Yoga Guidelines
Yoga Guidelines and Conclusion
There are certain things that you must take care of when you want to start practicing yoga. Some of these basic guidelines would benefit beginners, in particular, although anyone can sometimes use a refresher!
• Yoga is best practiced in the morning. This is because the mind is at its calmest and in the most composed frame, still fresh and rested. And the body movements too can be done with ease and proper energy. In order for you to start practicing yoga, you must have the desire and self-confidence to do so.
• The place where you intend to carry out your yoga practice should be taken into consideration too. It would be best to choose a place that is peaceful, serene, has proper ventilation, dust free, moisture free and where one cannot be distracted easily.
• Before you starts practicing yoga, you must clear your bowels and bladder if necessary; as well as clearing your nostrils and throat of all mucus, and it would be good to drink a glass of lukewarm water. This may sound strange, but as you stars to practice yoga, you will realize the importance of such minor things. After doing all this, you should wait for a few minutes in order to fully relax once again and then you can begin practicing yoga.
• As you would do with any other form of exercise, you should begin with easy asanas or poses and only advance to tougher ones when you have mastered them, and feel ready to move on. You should be logical and systematic, and bear in mind that you should start with light movements and if at any time you start to feel tired or weary, you should stop your yoga practice until you feel vital and energized once again. Yoga should energize and revitalize you, not cause you to feel any kind of tiredness or depression.
• You must take breaks in between if you find a certain step is especially tiring for you. If you intend to practice yoga, you should follow a balanced diet and it is ideal for you to eat after an interval of at least four hours following your session of yoga. The quantity of food should satisfy your appetite and you should totally avoid over eating or starving yourself. At the same time, you should completely avoid eating stale or old food as well, as it may well not be that healthy to do so.
• The clothing that you wear while practicing yoga is very important and you must make sure that it is loose and comfortable. Form- fitting cotton or Lycra pants and shirts are the best choice.
• While you are performing your yoga, your breathing should be long and deep. You must remember to keep your mouth closed and inhale and exhale only through your nose, and you should also have a yoga mat that is made of comfortable materials, especially if you practice on an otherwise hard floor. Read the rest of this entry »
Instant Energy From Yoga
The dreaded mid-day slump has set in, and you need a burst of energy to get going again. Instead of turning to a cup of coffee or a sugar-filled fruit bar, try a few asanas or an energizing pranayama session for an instant pick-me-up.
The Yogic Solution for the Mid-Day Slump
Sitting in your chair, close your eyes and take a moment to still your breath and movement. Bring your mind into focus and set your intention. Nurturing your body, feeling your emotions fully, and bringing productivity back to your mind and spirit, are all good intentions for this kind of situation. Begin breathing deeply and twist your upper body first to the right, then to the left, for an upper body stretch.
Now, close your office door, and drop to your hands and knees for some Cat and Cow stretches. Curl and press to full spinal extension, moving with the breath. Push back into Child’s pose for a moment, perhaps cupping your hands to give the arms a better stretch.
Pulling up to a standing position, fold forward into a forward bend, nodding “yes,” and gently shaking your head “no” to relax the neck. Roll slowly upwards, one vertebrae at a time. Step forward into Mountain Pose, feeling strong and powerful. This entire sequence need take no longer than five minutes; yet the energy should last you through the afternoon.
How Yoga Cultivates Energy
Why is Yoga so energizing? Firstly, sitting in a desk chair exacerbates poor posture and keeps the chest from fully opening. Full, deep breaths are rarely taken while the mind is engaged in office work. Muscles, that sit in the same position for a long period of time, do not rid themselves of lactic acid, while they can become tense, sore, and stiff. Moving into Forward Bend briefly stretches the spinal structure, while the entire movement causes the heart to pump slightly faster.
Beyond the physical aspects of raising one’s energy level, taking the time to focus on stilling the mind provides mental relief from the office and job duties. The “monkey mind,” or thoughts that aimlessly wander around our heads, cannot be stilled easily, and cause a fatigued mindset. Read the rest of this entry »