Yoga on any budget

I took my first yoga class at a woman's only gym around 1997. I remember feeling stiff, and did not find it easy, but felt comfortable trying it. For the following years, my only "teacher" was a set of Rodney Yee VHS tapes.

In the early 2000s I'd take sporadic yoga classes around the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area, and all three classes I'd take were taught by men in their 40's or 50's. Looking back, I wonder how that shaped my idea about how yoga should be or look like.

In 2003 I went to Honduras for two years in the Peace Corps. I brought this BKS Iyengar book with me, which was my new teacher. I guess I brought a mat with me, but definitely didn't have any yoga props or leggings. I usually practiced upon waking, so I'm sure I practiced in my pajamas. During this time I asked my parents to send me Yoga Journal magazine, and I'd read that cover to cover, including the back part that listed all the studio names in NYC.

When I moved to NYC in 2005, I was so excited to go to these studios that I had read about in magazines. I couldn't afford classes, so initially took community classes at Cindi Lee's OM Yoga, and also earned a couple classes per week by working in their work exchange program.

I share all this because I wanted to show that anyone, anywhere, and with any budget can practice yoga. I imagine the online options are overwhelming nowadays, but there's really something out there for everyone. You can choose whether you want a practice that's focused on physical poses, breathing, relaxation, or meditation.

What you learn will last a lifetime, and hopefully be practiced that lifetime.