If you are looking for a peaceful companion in your life, yoga is certainly a perfect match. You may have friends or family members that you can turn to when you need comfort; yet, you might not find absolute relief from them. But, with yoga you can't go wrong. In times of chaos, restless days, confusion and frantic moments you can lock yourself into a room and find refuge with your yoga mat and postures. Yoga will gracefully welcome you into an atmosphere where there is no evil, no anxiety, no cruelty, and no grief. It will introduce you to patience, tenderness, joy, peace, love and compassion. It will enable you to invite positive thoughts and feelings and say goodbye to negativity.
Tips on How to Start Yoga
Once you accept yoga as your companion, set goals and don't give up; be persistent. At times you may think you are not a good candidate for yoga because it involves intense stretches, deep breathing exercises and holding poses for a given amount of time. But, with dedication and determination you will overcome the intensity of the postures and you will prevail. Keep in mind that with all kinds of workouts and exercises comes the need for consistency and discipline. Be enthusiastic and willing to learn. Make sure your routine consists of some poses from all the categories such as, sitting, standing and bending.
Now that you are committed, you may begin your practice.
- Chose a room or a space with no clutter. Light a few candles if you wish, and put a soothing music on, such as nature sound scape or yoga and meditation CDs.
- Sit comfortably on the floor with your legs crossed and start breathing. Focus on your breathing and clear your mind from everything. This may take several attempts to master, but the key is not to give up and to immediately shift your concentration on your breathing as soon as your mind starts wandering. Breathe in through your nostrils and breathe out through your mouth. Don't hold your breath when in a pose. Smile; it helps you relax. Keep your eyes open, except in the Corpse Pose.
- Pay attention to how your body feels when sitting or standing in a pose. If you feel pain, stop and rest. Yoga is not designed to give you pain. It will take time for your tight muscles to increase their capacity to stretch.
- Go in and out of your poses slowly, breathing in and out, and lengthening your muscles.
- Between every two or three consecutive poses, stop and rest for a minute. You may rest with the Child Pose.
How to Stay Motivated
- To stay motivated you should continue to spend time in the poses that you are more familiar with, but always add new poses.
- The space that you create for yoga should feel like a sanctuary; light candles, place Buddha statues and yoga books on a bookshelf or a table for inspiration and spirituality.
- Wear special yoga outfits to gain psychological benefit.
- Remind yourself why you do yoga and make it a priority.
- Change your diet and indulge in yoga diet.
Recommended Yoga Diet
The basic principle of yoga diet is to consume plenty of vegetables and low fat food to provide energy and strength. To avoid physical and mental illness, especially heart disease, limit your diet to avoiding consumption of frozen, under-ripe and canned produce, meat, overcooked meals, coffee, sugar, strong spices and acidic food. Your meals should consist of fruits, vegetables, honey, beans and water at room temperature.
You are now ready to train your body and soul to unite and to be centered. Be patient, stay still, breathe and overcome fear and negative thoughts.
- "Corpse Pose" published in Yoga Journal, accessed June 26, 2011.
- "Child Pose". Accessed June 26, 2011. http://www.yogajournal.com/poses475
- "Yoga Poses". Accessed June 26, 2011. http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/finder/browse_categories/standing
- "Yoga Diet". Accessed June 26, 2011. http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/diet
- "Namaste". Accessed June 26, 2011. http://www.infinitelightyoga.com/articles/namaste.shtml
Rima Petrossian - Rima is a devoted mother of two and has a full time job as a legal assistant for a defense workers compensation firm. She has a passion in ...
