience this is to receive the fruits of the practice.

It all begins with the foundation of the breath.