Yoga
What Is It?
How Does It Work?
What To Expect
What Is It Used For?
Side Effects/Cautions
Recommended Books
Recommended CDs
What Is It?
Yoga is more than just the series of postures we have become familiar
with in the West. It is a philosophy of life, incorporating exercise,
breathing, relaxation, body awareness, meditation and personal and
spiritual development. The word yoga is derived from a Sanskrit word
meaning “union”; the practice of yoga aims to unite the
body, mind and spirit in harmony and balance.
Yoga is thought to have originated from Hindu philosophy around 5,000
years ago, although the first known written teachings, the Yoga Sutras,
were compiled during the second century B.C. by Indian sage, Patanjali.
In his work, Patanjali outlines eight steps to spiritual enlightenment:
1. Moral practices such as truth, non-violence and avoidance of greed
and theft
2. Self purification through cleanliness, contentment, effort, study
and faith
3. Physical practice of yoga postures (asanas)
4. Breath control
5. Turning the attention within and focusing on the senses
6. Concentration
7. Meditation
8. Enlightenment
There are many branches of yoga, which may specialise in specific
aspects of these eight steps, but the one most commonly practised in
the West is Hatha yoga, which combines postures, controlled breathing
and meditation. The combination of physical, psychological and spiritual
aspects of yoga make it useful as both prevention and therapy for a
wide range of ailments.
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How Does It
Work?
Yoga enhances the life force, or prana, within our bodies, and allows
us to reach a state of balance by integrating the mind and body. The
practice of Hatha yoga involves postures (asanas), breathing (pranayama)
and meditation (dhyana). The physical postures increase strength and
flexibility, improve posture and circulation, promote relaxation and
enhance the functioning of the nervous system. The breathing techniques
of pranayama help to calm and focus the mind, lowering the breathing
rate and promoting relaxation. Meditation calms and focuses the mind
and relaxes the body, reducing stress and anxiety, and enhancing energy
levels.
Scientists are unsure exactly why yoga is so beneficial to health,
but some suggest it mainly works by reducing stress, while others suggest
it triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.
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What To Expect
You can learn yoga from books or videos, but beginners will gain more
by learning from an experienced instructor in a class setting or
in private sessions. Yoga is normally practised in loose, comfortable
clothing, and bare feet. It is best practised on an empty stomach.
The instructor may provide a “sticky” mat which prevents
slipping, or you can buy one yourself, although a foam mat or blanket
can also be used. You may also be asked to bring a cushion to sit
on during meditation and/or a blanket, which will keep you warm during
relaxation.
A yoga class may start with gentle warm-up exercises. You will be
taught to focus on your breathing during the exercises, breathing through
the nose, and inhaling during certain movements, exhaling during others.
You will be taught a series of postures that are held for a few seconds
to several minutes. These include standing, seated, or lying down postures
which gently stretch the muscles, and squeeze the internal organs.
Some postures will be repeated up to three times. Beginners will start
with simple postures and gradually advance to more difficult ones.
You will be encouraged to work at your own pace and to your own physical
limitations. Classes will usually end with a period of relaxation.
Longer classes may also include breathing exercises and meditation.
Classes normally last between one and two hours and are held once
a week. In addition to classes, many people practise yoga at home everyday
for at least 20-30 minutes.
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What Is It Used
For?
Most people practise yoga as a means of maintaining physical and emotional
health rather than as a therapy. It improves strength, flexibility,
co-ordination and range of motion, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure
and aids sleep and digestion. Although yoga on its own is not a cure
for any disease, it is used as a complementary therapy for people with
cancer, respiratory problems such as asthma, heart disease, depression,
arthritis, diabetes, addictions and AIDS.
Side Effects/Cautions
Consult your doctor before beginning yoga if you have any health concerns.
You should also mention these concerns to your yoga instructor.
Avoid yoga if you have a back injury or have had recent surgery.
If you have high blood pressure, avoid upside down postures or postures
that involve standing still for lengthy periods of time.
Let your instructor know if you are pregnant so s/he can modify the
exercises for you. Some classes are available which are designed specifically
for pregnant women.
Don’t try to do too much too soon. Take it slowly to avoid over-stretching
which can cause injury.
Some forms of yoga such as astanga or power yoga are very challenging,
and are not appropriate for beginners, or people who have not been
exercising regularly.
References
Find a Yoga
Instructor
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Recommended Books
Prices are in US Dollars
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Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for
Students, Teachers, and Practitioners
H. David Coulter
Anatomy of Hatha Yoga is the only modern authoritative source
that correlates the study of hatha yoga with anatomy and
physiology. Hatha yoga is comprised of stretching, strengthening
and breathing exercises in upright, lying down and inverted
postures. Yoga teachers and students, personal trainers,
medical therapists, or anyone who is curious or troubled
about how the body responds to stretching and exercise will
find in this book a cornucopia -- partly new and partly old
-- of readable and reliable information. It was written and
edited to meet the needs of a general audience largely unschooled
in the biomechanical sciences, and yet to attract and challenge
the interests of the medical profession. This book features
230 black and white photographs and more than 120 diagrams
and anatomical illustrations.
WINNER, 2002 Benjamin Franklin Award for Health Wellness,
and Nutrition - Publishers Marketing Association.
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Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health
B. K. S. Iyengar
In this comprehensive and highly illustrated guide B.K.S.
Iyengar, the world's leading teacher of yoga, shares his
unique, holistic approach. For Iyengar, yoga is more than
just a form of exercise; it is a holistic experience that
benefits the body, mind, and spirit. He outlines the philosophy
and ideals behind this ancient practice and explains how
yoga can help to counter the stresses of modern living. Designed
for every level of ability, age, and physical condition,
there are detailed instructions for beginner, intermediate,
and advanced students. Clearly illustrated, step-by-step
instructions explain how to perform each yoga asana, or posture,
correctly, while a unique 360-degree view of the final pose
shows exactly how to position each part of the body. A special
section introduces B.K.S. Iyengar's innovative use of props,
enabling beginners or the less flexible to practice the classic
yoga asanas more easily and effectively. A further section
illustrates sequences of asanas to treat or prevent a wide
range of ailments. In addition, there is a 20-week yoga course,
personally formulated by B.K.S. Iyengar, which progresses
from simple to more challenging postures. Without a doubt,
Yoga: The Iyengar Way is the definitive guide to the practice
of yoga by the master.
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Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual: An Illustrated
Guide to Personal Practice
David Swenson
This is the most user-friendly yoga book available! It contains
the entire Primary and Intermediate series of Ashtanga Yoga
with three options for every asana. It is spiral bound to
easily remain open while practicing. It contains over 650
photos with clear instructions and commentary. It is a great
book for all levels of practitioners to enjoy and teachers
will find it to be an invaluable tool for teaching their
students.
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Yoga Books
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Recommended CDs
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Bryan Kest's Long, Slow & Deep:
A Complete 90 Minute Yoga Workout (CD & Booklet)
Bryan Kest
This highly anticipated live recording of Bryan's Long,
Slow & Deep routine will help you move into areas deeply
and safely with a combination of deep stretching poses. Only
on rare occasions does Bryan teach this routine, but now
you can have your very own recording. Balance your usual
regimen of vinyasa (flowing) routines with this deep exploration.
The live, approximately 90-minute recording was done at his
very popular Santa Monica, CA studio, and is in audio CD
format, accompanied by a beautiful, 8" x 8" spiral
bound instructional booklet. (Like the other titles in the
series, the spiral binding makes it easy to keep the book
open and follow along.) The audio CDs are segmented into
14 tracks for easy repeating or forwarding. The booklet has
photographs of the asanas (positions) which track the recording,
along with detailed written instruction for key poses provided
by Bryan. A nice treat: Bryan Kest is one of the two models
photographed for the asanas.
In addition to being an excellent, complete yoga routine
for your library, the CDs are a compact format perfect for
travelers.
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Bryan Kest: Advanced Yoga (CD & Booklet)
Bryan Kest
You've asked for it, and you got it: an advanced Bryan Kest
routine. We all like the physical challenge that Bryan provides
within the context of yoga. Practice working at your edge
while maintaining a healthy approach to your practice. This
is the third in a series of live recordings just made available
to the general public. The recording is of one of Bryan's
90 minute classes at his very popular Santa Monica, CA studio,
in audio CD format accompanied by a beautiful, 8" x
8" spiral bound instructional booklet. (Like the other
titles in the series, the spiral binding makes it easy to
keep the book open and follow along.) The audio CD is segmented
into 18 tracks for easy repeating or forwarding. The booklet
has over 100 photographed asanas (positions) that track the
recording, along with detailed written instruction for key
poses provided by Bryan. A nice treat: Bryan Kest is one
of the two models photographed for the asanas.
In addition to being an excellent, complete yoga routine
for your library, the CDs are a compact format perfect for
travelers.
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more...
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Yoga Sanctuary: A Guided Hatha Yoga Practice
Shiva Rea
"Shiva Rea's CD offers a lot of flexibility in designing
a home practice. Practicing at home is an important part
of yoga because it helps you integrate the benefits yoga
offers into your life more readily. Most people develop their
home practice with video tapes, which are great as you want
to watch to learn new postures.
But video tapes can be difficult (hard to rewind or adjust
the volume while you're standing on your head!) and after
you've used one or two a while, a little boring.
So this 2-cd set is incredibly useful. If you have a programmable
CD player, you can easily create your own mix-n-match yoga
practice by choosing the tracks you feel like doing that
day. If you're tired, choose the slower, more meditative
tracks; if you're feeling pumped, go with the more energetic,
aerobic ones. This means less boredom than you might get
with other home yoga instruction, and a more personal, customized
practice.
The set has sections that focus on balance, abdominals, hip
stretching, strength building, general flexibility, fast
flowing poses, and meditation. All this with a complete warm
up and cool down. There is also a great poster to help you
visualize the poses in each section." - Amazon Reviewer
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Om Yoga in a Box: Basic Level
Cyndi Lee
OM Yoga in a Box-Basic Level, Contains everything you need
to sustain an ongoing, varied home yoga practice:
• 2 Compact Discs: Instructional CD with 70+ minute yoga
class (This CD can be programmed into 4 shorter, targeted classes,
including one especially for brand new beginners)
• Flash cards, showing correct posture alignment and
describing benefits.
• A Yoga belt, to help with deep stretching.
• A candle, incense and incense holder to help create
sacred space.
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Om Yoga in a Box: Intermediate Level
Cyndi Lee
OM Yoga in a Box, Intermediate level, contains everything
you need to practice flowing, vinyasa-style yoga:
• 2 Compact Discs: Disc 1 provides 70 minutes of yoga
instruction on 4 tracts. Tracks can be programmed and shuffled
to create a variety of classes. Disc2 is an all-music CD,
perfect for yoga practice or relaxation.
• 20-page Instructional booklet
• 75 Flash cards
• 6-ft Yoga belt
• Tea Candle
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