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Leaving for a new space. http://edreahzy.weebly.com

Hi all, I will be posting up a new link soon! :) It will just be a shift and not a good bye. Will keep you updated! :) Thanks for liking my post on board tumblr and following me, will hope the same follows when i shift. :) ------------------- THE LINK IS UP AND WORKING!! My humble site: http://edreahzy.weebly.com

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IMPERMANENCE

THINK CHANGE

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POSTURE

Its something we live in everyday, every hour and right down to when we are asleep. It even boils right down to the mannerism we bring out and tells millions about an individual if you were to observe closely. However, it is something that is often easily neglected and forgotten about. It is however really important as you know how the first few minutes set the very first impression!! I hence decided that this weeks blog post will be about POSTURE. What I mean by posture does not limit itself to just one part of the body , but the whole body as one entity. From the stance we maintain, to the way we sit and right down to movement. As our body is interconnected in many way intrinsically, we tend to forget or neglect the mini parts and merely focus on the BIG PICTURE. There is way way much more that i can go into about this but trust me, i'd be writing a book and probably boring you to tears if i did. Hence, instead of boring you out with the technicalities, all I am trying to highlight is to bring more AWARENESS to yourself. From the way you walk , stand, sit and even go to sleep, right down to simple hand movements, facial expressions etc. All this little intrinsic movements create muscle memory when done regularly over some time. This is the reason why every single individual on this planet is different from the very person next to them besides just the fingerprints. Its just that we dont see them externally all the time. Ever wonder why some people are more flexible or stiff? or even have that certain stature or air that they are able to maintain. It boils down to all this small little habits and mannerisms. When you have the time that is, it is a really interesting thing to study and is honestly not that costly to begin with . Just grab a spot with lots of passerby and there you have it , your subjects to study. All it cost is time and observation. Little notions you could take note of is the swinging of hands while walking. The dragging of feet and leg motion. the way an individual carries their bags. so...what are you waiting for. START OBSERVING and it could kickstart you off to thinking while you are.. well, reading this right now.

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Technology.

Reason why i chose to write about this is because I was seeking a little ME time that day prior to yoga . I chose to hang ard my favorite Starbucks about town. Gone were my favorite CD shop nearby belting out the tunes and it was replaced with SAMSUNG. I was alright, brought my own playlist and was listening to it while enjoying my breakfast. Took in the sights along to the tunes of acoustic songs. I always enjoyed people watching here. The next thing that got my attention was when i was looking around and observing but was all i was surrounded was by people bogged down by their ... LAPTOPS HANDPHONES TABLETS Not a single one was engaged in a conversation even if they came with company. And it really got me thinking, how attached we are to our devices we would unknowingly check it several times a day as though our lives depended on it . The amount of reliance we have with it till yes, to link with Yoga, we bring it into the classes. As much as I do love technology and the many benefits, I still need a one hr time out from it sometimes. It helps me to stay in touch with who i am , where i am at and not get lost with the pace or happenings of life. Trust me i used to be the very individual who brought my phone to classes to tell the time. However, I soon saw the amount of attachment i had to the extent it was well, a dependence. I thus decided to inculcate a practice of not bringing it into class and to devote the one hour to myself. To be able to put down the time for just how long the class is, it soon became more of an escapade for me from the real world. Thats just how important it is to me, to be able to truly connect to myself and give a little time to myself or whoever whose company i am enjoying be it for a meal or a day. I thus encourage all to start practicing a little time out from your techie devices from time to time. It will help you see yourself clearer and perhaps enjoy the company you have with you that very moment. P.s I still love facebook and instagram as it helps me keep in connection with my friends from anywhere everywhere, to feel connected to them even when we aren't spending time together. I wont say technology is entirely bad as it helps us achieve efficiency and convenience. All i am rooting for is a BALANCE. Sometimes, less is more, and we all need a little of everything, good or bad .

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the issue about sheer yoga pants.

The reason flake has garnered around the issue of yoga pants has since arisen due to the lululemon sheer incidence. I know its been sometime since it has happened and I seem pretty dated to write about this now. Well, simply because I think sheerness does not limit itself to lululemon. The only reason why it has received so much flake coupled with a drop in share prices and reputational lost is because they have been producing quality products for mainly the bendy yogis ard town where this issue was of no issue. Till then , reports pointed to a couple of reasons, one of those i observed was inconsistent quality in comparison to those of yesteryear. The other would be diversifying into too many factories across our region, namely Singapore, Indonesia, Sri Lanka , Philippines, Cambodia. Just to name a few. If you observed carefully, you would be able to see cutting and material differentials too. Just did other day, i witness this girl donning her staple chic black lulus from head to toe. She sure stands out in their attire, even when she bends forward. Reason being i could see her in-betweens. This was not done with intention to catch a stare but rather i happen to see it while going into my forward bend. Although she seem to doubt me when i told her after class, well, i would say i did what i could. Reason for my title is that in all my years practicing , the sheer incidence does not limit itself to lulu. In fact other big sports brands do have similar incidences, just that they are catered acrossed all sports and not so centred to just yoga. Some of the brands have probably yet to discover it as their yoga demographics are smaller in general. Generally, my first thumb rules for yoga pants are as follows. wear underwear. ( least if it was sheer, you will be able to cover your vital parts. Seriously , even if you thought it was sexy, i doubt a neighbor of another gender will think so. you are in the YOGA room , not the bedroom. Use your fingers to run through the fabric. you'll be able to see think 1)thickness and 2) quality. try it and bend forward.and LOOK. thats really your best bet . If i do think of anymore tricks, I'll add on. Do you reckon i should write to that big sports group on their pants , hmms ?

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NIYAMAS.नियम

Niyamas work hand in hand with Yamas. It is more in line with our thoughts and spiritual side; like our inner rulings of our mind. It is guidelines developed for personal observation and are attitudes we should adopt . The five Niyamas are as per follows: Sauca means purity. It is to maintain a clean slate of mind and thoughts. It has a more literal form which is to maintain our own hygiene. The inner aspect however relates more to keeping our body organs healthy , and also to ensure our thoughts do not stray. It is the removal of the widely known seven sins from our space atop the head. 2. Santosa it is the contentment and level of self fulfillment within. It is to be at peace and contented with what you have irregardless of your circumstances. A good way would be to think of what you have rather than what you lack . 3. Tapas is having the self discipline. It is to maintain an orderly line of thought and intentions to help guide us to our goals; to centre and to cleanse oneself. 4. Svadhyaya means to Self evaluate. It means to intentionally be self-aware in our day-day practices and efforts, to the point of accepting and embracing any limitations. It teaches us to be centered and non-reactive to the dualities, to burn out unwanted and self-destructive tendencies. 5. Isvarapranidhana is embracing of the Spiritual side. This would mean to be attune to the higher beings and their will.It is to recognize the spiritual and for us to align ourselves with the high beings in our thoughts and through our words and actions. It is to recognize that there is some omnipresent force larger than ourselves that is guiding and directing the course of our lives.

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NIYAMAS.नियम

Niyamas work hand in hand with Yamas. It is more in line with our thoughts and spiritual side; like our inner rulings of our mind. It is guidelines developed for personal observation and are attitudes we should adopt . The five Niyamas are as per follows: Sauca means purity. It is to maintain a clean slate of mind and thoughts. It has a more literal form which is to maintain our own hygiene. The inner aspect however relates more to keeping our body organs healthy , and also to ensure our thoughts do not stray. It is the removal of the widely known seven sins from our space atop the head. 2. Santosa it is the contentment and level of self fulfillment within. It is to be at peace and contented with what you have irregardless of your circumstances. A good way would be to think of what you have rather than what you lack . 3. Tapas is having the self discipline. It is to maintain an orderly line of thought and intentions to help guide us to our goals; to centre and to cleanse oneself. 4. Svadhyaya means to Self evaluate. It means to intentionally be self-aware in our day-day practices and efforts, to the point of accepting and embracing any limitations. It teaches us to be centered and non-reactive to the dualities, to burn out unwanted and self-destructive tendencies. 5. Isvarapranidhana is embracing of the Spiritual side. This would mean to be attune to the higher beings and their will.It is to recognize the spiritual and for us to align ourselves with the high beings in our thoughts and through our words and actions. It is to recognize that there is some omnipresent force larger than ourselves that is guiding and directing the course of our lives.

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My first yoga group class of 12! Yes ,I have taken the first step and held the class . It is however limited to just the students. Maybe one day I will have fellow practitioners out of this pool. :) A hundred and thousand apologies to everyone for not following up on my niyamas posting. I wanted to give it a hiatus for a week or two as a moment of silence and respect for the victims , their family and friends. Even those who have been overwhelmed by emotions and thoughts. But i still remembered and am drafting parts of it now! om shanti shanti

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I know my next post this week was suppose to be on yamas. But I have decided to dedicate it to the Boston bombing.

My ♡ goes out to #Boston, the victims , the brave ones who rendered their help in spite of possible danger, the people who had Boston as part of their lives, everyone. Disheartening and traumatic as this incident was, stay strong for those who need us. With that; life is short, learn to be thankful for what you have , even more so what you don’t. Do remember that life is why you make out of it .

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YAMAs and Niyamas

Howdy Yogis! I know I have neglected my little bit of haven for some time. I am truly sorry but I have been planning what i perceive great things for my yoga journey. I am hopefully going to teach a full class soon. :) That is one of the plans which I had to make preparations and prep for . The other, well, lets wait for its launch! I know that many yogis speak of asanas, poses when they talk about the practice of yoga. What I will share today is more on the Practice of yoga off the mat. Try recalling the time you said: I didn't manage to get my practice in today, I was too busy/tired etc. Well, one thing you may not already know is that you can take your practice off the mat. Yoga is not just mere poses , going through the drill. It also involves what I term as Yoga Values. Taking the practice off the mat into the day to day life. I would give a summary of the values, termed as YAMAs and NIYAMAs.The focus of this entry is on Yamas. YAMAs are how we treat things or people around us. The attitudes we maintain to others. 1. Ahimsa – Non-violence It means not to inflict harm unto any living entity. It also means to be maintain consideration to others, be kind in action , thoughtful and responsible. Ahimsa implies that in every situation we should do no harm. 2. Satya – Being Truthful It means "to speak the truth," to be honest. It is not about being truthful to the extent of being blunt, to result in negative consequences. It works hand in hand about being aware of things that are better left said, or unsaid in some circumstances. It encourages honest communication and action to form the foundation of healthy relations. 3. Asteya - Non-stealing It means not to take things that does not belong to us. This does not merely apply to material items but also behavior, such as not taking up the time of others, or to take advantage of those around us. 4. Brahmacharya - Control of the Senses. It means responsible behavior with respect to our goal of moving toward the truth. It regenerate our connection to our spiritual self and to attain the goal of self realisation. 5. Aparigraha - Non-hoarding It means to take only what we need, and not in excess. It is also about taking what we deserved, what we earned. To let go of our attachments to things, expectations at times to moving towards the concept of impermanence, where the only constant is change. See you till then on my post on NIYAMAs.

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Friends & Family: This post is dedicated to everyone. Some younger, some wiser, some kinder, some a little what I would call different. You have all been my teachers who have guided me through my practise both in class and out in the real world. Through your Experiences, memories, skills , what you have seen and the mere interactions shared. Words can't express the amount of gratitude I have for all on and off the mat. Even though some may not know it , simply knowing each and everyone who i am have met to date has simply made me who I am today. (P.S this doesn't just apply to my yogi teachers , brothers and sisters) . I can't thank you enough. With that, NAMASTE.

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#Extended #Hand-to-Big #Toe #Pose ( #Utthita #Hasta #Padangusthasana ) I learnt to stay #ZEN in spite of adversity at work today. While there was pfft-ings etc. from my surroundings. Normally, i would get affected but i remained composed somehow. Thought in the perspective that its perfectly normal when a lion makes his usual roar daily, while its only abnormal when a docile animal like a rabbit makes a fuss.

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ASIAN SUPER-FOODS

I decided to write this as more often then not, when we do a search on super-foods online, what pops are the more western options like flaxseeds, blueberries, avocados, goji berries. and the list goes on. I have thus decided to write on the more eastern types of super-foods. And these are the types that are easily found all over the island of where i live in , SINGAPORE. EDAMAME It is the vegetable type of Soya Beans that you can easily find in Japanese restaurants. Besides being high in nutrients, it provides a natural source of antioxidants and isoflavones. This helps to strengthen your immune system and reduce the chances of getting cancer, heart diseases and lowers your BP. Edamame has no cholesterol, very little saturated fat, and is very rich in protein. A very suitable snacking options for vegetarians as it is a green source of protein. It is also rich in VIT C , B and E and helps increase your fibre intake.Due to its anti-inflammatory qualities, it is a good SUPERFOOD for people with asthma to consume as it also helps decreases inflammation in your breathing passages. The restaurants serve it expensive so what i do at times would be the frozen option they sell in packs and to boil it at home. I do realize that when i do consume this, i feel full but yet it digests rather quickly in my system. Guess it also helps speeds up your bodies metabolism , albeit only temporarily. 2)Roasted Chestnuts This is one SUPERFOOD that is slowly disappearing from the singapore scene. Roasted chestnut vendors are becoming one in a few in Singapore. The readily peeled ones are easily found in supermarkets coated in preservatives. Sometimes i visit the wet market and boil it at home to get it piping hot. Sans the smell of roasted chestnuts , it still tastes as good as the freshly roasted ones, without the slimy preservatives! I guess it all taste better when you have to take effort to peel off the shell. Chestnuts are high in Protein and low in calories!It is in fact lower in terms of calories when we compare them to nuts like macadamia.Protein is also a hunger-suppressing nutrient that may help you lose weight. This SUPERFOOD is not only high in fibre but close to sodium free, which helps you to maintain a good BP and lowers it through the reduction of sodium in your body. A sizable amount of potassium and folate is also present , reducing the risk of heart diseases. 3)GINGKO NUTS Gingko is low in calories and its what my mum likes to get me to eat as she calls in Brain Food. It tastes a little bitter when you do buy the readily cooked ones outside. Sometimes, you see it served in the Chinese style dessert shop but in small amounts. Well, what me and my mom does is to peel the nuts and rid of the mini stem , soft seed within the Gingko. Although it is a very tedious thing to do , it rids the bitter taste of the nut. Asians normally boil this with sweet soup to make it into a tasty dessert. This Gingko nuts are a source of VIT B, which helps us to get energy from the food we consume. Its high level of phosphorus helps to form DNA and helps our body to store and use energy. Gingko helps to improve our circulatory system. However, this SUPERFOOD is one where less is more. It is because it can have a toxic effect on your body when consumed in large amounts. Overconsumption can cause vomiting, abdomen pains and breathing difficulties. This is due to the outer skin that contains toxins. I have not encountered such side effects before, but i have googled and chances of getting GINGKO poisoned is possible. I am not sure if peeling the skin would help reduce the chances. Perhaps it would be great to start in small quantities and to increase thereafter.It is advisable to limit the amount given to children, even though it is a brain food. 4)WOLF-BERRIES I just realized that goji berries and wolf-berries are actually the same thing. Nevertheless i will promote it as a superfood here as i have seen how it helps. My sisters were made to consume it with hot water after they did their Lasik. It did help to maintain and keep their eyes in pristine condition. :) As it is rich in antioxidants, it protects your cells from cancerous growth. Blood sugar is also regulated by this superfood. It would be a good tip to consume the natural ones, rather than the chocolate coated one you find readily available. I however, opt for the chocolate ones as i don't fancy its taste lest its boiled till soft in soups. I cant emphasize how important it is to prevent cancerous cells from being a resident in your bodies. I guess its due to shows that i have watched and they did mention that though an increasing amount of people are getting cancer, there is no exact cure to it besides killing the cells. This is one illness that has no exact medicine , prescription or remedy to heal ourself. Saying that, it is unlike a dislocation which could heal over time. I know there are many illnesses that cures have not been developed for but this is also the one illness that has no exact reason of cause to answer our questions of how did we get cancer. There is also an increasing number of cases year by year. The last and final EASTERN SUPERFOOD! Well, as much as i still have many to write about ranging from green tea, mung beans, barley, multi-grains etc. I will say the final TOP 5 of Asian super food is what we consume on a day to day basis. You can consume a lot of super foods to supplement your health but if your diet was made up of preservative rich , sodium rich and high in cholesterol foods, it wouldn't help much. On the contrary, if we were to consume a good balanced diet, with a little bit of superfood, it would be a holistic balanced approach.

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YOGA GEAR

Recently I have seen several questions on yoga forums about yoga attire. Hence I shall write about it. Many a times, we are in conflict with regards what to wear to a yoga class. Especially when we are just attending a trail class and don't wish to stick out like a sore-thumb. The most Important point that I have thought about would be COMFORT. And comfort that applies to both you and your neighbours. Less is more ? Well it all depends, if you were attending a hot yoga class. This is when it applies. However, not to the extent that you distract your neighbours or expose more than you should. Sports wear, Singlets, Shorts, Yoga Pants, Capris, Tank tops and T-shirts are all possible options. Those that are dry-fit or have sweat wicking abilities would be better. Stretchy materials are a must in order to ease into the poses and not to be bound by limitations of your apparel in some poses. Some things that we often overlook would be wearing white, thin stretchy material in hot yoga class. Some may turn out fine, but at times, coupled with sweat, you may expose a little more than you would like. The other thing we overlook will be tops that are too loose or too tight. They can sometimes expose more than we are comfortable with sharing. Tops may slide out of place if it does not fit well (even in cases of overly snugness), or shorts without lining may expose more than you would expect. As we often fork out quite a bit for our yoga wear, durability is also an issue. It is thus best to pick one that can withstand washes without losing its functions or changing in shape and size. It would be best that your bulges or camel toe does not show through your attire as you might find a regular on the mat behind you when you practice. Just mini tips on sharing what i have witness and to address the doubts of some. P.s one thing i do realise is the practitioners in bikram studios do wear lesser than those in normal studios. ( even those with hot yoga) . hope my mini sharing helps. Feel free to add on more tips that i have overlooked or am not aware of. To a Good Week ahead!

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Appreciate the EVERY LITTLE THING.

HAPPY

DAY! (i sure hope you can tell i was trying to show a V) Hi Everyone, thanks you so much for the likes and follows I have received for the previous post on asanas and poses. It came as an unexpected surprise and will keep me motivated to continue with this tumblr account as I do know I am no longer the sole reader of this blog. My above topic does deviate from the physical aspect about yoga and will dwell on satisfaction with life, with what we have. My V day love post is a little delayed due to some circumstances ( car accident) that I had,but i figured that somewhere across the globe, someone is still celebrating this very day or at least the love for each other. Maybe the accident did make me feel more appreciative because just about everything came out near unscathed in one piece. Often as human beings, we tend to focus on the negative, the things we do not like, what we do not have and sometimes miniscular things that grills us off or simply cause we were upset. I figured that an easier way to make yourself feel better, happier and more satisfied about your current state of life is: to do the things you love and enjoy but not at the expense of others be thankful for what you have , ( from your limbs to being able to wake up ) or don't. ( sometimes less is really more. ) not to let the actions of others affect you. ( I often tell those around me . you let them get to you when they feel nothing at all. ) to forgive and let go. the list still goes on. these are just some of my own ways to let me get through my day. I am sure many of you do have your own ways too. IT IS NOT COMING AT YOU. IT IS COMING FROM YOU. So if we take a little time to create our own positivity, the world will be a much better place. for you . for me. for every individual. Start to observe more and be thankful. You never might know just what you gain out of being more insightful for just a minute.

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Asana / Poses

Decided to blog about this as i met up with two of my closest uni-gfs yesterday. Am really glad that they have picked up yoga ! One of them, Li Ping asked me about camel and mermaid pose. What i will share is my personal opinion on why we are able to ease into some poses yet experience difficulty in some.Its no wonder to me as at some point in time, some of us may start to wonder the The things that popped into my mind were: Muscle Bone Structure Other Flexibility Rigorous attempts Diligence There are some poses that we could do in a breeze and some that we will not be able to manage in this lifetime. Our daily lifestyles and the way we move does have an impact on our bodies , however little we may notice. MUSCLES Taking one of the few examples would be the way we carry our bags. Some of us fancy tote bags, this actually causes an imbalance in the shoulder. Although you may not see it ( difference in level of shoulder) , if you do have an opportunity and are very observant, you can see that some muscles on one shoulder are bigger than the other. As such, as much as bag packs look uncool. They are your very best bet! The muscles we have can help and hinder us in achieving our asanas. We are all built different and this muscles are sometimes overly tight and understretched thus posing as a barrier to achieving the ultimate pose. Under developed muscles can also counteract with the developed ones and thus balance is key. This being said, please please please do not think of pushing it too far to achieve the stretching required. It takes time. Just think of what happen to a rubberband when you pull it too much. It simply snaps. so please apply my slowly and surely theory. BONE STRUCTURE One good example of showing you the bone structure is very evident across all is when we are told to stand up, feets placed together. As you may see, the knees of some would be touching each other. For others, there may be a gap in between their legs. Bone structure can thus be one of the + or - in achieving the pose. FLEXIBILITY I know how many are envious of the flexibility that some possess and helps them ease into a split, both standing and seated. IMO, flexibility is key but not without some strenght. In yoga, both are essential. SOme can possess the flexibility but lack the strenght may have the ability to do a preety warrior 2. However, asking them to hold it for longer in the pose is where the crux of the problem lies. As such, Flexibility is not EVERYTHING. RIGOROUS ATTEMPTS AND DILIGENCE The two words are very interlinked. Some may be very hardworking and do the poses multiple times a day . Yes practice makes perfect and this can be one of the importance factors to achieving that beautiful mermaid pose. However, there are certain poses where we are unable to achieve in this lifetime that could be due to many factors. I met a practitioner once who has been doing several yoga classes a day for several years. Up to date , she is unable to interlace her fingers behind her back and needs the aid of a towel. She didn't know why and was indeed puzzled. I took a look and it was due to her tight shoulders. It was muscular, meaning she had the strength but it was too tight in the front thus having difficulty in interlacing her fingers behind her back . Her chest was not as opened too. As such, sometimes finding the reason why is also key to getting the pose. OTHERS Under others, it would be due to reasons that I am unaware about. Feel free to enlighten me and my readers :) . I deeply feel that lifestyle meaning the way we walk , move , carry our bags and even how we sit. Every little detail has an impact on ourselves, whether we see it or we dont. It like how we asians grew up sitting on the floor, while westerners mostly sat on viking chairs. Crossing our legs are thus easier for us. So pay attention to your every movement . It helps! P.S i am also glad that possible opportunities for me to teach are coming up and hence would need to make plans for it ! Although i was planning to start after securing a job and one other project. I decided that opportunities aplenty when you no longer think of it. So why not since it is number two on my list. Namaste! Sneak Pre on the next post. Probably on YAMAs and NIYAMAs.. till then!

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First lesson anticipations

Well, the reason why I am writing this is because 30-1-13 marks my first day back into the real world . And this reminded me of my first class. The pre class jitters , not knowing what to expect and feeling way too shy to let the teacher know it was my first class. I have learnt however, it is best to let the teacher know so that she can better be prepared and to also guide you along with your practice. If alike me you love hot yoga. It would be good to grab a towel before heading in. And bring along your bottled water too. Some have added preferences to bring their own yoga towels to spread out on the mat for hygiene or anti slip purposes . It would be advisable to eat 2-3 hrs before class . And no stuffing yourself silly with a buffet meal too. Drink plenty of water so that you would not feel dehydrated during the practise. Yoga class etiquette is also necessary. Try to avoid stepping on the mats , except your own. I believe the yoga mats are our own space during the practise and hence would you love someone stepping onto your realm? Please pick a mat wisely and don’t simply switch mats around. Some teachers believe you leave your energy on the 1st mat you sat on. No hand phones please! I am sure you could give yourself just a one hour without technology !;) keep your volumes as low as you could as some need some quiet time to settle in before class. Hope his helps!