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Yoga Explained For The Beginner

Yoga is an ancient Indian philosophy and it is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Yug' meaning to join or unite. Hatha Yoga (Ha-Sun, Tha-Moon) represents polarities or the Yin/Yang principle. In healthy organisms, these two forces are balanced. All disorders, physical and mental, are caused by the imbalance of these two forces of the body. The goal of yoga is to combine postures and focused breathing with mental discipline which unites the body, mind and spirit which work best through the practice of the five principles.

The Five Principles Of Yoga ( Source: Sunflower Yoga centers).

Proper Rest and Relaxation:

(SAVASANA) Find a quiet place on the floor. Lie on your back. You may use yoga aids such as a yogi pillow under your head/neck/ and under the knees to support the cervical and sacral/lumbar curves in your spine. You may want to put an eye pillow over your eyes. You may find a yoga sticky mat very helpful for your practice but you don't really need anything except a quiet space.

Separate your legs with your feet falling to the sides. Separate your arms from the sides of your body. Pull your shoulders down from your ears and rotate them to allow the palms of the hands to turn upwards. Let your fingers be slightly curled in; your hands like empty gloves, nothing in them. You may want to have each hand with two fingers touching, called 'Mudra'. Close your eyes and bring awareness to your breathing.

Positive Thinking And Meditation

Yoga begins with the body but its goal is to transcend it. Meditation is the process of focusing the mind on one point, stilling the mind by stopping the waves of thought. And by repeatedly bringing your attention back to the object of concentration, you will discover the wisdom, peace and joy that are actually within.

This begins with concentration, the sixth limb of Yoga, called the 'Dharana', and leads to 'Dhyana', meditation, in which the mind, through steady practise of concentration techniques, will stay on one single thought.

The eighth and final limb is 'Samadhi', a state which is beyond the physical and mental in which you experience absolute peace, joy, and bliss, which is the superconscious state and is truly amazing, yet indescribable.

To experience 'bliss', practise this technique for 20 minutes daily. Sit in a relaxed, comfortable position on a firm base, either in a chair or on the floor, if possible in a cross-legged posture, as a triangular path helps to contain the flow of energy, called the 'Prana'. Join two fingers on each hand or clasp them in your lap, called 'Mudra'.

Sit up straight, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Use the technique you learned - inhale 1-2-3 and exhale 1-2-3. You may want to deepen the breathing to inhale 1-2-3-4-5 and exhale 1-2-3-4-5. If your mind wanders, gently keep bringing it back to your breathing count.

Proper Breathing

Practise this breathing. Gently push your abdomen out as you inhale through the nose. Pull it gently in as you exhale through your nose. Let your inhalation and exhalation be even. You may want to count as you inhale 1-2-3 and as you exhale 1-2-3. Try to slow down and deepen the rate of breathing, perhaps allowing a pause after you inhale and after you exhale. Practise this in the corpse pose for 10-20 minutes daily, ideally after you have exercised.

Proper Exercise

In yoga exercises called 'asana', which means posture or position, you regularly put your body in one place and stay there with relaxed, rhythmic breathing, for as long as you comfortably can. These postures have evolved over centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in your body. From the original 84,000 asanas about 84 are well known today. They ensure a strong and supple body, reducing risks of disease and bring discipline.

So take a break from your computer and lie down in a corpse pose after you stretch. Now sit up straight and begin by gently allowing your head to roll towards the left shoulder, then backwards, then to the right shoulder, then down to the chest and repeat three times. Keep the shoulders motionless.

Reverse directions three times. Next, roll your shoulder gently in circles, counterwise, then clockwise. Bend forward and let your arms hang down while you stretch your lower back.

Proper Diet and Nutrition

Yoga advocates vegetarianism and this is based on the first limb of yoga, called 'Yama' which means moral commandment or control of which there are five, the first one of this 'Ahimsa' (non-violence) which means not to cause any pain to any living things -- animals and plants included.

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