Deborah York’s Yoga Guidelines 

• Bare feet are best.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
• Have a sticky mat, blanket and water.
• Never hold your breath.  Move into your stretch on the exhale-let up slightly on the inhale and then on your next exhale take your stretch deeper being sensitive to your body sensations, feeling and experiencing your edge.
• Never strain or struggle to get into a pose.  Be energetic, but move gently and steadily then, once in the pose, hold very still and observe body sensations, breath and mind.  Never force or strain in a pose.
• Avoid comparing, competing, judging, aim to increase self-awareness and deepen breath; soften inside, let go, relax into your stretch.
• Once you find your edge, explore, modify and adjust your moves that honor where you are in that moment. Trust your inner guidance and respect your body. 
• Notice if your mind is identifying with pain and being limited by the discomfort.  Choose to breathe into the sensations, visualize the muscles lengthening, let go, relax.  It is OK to let up, sometimes less is more.
• Create a sacred space for self-reflection by observing silence. 
• Since you will be following these videos without an instructor present it is very important that you take charge of your body and understand it’s limits. Always feel free to modify a pose. If a pose does not feel healthy for you then do not do that pose.
• You may want to keep a journal on what new awareness’s came to you during your practice and log how long your practice was and what poses you did.

Remember how you are being on your yoga mat can be a reflection of who you are being in your daily life at work and home.  Are you being fully present, being a witness to your experience with your body, aware of your thoughts-feelings?  Is your mind being judgmental, resistant, or identifying with pain/discomfort and you want to run, quit or blame etc.  Are you being creative in your modifications and a warrior that breathes through discomfort?  Are you being a warrior that is discovering inner joy, peace and grace?

Above All be SAFE and enjoy the experience.