Yoga is not only an extremely popular form of exercise, but depending on the form you practice, can be exciting or calming, social or meditative, energizing or relaxing. No matter which of these best describes your yoga class, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of every class you attend.
* Go to yoga class with an empty stomach. Yoga is full bending, twisting, lengthening, stretching, and strength moves. Eating a big dinner before that kind of movement could result in you cramping up or feeling nauseous and having to leave the class or not participate as fully as you?d like.
* Communicate with your yoga instructor. If you have a bad back or a sprained ankle, let your instructor know before class. She or he will offer you adjusted versions of poses or give you a nod when you should skip a pose that could make your condition worse.
* Leave your cell phones and pagers outside. Don?t just put them on silent mode, but literally keep them in the car. This is not only a favor to your classmates and their focus, but your mind should be focused only on yoga and not concerned with whether not someone is trying to contact you about work or spilled juice on the living room carpet.
* Don?t be late and don't leave early. This disrupts the instructor's train of thought and the concentration of others in the class. Also, you certainly won?t get everything you can out of your hour if your hour is cut to 50 minutes before you?ve even begun.
* Be respectful of others in the class. This means keeping your voice down when you talk to others and in general, keeping conversation to a minimum. Bring your own towel or yoga mat if you need to and make sure that you are clean and not wearing any perfumes or strong scents. If props are used, make sure that you put yours away when you?re finished and by all means, leave them there for the next class.
About the author: Stephen Kreutzer is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides yoga tips on http://www.your-yoga-resource.com.
Showing posts with label Practice Yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Practice Yoga. Show all posts
February 24, 2009
February 23, 2009
Yoga — For Relaxation
People practice yoga for a variety of reasons. Many yoga practitioners are interested in the health benefits that come from regularly performing the routines. Others want a state of harmony between inner and outer self. Still others practice yoga primarily to relax.
A State of Harmony
The profound relaxation available through yoga includes a state of clarity of mind, and of harmony with and understanding of the world. If such a state of relaxation is your goal, you will need to use most of the yoga techniques available. Pay special attention to breathing, diet, correctly performing the exercises, and meditating.
The deep, prolonged breath one learns through yoga helps the brain stay oxygenated, which contributes to mental clarity. Diet influences the structure of our body as well as our brain. The exercises (called asanas and pranayamas) were developed thousands of years ago to produce beneficial results.
To have the desired effects, yoga routines must be carried out correctly. Poor yoga practices will likely produce disappointing results.
The Keys
Your attitude and your focus are the keys to making your yoga experience deeply satisfying. Entering the profound stage of relaxation and synchronization between your inner and your outer self can occur only with appropriate action.
Relaxation is actually a necessary part of every yoga routine. The body needs to relax after practicing the exercises, especially the more demanding ones. Certain asanas require an unusual positioning of the body, which can result in discomfort if the relaxation stage is omitted.
Bridging Worlds
Yoga connects the spiritual and material worlds, and relaxation is the bridge that brings the practitioner back fully to the present reality.
As a general rule, during relaxation exercises, you will lie down comfortably and meditate. Your yoga trainer will suggest ways for you to gradually move and position your feet and arms. Yoga routines may have different relaxation exercises, but they all have the purpose of cushioning the shock of contact with the surrounding reality. Relaxation also helps to maintain a certain degree of peacefulness created by the routine.
But talk is never enough. The only way to be sure of the relaxation benefits of yoga is to try it yourself. The only thing you have to lose is your tension.
Visit Learn Yoga to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer with a Website Here.
Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.
A State of Harmony
The profound relaxation available through yoga includes a state of clarity of mind, and of harmony with and understanding of the world. If such a state of relaxation is your goal, you will need to use most of the yoga techniques available. Pay special attention to breathing, diet, correctly performing the exercises, and meditating.
The deep, prolonged breath one learns through yoga helps the brain stay oxygenated, which contributes to mental clarity. Diet influences the structure of our body as well as our brain. The exercises (called asanas and pranayamas) were developed thousands of years ago to produce beneficial results.
To have the desired effects, yoga routines must be carried out correctly. Poor yoga practices will likely produce disappointing results.
The Keys
Your attitude and your focus are the keys to making your yoga experience deeply satisfying. Entering the profound stage of relaxation and synchronization between your inner and your outer self can occur only with appropriate action.
Relaxation is actually a necessary part of every yoga routine. The body needs to relax after practicing the exercises, especially the more demanding ones. Certain asanas require an unusual positioning of the body, which can result in discomfort if the relaxation stage is omitted.
Bridging Worlds
Yoga connects the spiritual and material worlds, and relaxation is the bridge that brings the practitioner back fully to the present reality.
As a general rule, during relaxation exercises, you will lie down comfortably and meditate. Your yoga trainer will suggest ways for you to gradually move and position your feet and arms. Yoga routines may have different relaxation exercises, but they all have the purpose of cushioning the shock of contact with the surrounding reality. Relaxation also helps to maintain a certain degree of peacefulness created by the routine.
But talk is never enough. The only way to be sure of the relaxation benefits of yoga is to try it yourself. The only thing you have to lose is your tension.
Visit Learn Yoga to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer with a Website Here.
Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.
Yoga Teachers Lead by Example (Part 2)
It is a shame that proper behavior, respect, and ethics do not make great headlines in the newspapers. Just watch the news, and read the newspaper for a week, to confirm what makes ?good copy.? It will not take long for you to find a dozen, or dozens, of scandals.
We all make mistakes, and none of us wants to have them in print, but some are preventable. Here are some guidelines for Yoga teachers to consider when teaching their students. As a leader and role model, your ethical behavior will be duplicated by your Yoga students.
There is no need for an air of superiority within the Yoga class. Everyone is good at something, so why waste time and energy trying to impress your students, or the public, about your ability as a Yoga instructor. If students are attending your Yoga classes, they are already impressed, so there is no need to turn your Yoga studio into a ?circus act.?
If someone does not practice Yoga, or is not a vegetarian, please do not bolster your ego over the issue. Do not engage in hostile debates over these issues. There is a time, place, and method for convincing people about health issues, but hostility will not convince anyone.
Bias and discrimination are hard habits to break. Sometimes, these ideas exist within families for generations. Yoga teachers should accept students, regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnic origin, age, social status, or any other reason we can find to be unjustifiably bias.
In the case of age - children who are too young may have a separate Yoga class, but this depends on the patience of the Yoga teacher and the group. Some ?Mommy and me? Yoga classes run along smoothly, but some adult Yoga students do not want to be in a Yoga class with children.
I teach children four years of age and up, but it is specifically within a ?Kids Yoga? class. This is much different from a typical adult Yoga class, and the circus act I mentioned earlier might be fine. Do not be surprised to see children perform difficult asanas, but do not expose them to hazards.
In the course of a week, I teach many Chair Yoga classes, and these are age specific. However, when seniors show up to a Yoga class, at a Yoga studio, or ashram, they should be welcomed and modifications should be taught - if they are needed.
Getting back to discrimination in general: The largest problem with bias is our history of war crimes, holocaust, atrocities, and slavery. Discrimination cannot go unchecked, and it has no place anywhere, especially in a Yoga studio or ashram. If you teach Yoga to a specific religious sect, that is fine, but do not speak harshly of those who are not present.
It comes down to the golden rule, which is very universal to most of the world?s religions, and I will conclude this part with a quote. Most of you will recognize a much similar quote within your own religion. It does shed light on the wisdom of our ancestors.
?This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.? Mahabharata 5,1517
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
We all make mistakes, and none of us wants to have them in print, but some are preventable. Here are some guidelines for Yoga teachers to consider when teaching their students. As a leader and role model, your ethical behavior will be duplicated by your Yoga students.
There is no need for an air of superiority within the Yoga class. Everyone is good at something, so why waste time and energy trying to impress your students, or the public, about your ability as a Yoga instructor. If students are attending your Yoga classes, they are already impressed, so there is no need to turn your Yoga studio into a ?circus act.?
If someone does not practice Yoga, or is not a vegetarian, please do not bolster your ego over the issue. Do not engage in hostile debates over these issues. There is a time, place, and method for convincing people about health issues, but hostility will not convince anyone.
Bias and discrimination are hard habits to break. Sometimes, these ideas exist within families for generations. Yoga teachers should accept students, regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnic origin, age, social status, or any other reason we can find to be unjustifiably bias.
In the case of age - children who are too young may have a separate Yoga class, but this depends on the patience of the Yoga teacher and the group. Some ?Mommy and me? Yoga classes run along smoothly, but some adult Yoga students do not want to be in a Yoga class with children.
I teach children four years of age and up, but it is specifically within a ?Kids Yoga? class. This is much different from a typical adult Yoga class, and the circus act I mentioned earlier might be fine. Do not be surprised to see children perform difficult asanas, but do not expose them to hazards.
In the course of a week, I teach many Chair Yoga classes, and these are age specific. However, when seniors show up to a Yoga class, at a Yoga studio, or ashram, they should be welcomed and modifications should be taught - if they are needed.
Getting back to discrimination in general: The largest problem with bias is our history of war crimes, holocaust, atrocities, and slavery. Discrimination cannot go unchecked, and it has no place anywhere, especially in a Yoga studio or ashram. If you teach Yoga to a specific religious sect, that is fine, but do not speak harshly of those who are not present.
It comes down to the golden rule, which is very universal to most of the world?s religions, and I will conclude this part with a quote. Most of you will recognize a much similar quote within your own religion. It does shed light on the wisdom of our ancestors.
?This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.? Mahabharata 5,1517
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
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