The practice of yoga has less to do with your ability to do a headstand and more to do with your personal experience on this journey. After working with so many yoga students, I'm bringing their questions to the Yoga Inspiration Podcast and answering them here. It's a new style of episode, and I think it will be a great way to bring the yoga community even closer together.

I have been practicing and teaching yoga for over 20 years, and I see so many yoga students who think they cannot practice Ashtanga due to skill level or inflexibility. I know from firsthand experience that that is just not the case. I never did anything physical in my life before stepping into my first yoga class. And, after just a single year of practice, I traveled to Mysore, India, to learn more about the yoga path.

I'm sharing this story because it's essential for every yoga student to know that you don't have to practice for decades before traveling to Mysore. You don't have to stop practicing because of an injury or arthritis. And you don't have to avoid the yoga mat because you think you're inflexible.

Becoming more flexible is one benefit of yoga, but it doesn't happen in the way you'd think. You aren't bending and stretching your body every which way to achieve flexibility. Instead, we start with the breath. Calming your breath calms the nervous system, which eases both the mind and the body. In this relaxed state, your body becomes more naturally flexible. Turning your practice into a routine will increase this flexibility.

If you're interested in learning how to be more flexible on the yoga mat, the answers to these student questions should help you out. If you want to become more flexible, join me on January 1st for the January Yoga Challenge. I am inviting every inflexible individual to practice with me. Each day this month will feature a new yoga class with tips and tricks to improve your flexibility.

Yoga classes are suitable for beginners and all levels. Sign up for the January Yoga Challenge at Omstars.com & use code: PODCAST to get your free 30-day membership. Keep up with the January Yoga Challenge at @omstarsofficial.

Follow me on Instagram @kinoyoga and visit my blog at Kinoyoga.com. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me at [email protected]. Ask a question and share what you've learned on your yoga journey. You could be invited to guest spot on The Yoga Inspiration Podcast.