Baby Steps And Building Blocks Of Yoga

Rediscovering the Fundamentals at Blue Osa

For the past three weeks, I’ve attended yoga classes pitched at advanced and intermediate levels. I felt proud of myself for keeping up with the challenging asanas. My confidence soared when I managed to pull off a headstand! I thought I had advanced significantly in my practice.

However, when the latest yoga retreat leader arrived at Blue Osa, his approach caught me off guard. Despite being his fifth visit to Blue Osa, this time he focused on teaching the building blocks of yoga to beginners. He outlined his morning class as a two-hour back-to-basics session with plenty of guidance and simple, foundational poses. I’ll admit it—I turned up my nose. I felt too advanced for that now. I even skipped the first class, assuming it wasn’t for me.

Learning the Importance of Yoga Fundamentals

My girlfriend Holly, on the other hand, embraced the idea. After attending the first class, she couldn’t stop raving about how she had been doing Downward-Facing Dog incorrectly for years. Curiosity got the better of me, and the next day, I joined the class. I sat on my mat, ready to learn. To my surprise, I discovered that I had skipped the foundational building blocks of yoga, diving straight into more advanced poses without a solid base.

The class began with a few Sun Salutations to warm up, followed by a deep dive into the Warrior series—Warrior I, II, III, and IV. We spent two hours focusing on proper alignment and muscle engagement in each pose. By the end of the session, my muscles burned. I realized that I had overlooked fundamental techniques while rushing into advanced asanas.

Building Blocks of Yoga: Filling In the Gaps

After class, I shared my concerns with the instructor, David. He reassured me by using a beautiful metaphor: Yoga practice is like painting. I had drawn the basic sketch but needed to fill in the fine details. This insight made me see the importance of revisiting foundational poses, regardless of experience level.

The next day, I felt re-energized and focused. David guided us through advanced variations of the Warrior poses—Humble Warrior, Side Angle, Extended Side Angle, Reverse Warrior, and more. He emphasized proper muscle engagement and balance, which alleviated strain on my lower back. The building blocks of yoga suddenly made sense; I understood how creating a strong foundation made complex poses safer and more effective.

Progressing Through the Building Blocks of Yoga

David’s classes offered a balance of theory and practice. He used visual aids, like Blue Osa’s resident skeleton ‘Mr. Bones,’ to explain anatomy and alignment. As the week progressed, we explored new poses and revisited foundational ones. We even practiced headstands and partnered yoga, fostering a spirit of playfulness while deepening our understanding of the building blocks of yoga.

David wrapped up the retreat with a moving pool meditation. We walked around the pool in silence before meditating in the water, using the buoyancy to feel more relaxed. This creative approach to meditation helped me clear my mind with ease.

Embracing the Beginner Mindset

Reflecting on my month at Blue Osa, I now see the value in revisiting the building blocks of yoga. Advanced poses and flashy transitions lose meaning without a strong foundation. I’ll always appreciate my early instructors for challenging me, but I’m grateful to have had the chance to go back to square one and truly understand the basics. Reconnecting with the building blocks of yoga not only improved my technique but also made me a more mindful practitioner.

About The Author

Chris Barkess is a blogger and aspiring author in his thirties. He also drives trains in his hometown of Newcastle, England.

His love of travelling brought him together with his fiancé, Holly, another like-minded travel nut, and the love of his life. Together they embarked on an adventure in 2015 to explore Latin America where they fell in love with Blue Osa Yoga Retreat & Spa.

Aside from writing – his undisputable first love, Chris enjoys reading, running, football, and being fully immersed in nature. He is a self-proclaimed Stephen King fanatic.

Chris admits to having been initially sceptical and openly dismissive of Yoga until he realised the benefits it had to offer him; physically, mentally and spiritually. He now recognises the depths to his ignorance.

“The ultimate ignorance is rejecting something you know nothing about, yet refuse to investigate” – Dr. Wayne Dyer