Beauty is Never Skin-Deep
The fantasy begins every time a woman opens a beauty magazine. Long tousled curls fall perfectly over suntanned shoulders.
 Sultry lips merely enhance the inner âcome hitherâ confidence we all yearn for.
 Thumbing the pages we look for what make-up best suits our skin tone and what colors lie ahead for winter. If by chance there is a recipe, we tear it out.Â
 Oh, the plight of the âeverydayâ woman.
 Red light! Stop, look, listen! It doesnât have to be that way.
We can all enhance our outer appearance. It is the first thing we see in the morning mirror.
 Say hello to plumped-up lips. Say goodbye to frown lines. Laser away the days before SPF. The right clothes hide a multitude of sins. Eating healthy is a given. Walking after work is a wonderful stress buster.Â
 We have another beauty. One that is more subtle and overlooked in the hustle bustle of life. The inner beauty is psychological and more difficult to tap into.
  Go to yoga. The standard complaint, âI canât do that, itâs too hard, itâs too boringâ. Yes, you can!Â
 Start slow, gestation takes nine months. Give yourself six. Find a class that fits your experience level and commit to go three times a week. Make it a priority. Tell your boyfriend, husband or kids that it will make you a better, happier person.
 Yoga is not a fashion show. The first rule is âleave your ego at the doorâ.
 Stick to your budget. Yoga clothes are close to the body so as not to get in the way of the postures. You can find what you need at most department stores, Target, Gap, Nike, Roots, yoga studios, and other stores that sell athletic clothing.
  For hygienic reasons, I recommend you buy your own mat. The more cushion the better, but not squishy.Â
 Bring water and a towel, now youâre ready. Let the instructor know youâre new to yoga and if you have any prior injuries or health issues.
 Listen carefully to the instructions, watch others when you get confused, and leave your impatience at the door with your ego.
 Yoga will strengthen your body from the inside out. I have had men in my classes who canât hold the top of a push up, called plank pose. When was the last time you did a push-up? Youâll learn in yoga. Great core work!
 Your muscles will elongate. Imagine tying your laces without bending your knees. If you donât own shoes with laces drop a pen and pick it up. Did you bend your legs? Your hamstrings and lower back are married. They fight with each other when one or the other, or both are tight. When they loosen up they have a much better relationship. Your hips will be thankful, too. Theyâre caught in the middle. Sounds like an analogy for life.
 As you progress yoga works every body part, comprehensively.Â
 The first two ingredients to this new beauty regime are breath and focus. It quiets the mind so you can attend to your movements without wondering whose texting on your silenced phone. Focus means listen to  your instructor and your body will follow and do what it can. Stop when you need to. Competition is left at the door with ego and impatience.
 Each time you go, you get stronger, bendier, and more confident. After a while your body takes âshapeâ. The âyoga bodyâ is lean, tight, and defined. Love handles dissolve when you have a consistent triangle and reverse warrior practice.
 Beauty is born from the inside out.
 Sprinkled with humorous axioms or obvious truisms, class becomes a place where you mentally deconstruct your patterned thinking about life outside those doors. The clichĂ© âbody-mindâ becomes a nuance for self-love and self-acceptance.
 Add a side of meditation to dust out the cobwebs and any stray thoughts.
 Voila! The refurbished you will strut your newfound beauty.
 Maintenance has already discarded ego, impatience, and competition. Youâll have less to carry home.
  Now that youâve decided to give it a try, where do you go?
  In and around the Beverly Hills area, yoga is offered at the various health clubs.
 The Sports Club LA at 9601 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills offers upwards of 30 classes a week.
 LA Fitness Health Club offers yoga classes throughout the day at three locations within a four mile distance from Beverly Hills: 10921 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, 5950 Wilshire Blvd in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles, and 1833 S, La Cienega Blvd in Los Angeles.
 Equinox Health Club at 10220 Constellation Blvd in Century City offers morning, afternoon and evening yoga classes throughout the week.
 Many yoga practitioners who choose not to belong to a health club opt to take classes at local yoga studios. Yoga Works at 1256 Westwood Blvd in Westwood and Rising Lotus Yoga at 13557 Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks offer a variety of classes for all levels. Both studios are within the Beverly Hills range.
 Roxbury Memorial Park at 471 Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills offers senior, beginner, intermediate, and chair yoga classes for the 55 plus age group. If you are under 55 and have never practiced yoga before, the intermediate class might be a good place to start to stretch out muscles that have not been used for a while.
 Private yoga instructors are another choice for people who are not comfortable in a group class situation. The lessons are tailor made and comprehensive. Before hiring a private teacher ask who they studied under, where they did their Teacher Training, and are they registered with Yoga Alliance. Private yoga lessons range in price and can go as high as $100/hour. Discuss your needs and your budget with the teacher. Flexibility is not just for tight muscles.
 You can locate a private instructor is several ways: word of mouth, community bulletin boards at Whole Foods, specialty stores that sell yoga clothes, ask a teacher whose class you like if he/she teaches private clients, or contact one of the yoga organizations.
 Enjoy the journey into the world of inner beauty.
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