The Art of Letting go

As we sift through drawers, closets, and forgotten boxes, the dust makes my eyes water and my nose stuff up. Emotions well inside. I remember the young student who gave me this red card with the embossed deity on it the cover. He was seven at the time he was in my kids yoga class, but he must be in Cegep now. There’s also an astrology book found in this collection of stuff. The instructor who gave it to me way back when doesn’t speak to me anymore because of a disagreement. In other box, I find every attendance sheet of every class I ever taught since 2004. I can’t believe that was eight years ago, and I really can’t believe I’m in the process of packing up and moving out of my studio.

This was my week to sort through everything at Om West and decide what stays, what to recycle, what to discard, and what to bring home. On Thursday afternoon, I sit on the floor of Studio 1 and sort CDs. There are a couple without labels. I put one into the player and the notes of Yann Tiersen’s theme song for Amelie begin. Suddenly, I’m lost in a cloud of memories and undistinguishable feelings. I stare at the window and try to regain my composure. “We’re almost done,” I tell myself. “Soon this will all be over.”

I’m not very good at organizing, so trying to figure out what to do with all these accumulated documents and materials is stressful for me. It’s a lot of small intestine work, my friend Nadia would say. I feel constipated, both physically and mentally. But miraculously, after three days and several car trips later, we’re done, and the studio has never, in its 15 years of existence, been more orderly. 

By 8:30pm, Craig, who all day was helping me sort and stay focused, is waiting by the door. The car is packed. But all of a sudden, I have an urge to sit and have a good cry. The lump in my throat has become so large, it’s restricting my breath, and my lower lip is quivering uncontrollably. It finally hit me— All the decisions I made here, all the people I met, all the events I’ve hosted… I never before realized what I actually created and did in this place. I don’t want to leave. I feel like going back upstairs and hugging every wall.  

Craig walks over and puts his arms around me and whispers things like, “Everything is still going to be here next week,” and “Think about all the you’re now going to have.” But I know I just have to let myself release emotions until I feel better.

We eventually make our way home. I am comforted by conversation with Antoine, the new owner, and a bowl of warm Thai curry that is delivered to our door.

So now the sorting is over, and it’s end of a monumental year.

Craig and I are in Bancroft, Ontario at Kat and Vito’s alpaca farm. My friend Jamie Lee, the artist, and Ron Obadia, chocolate yoga co-founder are here too. I’m happy to be celebrating the start of 2012 surrounded by beloved friends. We have a big bonfire planned tonight and I brought a box of paperwork to burn. This will be my way of symbolically letting go of the past.

It’s the dawn of a new beginning, and the start of a new adventure. I’m ready and I’m so stoked.

Kids Yoga Camp 2008

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Practice your own letting go ritual this weekend: 

Write down anything and/or everything that has upset you. Then, as soon as you are done writing, destroy the paper by burning or shredding it.

Cleaning out closets and storage boxes can also be liberating. 

Then, take time to be silent so inspiration can come.

Happy Happy New Year. May peace and joy prevail.

Embracing Change

I have a big announcement... I sold my yoga studio.

It seems strange to see those words and even stranger to say them out loud. But it's true. After being the sole proprietor of Om West Holistic Centre for five years, I am choosing a new path. This is no doubt a huge change for me and it was a difficult decision. I have spent 17 years at this yoga centre.

My yoga life began in the dimly lit, carpeted studio at 46 Ste Anne Street in Pointe Claire Village, which is about 25km west of downtown Montreal. It was circa 1996 and no one cool had ever tried yoga expect maybe the Beatles 30 years prior. I'm an awkward teenager working part-time for Gigi, the owner of said yoga studio. With her encouragement/enforcement, my friend and I start practicing Ashtanga yoga with Mark Darby, who is fresh from India and impatient with awkward teenagers. (By the way, Darby is now a renown world-traveling yoga teacher, but he had his Western debut at Gigi's humble little studio, as did several other yoga masters.) For some reason, I stick with ashtanga yoga, although I distinctly remember not having much affinity towards it back then. 

A few years later, at age 18 or 19, I end up on a deserted island in British Colombia learning yoga from Claire, a spirited 24-year-old who had taught yoga in Costa Rica. I'm mesmerized by her soulful beauty and I wanted to be like her, so because of her prompting, I started teaching yoga to kids. The summer ends and I'm back in Pointe Claire. Gigi puts me in charge of the kids yoga program at her Centre. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I borrow a book from the library and I make it up as I go along. (Admittedly, making things up as I go is a tactic I continue to rely on to this day!)

Two years later and I'm in Australia for a year. I'm at RMIT university. I am teaching adult yoga, and I attempt to record my first yoga cd (alone in a basement radio booth). It's January 2003 and I'm back again at the Centre in Pointe Claire Village. Gigi convinces me to stay in Montreal and manage her centre. Good call, because in the year I was Down Under, North Americans go crazy for yoga. My evening classes quickly overflow. Pretty soon and I'm all over the place teaching 6000 classes a week and I LOVE IT, but I don't really have much formal training. So after briefly flirting with the idea of moving to Norway, I commit to living in Montreal for another year, and register for Mark Darby and Hart Lazer's 200 hour yoga teacher training. It's there I meet my best yogi friends Mark Laham and Jamie Lee. I'm extremely tempted to follow Mark's path of nomade yoga teacher, but when Jamie decides to buy Yoga Source, a studio in the South Shore, getting a studio of my own seems like a good idea. In 2005, Gigi offers to sell me her studio. I say, no. When she asks again in 2006, I say, yes, and acquire a bank loan.


I discover that owning a studio is a lot more complex than managing one part-time. Argumentative staff, a dissatisfied client, and big bills, there are moments I am sick with anxiety and stress. Someone says, "Why don't you try some yoga? Ha Ha," and I want to kill him or her. However, I then find Marianne, a wonderful mothery manager, who helps me get organized. A few years go by. The studio grows, and my responsibilities continue to increase. I'm overwhelmed and I really can't think straight. I need guidance. 

I find Lisa Lajoie, a spiritual mastermind, and she and I become pals. "I'm not sure if I want all these responsibilities, and I'm not sure I'm meant to be a yoga teacher. Sometimes, I feel like I poser..." I rhapsodize. Lisa and I talk a lot. But I still I don't know what to do. I pray for inspiration. I meditate. I write. I decide to embark on an inner pilgrimage, a mala of 108 practices. On April 15, Lisa suggests I start on the 108th day of the year, which is three days later. I protest I'm not prepared, but she shoots me her 'Don't mess with me' look, so I go home and freak out all night. Nevertheless, on the morning of April 18, 2010, I start my journey of 108 daily sun salutations in company of my friend Ron Cherilus and some of the students of Om West. 


Of course, what transpires next, are the 108 days of surya namasker that are already outlined in the pages of this blog. During this time, it becomes increasingly oblivious to me that I no longer want to run a yoga centre. But I feel like a mother afraid to admit she is too young to raise a child, so I keep my mouth shut, and force my way through hours of tedious administrative tasks. The 108 days end with a 32 hour consecutive yoga marathon at Om West. It's the most amazing experience of my life. I am doing my favourite thing in the world, I'm in my studio, and I'm surrounded by my favourite people. I am so in love with each moment. I don't want to let it go. 


Marianne and I part ways in the fall and Tasreen joins me as studio manager. Working with Tas is great. Along with my new business advisor, Blair, we implement procedures and systems. I'm learning a lot about business, and the studio is becoming busier. Sales are going up, but I still feel burdened with decisions and tasks. By Christmas, it's clear I need a radical change. At first, I think getting a partner would be helpful, and I toy with this concept for a few months. Unfortunately, a good partnership candidate fails to appear, so I start exploring other options. I sign-on, then quickly sign-off with a business broker. He doesn't understand the needs of the studio, and I'm determined to find someone who will care, really care about the well being of my Centre and the students who come there. My goal is to find new owners before I turn 30. I don't know the first thing about selling a business. With no broker and no leads, I worry, then I pray and meditate. 


What follows is rather serendipitous. One quiet Friday afternoon in May, I get a Marma Point Massage from Antoine. Afterward, we sit and have tea. He tells me how much he and his wife, Pamela, love Om West, and he says that if I ever consider selling it, to tell him first as they would be very interested. From there, we meet and exchange non-disclosure agreements. I spend the summer organizing more paperwork that I have in my entire five years of business ownership. But then things fall into place, and here I am. Pamela and Anotine will officially take my place as owners Jan. 1, 2012, and I will stay on to teach a few regular classes at Om West.

I have to say, it feels good to share this story. I am grateful beyond words to my parents, my boyfriend Craig, my teachers, my advisors, who have been there for me every step of the way. I have learned so much and grown so much. I feel I understand business now and I want to help other yogi entrepreneurs. I am a little nervous, but also excited, about what lies ahead.


I'm turning 30 in about two and half weeks, and apart from celebrating with family and friends, all I want is a skeleton. So if you happen to know where I can get one, or if you happen to have a spare, can you let me know? 


Thanks. 

Yoga Holidays

Namaste!

Thank you for following my blog posts and connecting with me. I am taking the summer off from the blog-o-sphere to work on my upcoming yoga dvds and to revamp my website. BUT please come join me on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/yasyoga

Everyday, I offer small blurbs via Facebook about food, germs, breathing, postures, blissful adventures, ayurveda, and more. (Btw, I finished ayurvedic practitioner school just two weeks ago!)


+ Alternatively, find me in person and let's practice together!

West Island Schedule @ Om West

Westmount Schedule @ Vic Park

Have a wonderful summer!

The Royal Wedding

{Note to reader: For full effect, engage a posh British accent to review to this textt.}

Countess Yasmina Krystyna Von Ashtanga Yoga here reporting on the Royal Wedding...

What a lovely, lavish, luxury to be privy to this historical event today, this day, being the Royal nuptial of HRH Prince William and his beautiful bride Miss Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. A smashing dress, a bunch of trees, some Christmas carols, a quick kiss, and a three-year-old bridesmaid, who adoringly covered her ears, as the crowd in front of Buckingham Palace was just a bit too much for her to bare sans ear plugs. Shortly after the service at Westminster Abbey and the Queen's Breakfast (I sat with Elton), I begged pardon of her Majesty for I simply had to depart. I had pressing matters to attend to in my land of Om-West-alot.  The Monarch understood, of course, given that tonight, this night, in the grand land of Om-West-alot was shhhhheduled an extraooorrrrdinary Ashtanga Yoga Conference accompanied by the live performance of the esteemed Sir James Olmstead of Percussion. Graciously, the Queen lent me her enchanted Royal Winged Horse and I arrived right at the cusp of the hour in time to greet my court. And all was well and good.

The End.

-------------------------------------------------

All right... Jokes aside for now. I know all this Royal Wedding hoopla is over the top and super fromage, but with all the doom and gloom projected in the news these days, it's kinda nice to have something else to focus on for a day or two, I mean now that the Habs are out of the playoffs. Right? (psst: did you catch the hockey reference?)

I'm really no wedding dreamer, and I don't even own a TV, but even I got a little caught up in the festivities today. (Clearly.) Here's what really went down: 

After teaching a sun and moon salutations practice at a big, fun lululemon event in Montreal last night, I drove over to my parents' house or a sleepover. As mentioned, I don't own a TV, so my mom  had proposed a sunrise Royal Wedding date on her couch. At the crisp hour of 5:30am, we were up. Reluctantly at first, my dad joined us too, but he came dressed for the occasion. See the Gordie Gow English Wedding bonnet below:

(Knock offs of the splendid Gordie Gow Royal Wedding Bonnet are in the works right now, says a source.)

After the long anticipated kiss, we all enjoyed homemade pancakes fait par maman and then it was off to Om West for yoga teaching at 9:30am. But this time, I wore my best Royal Wedding Chapeau and pearls to the amusement of my students. (See adove and below.)

Tonight was Ashtanga Yoga to live music played by James Olmstead. Another packed house, but this time no one had to practice in the hall.

So all and all, a good day with a good excuse to play!

What did you get up to?
Your thoughts?

Cookies & Music for yogis

Things are progressing nicely with the Moon Salutations. I am actually working on a little video to show you a clip of my practice, but it's not ready yet.  So meanwhile, here's a vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe from Emilie Brunet, one of my yoga teacher trainees at Om West:

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 cup coconut butter, almond butter (or margarine)
• 1 1/2 cup natural crane sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cup flour (spelt, whole wheat, or kamut)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, beat margarine, both sugars, applesauce and vanilla until well blended.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
5. Add the chocolate chips and mix well distributing them evenly.
6. Drop balls of dough on non-stick cookie sheets. 

7. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges have browned.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies. Yum Yum.

-----------------------------

I've also been meaning to share my new favorite playlist of yoga tunes. This was complied by Bruce Chase Dunn, another teacher trainee. It's such an amazing mix. (Maybe one of you blog supporters might be able to create an YouTube playlist of these tracks or another cool playlist for us to practice to??? I hear this is possible...)

Bruce's Radio Om mix

1. Visions of you - Jah Wobble
2. Walking thru babylon - Thievery Corp.
3. Teardrop - Massive Attack
4. The Stopper - Cutty Ranks
5. I Hear Vibrations - Wooden Shjips
6. Holographic Universe - Thievery Corp.
7. One More Dub - The Clash
8. Two Sevens Clash - Culture
9. First Snow - Emancipator
10. Clap + form your soul - Damu
11. Lagos Communique - Thievery Corp.
12. Regiment - Eno + Bvrne
13. Angel - Massive Attack
14. Seen + not seen - Talking Heads
15. Keep On Runnin' - Cat Power
16. House of Cards - Radio Head 
17. Pink Moon - Nick Drake

-----------------------

If you have any other cookie recipes or playlists to share, please post them. Craig is a cookie monster and I am forever looking for cool music to practice to.

+ April 18th is just around the corner. This will mark the last day of my 54 day Moon Salutations and the one year anniversary of the 108 x 108 day practice. I would like to do something really cool and I want you all involved. Any ideas?

My Baba & the Lineage of our Teachers

OM
VANDE GURUNAM CARANARAVINDE
SANDARSITA SVATMA SUKHAVA BODHE
NIH SREYASE JANGALIKAYAMANE
SAMSARA HALAHALA MOHASANTYAI

ABAHU PURUSAKARAM
SANKHACAKRASI DHARINAM
SAHASRA SIRASAM SVETAM
PRANAMAMI PATANJALIM
OM

In Ashtanga yoga, we say a Sanskrit chant before each class to pay respect to the lineage of yoga teachers dating back to Patanjali, the 'divine descendant', who, as legend has it, wrote the Yoga Sutras. 

My take on this tradition is that since yoga teachers have many forms and anyone who has touched our heart is a yoga teacher, the chant honors all the people who have guided us and contributed to our lives. In the prayer, we recognize the wisdom of our teachers, but we also recognize that the wisdom of our teachers comes from their teachers, so we also honor our teachers' teachers'  and teachers teachers' teachers'... And with this humbling intention, we begin our practice.

It's in these tender moments that I always acknowledge my maternal grandmother, who in many ways influenced my path as a yoga teacher. She died ten years ago this weekend. She wasn't a yoga instructor per se, and as far as I know, she never practiced asana, but my grandmother was a guru, my guru. We called her "Baba" or "Babs." This was easier for us three grand-kids to say than 'Babcia', the Polish word for grandmother. (Ironically, "Baba" is also an honorific term used in Hindi and mark of respect to refer to Sufi saints.)  Nevertheless, my Baba's real name was Krystyna. 

My mom and grandmother Baba

To mark this significant anniversary of my Baba's passing, we are currently hosting an art retrospective of more than 60 of her paintings, graphics, and weavings at my yoga studio. It's was my mom's idea to transform Om West into a gallery, and the exhibit is incredible. Her talent is remarkable, and I am proud and honored to be able to present my grandmother's work to our community of yogis and friends.

Born in Białystok, Poland on August 21, 1919, my grandmother was fiercely courageous, strong willed and direct.  She and my grandfather (who passed away in 1974) immigrated to Canada shortly after World War II and settled in Sherbrooke, two hours south east of Montreal, where they raised my mother and her two siblings. Baba loved her garden, her art, her cat, her family and coveted her independence and freedom.

My grandmother taught me about nature, energy, creativity, intuition, and spirituality. Curiously, Baba was a clairvoyant. Although she would rarely talk about it, she did say that strong intuition was  a  gift that many of the women in her family shared.  Deeply spiritual, Baba was devoted to the teachings of Jesus. However, in later years, Baba was also interested in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, and became a follower of Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian guru. As a kid, she exposed me to various meditation temples and ashrams, which was the ideal preparation for me as a teacher of yoga and meditation.

Thinking of Baba now and observing her powerful artwork on the walls of my studio,  I'm overcome with emotion, which is hard for me to express. I wish I had asked her more questions when she was alive, but I am making up for it now. I talk to her in thought and prayer and I occasionally feel as though she is really close to me particularly when I'm sitting alone about practice, and oddly, when I taste dill, because she used to put it on everything.  

As mentioned, at beginning of the Ashtanga chant, I usually invoke her memory, and sometimes I get so caught up in thoughts about her, I actually forget the words to the Sanskrit  ashtanga chant! Thankfully, my students understand that I'm a bit quirky when it comes to the order of things and discerning my rights and lefts, so someone is always quick to fill my long awkward pause.

Me posing with Baba's abstract work from the 60s & 70s

My brother Stefan, my mother Marta and cousin Kalil

My cousin and I keep checking who owns what so we know
who we have to negotiate with to acquire the pieces we want.

Studio 2 features Baba's landscapes, which she switched to in the early 80s.

Baba's landscapes from the 80s & 90s

A portrait of my grandmother with a letter from Quebec Premier Jean Charest,
expressing his condolences upon Baba's death.

Kocham cie, Babs.

Sleeping City in the Sun

It's a gloriously bright sun-shining Sunday, but Montreal is asleep recuperating from the city's 8th annual "Nuit Blanche" (White Night) festivities. The whole town went nocturnal: museums open until 3am, music on the streets, open air swimming at the Bonventure Hilton, and over a hundred art installations.

I have a hard time staying up uber late, but despite urge to crawl under the covers at 11pm, Craig  forced me to put on long underwear and venture out into the cold in search for adventure. We caught one of the free "Nuit Blanche" shuttle buses and headed to the Redpath museum for its famed 'midnight flash light' tours. Having missed the opportunity to explore this historic McGill museum in past years, I was excited to see dinosaur bones and stuffed creatures in the dark. But alas, after standing in line for 20 mins in negative 15, we were turned away due to over capacity. Oh well, next year.

We walked down McGill College to Indigo bookstore where my friend Darryl and his The River Beauty Band were performing. I love coffee table books, so it was fun listening to live music while turning pages of Andrew Zuckerman's photography, travel guides in Scotland and Marilyn Moore retrospectives.

Our last stop was the McCord Museum of History, where the party was packed with grinning adults. You see, there is a large interactive toy exhibition with a massive homage to Lego. There were even stations set up for play, so visitors constructed DNA coils, an Eiffel tour and even a Where's Waldo. On display were Lego replicas of the Millennium Falcon, the Twin Towers and a whole Lego city. Enough to bring out the child in everyone. 

We were home around 2:30am. A good effort on our parts, but I'm sure the celebrations continued until sunrise this morning.

I sometimes wish I was a better party person. The night intrigues me, but I have such a hard time staying awake past midnight. I suppose it doesn't help that my days are also packed with activity and it's near impossible for me to sleep in. (It's 8:30am and here I am typing away my thoughts!)

Yesterday afternoon, I did my fourth consecutive day of lunar series in the Lululemon window on Ste Catherine Street (more on that later) and then I co-hosted a cinema night at Om West, which was pretty cool.  We projected a film called "Time Wave 2013", a really interesting doc about the Incas and the prophecies surrounding 2012, the end of the Mayan Calender. Curious stuff...

That's it for now. I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day off-- maybe brunch on Laurier with coffee (a rare treat), followed by window shopping around my Mile End hood, then Moon Salutes!

Day 54/365...

Sorry I've been slacking on the blog front. I've been very involved in teaching and course development at my Om West Studio. I'm working on some cool stuff.  Nevertheless, yesterday, I had a thought. Wednesday is the 54th day of the year... So, I'm thinking, how about 54 sun sals for 54 days this year?  It's just six weeks. Could be fun.

Wanna join me?

Brrrr it's cold out there!

I'm back in Montreal. Quel différence en température! Quite the shock going from +30 to -30 degrees Celsius within 24 hours! We arrived on the coldest day of the year, which I believe was -42 with wind chill. It seemed like the minute we landed, my skin dried up, my lips became chapped, and everything started aching.

I know, boo hoo... I'm really grateful to have been able to spend two weeks in Caribbean. And it's warmer now in Montreal. Negative ten never felt so hot!

As promised, here's the recently launched video number two for January. It features suggestions on what kind of practice with help beat the winter frost and was filmed by Alex Zuno at my studio, Om West, during our holiday yoga practice and veggie potluck on Dec. 12.

Lastly, I need your help. Something very cool is about to happen, but before I can leak the news, we need 1008 Facebook fans to join my Yasmin Yoga page. Can you support? I promise, no bullshit. Here's the link:

YasminYoga FB

Back to the Future of Yoga

Recently, I spent four weeks being my own receptionist while in between studio managers at Om West, my Pointe Claire yoga centre. I noticed within the first week of answering calls and emails that most people wanted the same thing: A course for beginners that would make them feel comfortable and where they would learn how to practice yoga safely without feeling silly.

So, I started teaching a new course this week: Yoga Basics for Beginners! It's a four week program designed to introduce new students to the fundamentals of the yoga practice. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but didn't get around to organizing it until now.

It's great. I have more than a dozen people registered in my Tuesday class and about the same in my Saturday class! Their enthusiasm and keen interest in learning about the practice has totally re-invigorated my teaching.

Having spent so many years leading people through intermediate and advanced practices, posture to posture, I realized I really missed teaching yoga 101. So, this Yoga Basics program is awesome for me as an instructor and great for my studio. After all, there more people out there who don't do yoga then there are avid practitioners. I hope to make this an ongoing thing at Om West.

Here's an excerpt from my handout "Young Yogi here some things you need to know…"

1. There is no right or wrong way to do yoga & anyone can do yoga-- Yoga is an art, a healing science, a lifestyle and mindset and ANYONE can do yoga, regardless of age and ability. The great yoga master, TKV Desikachar, wrote in The Heart of Yoga: “The starting point is never the teacher’s needs but those of the student. This requires many different approaches; there is not just one approach for everybody (…) It is not that the person needs to accommodate him- or herself to yoga, but rather the yoga practice must be tailored to fit each person.”
2. Practice on an empty stomach-- Meals should be taken at least 90 mins prior to practice, so you digest fully and avoid eating heavy food. A small snack before practice is ok, especially for diabetics, hypoglycemics or pregnant women.
3. “Don’t make and Asana of yourself," (David Swenson, Ashtanga Yoga Master)-- The original intent of the yoga practice has little to do with yoga postures (‘asana’). Yoga postures are meant to build strength, stamina and increase flexibility so that the practitioner can maintain a steady pose for long periods of time without discomfort. So as senior yogi Hart Lazar says: “Let go of competition, especially with yourself at a younger age!”
4. Breathe-- The breath is key. It's the life of the pose! In yoga, we breathe in & out through the nose during regular asana practice. My basic rule: if you can’t breathe in a pose, you are in too deep!
   
5. Seek stability before flexibility-- Be sure that you are stable & grounded in a pose before seeking depth or a greater “stretch”. You don’t build a house without a solid foundation, so think of your postures in the same way.
6. When not to go upside down-- Inverted postures, like shoulderstand, are not recommended during menstruation as there is a natural downward flow of energy during this time and reversing this flow can disrupt the cycle. (It can also cause a flood!)
7. Keep the potpourri out of the studio-- Refrain from wearing perfume, cologne or essential oils when practicing with a group, because these smells get stronger the more you sweat and this can be distracting, not only for you, but also for everyone around you.
   
8. About chanting-- Most classes begin and/or finish with OM chanting. “OM” isn’t a word. It’s a vibrational sound that helps release tension from the body and helps to connect to the breath and the body. Ashtanga classes traditionally start with an invocation in Sanskrit which pays tribute to the lineage of teachers past & present. Other yoga styles may also chant as part of the practice.
   
9. What’s “Namaste”?-- Most yoga classes finish with a gesture and the saying “Namaste.” In Sanskrit this means: “I honor the divine spirit within you and recognize that this is the same spirit that is in me."
10. Better out that in-- It’s possible to feel a little sensitive or emotional after your practice. This is normal, as yoga and meditation dislodge deep tensions from the mind and body. Clear the residual tension by resting, drinking a soothing tea/water, eating good food and practicing again tomorrow!

However, most importantly, find what’s right for you. Have fun and enjoy your practice. There are many different types of yoga and many different teachers. It’s important to discover what and who resonates with you, and this may change over time. In fact here some web directories to help you find yoga classes near you:

www.yogamontreal.com
www.yogadirectorycanada.com
www.yogafinder.com