Nowadays, due to the pressures of the system in which we live, health problems or the desire to rediscover oneself, thousands of people around the world have dedicated themselves to practicing an ancestral discipline, which has gained a lot of popularity over time.
You may already know what we are talking about, we mean yoga. This discipline can be practiced by people of different ages. In fact, it is recommended for the elderly, as it allows them to stay active and enjoy greater flexibility and concentration.
Yoga is a series of postures that have the purpose not only of cultivating the body, as would be the case of sports, but will also help the person to cultivate the mind and spirit. This practice has its origin in India and is very common in people who profess Hinduism, so it is closely related to religion.
Despite having its roots in the East, it has spread throughout the West, reaching the most remote places.
Not only are these postures, which may seem somewhat complex to you, it is also related to breathing and meditation, with the purpose of improving the spiritual life of people, by rediscovering and accepting oneself.
Now, there are different types of yoga, would you like to know what they are in order to practice any? We’ll be talking about it next. In addition, we will be informing you about the instructions you must follow, what you need to practice this discipline and some additional tips on the subject.
After knowing all these details, maybe you will be encouraged to enjoy this new experience, and make it a unique opportunity to progress.
Instructions
In order to enjoy this millenary practice, it is important that you take into account some indications. For example, you should look for the appropriate place to practice this discipline, which, mainly, should be spacious. We do not want an accident to happen when performing any of the positions, nor do we want you to hit yourself for not calculating the distances well.
On the other hand, you must get the necessary implements to do yoga. Among them we find the mat, a yoga block, a towel and a bottle of water, since some postures require great physical effort and you may perspire.
As for clothing, you don’t need to buy anything special. Pants and a shirt will suffice, these can be to the body or loose, as you prefer. The truth is that the most advisable thing is that they allow you to perform the movements with freedom and comfort. Nor is a special color necessary, although many opt for white.
After you have the implements, clothing and space, the next thing you should do is know what the steps to follow are.
The first thing you should do is set aside a few minutes a day for meditation, which requires you to be quiet and know how to breathe. Inhale deeply through your nose, until you fill your lungs with enough air, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat the procedure over and over again.
You could also include some chanting or mantra to calm the mind and focus your thoughts. Then, you must establish what your intention is to practice yoga.
Then, you can do some body warming up by performing the sun salutation. Which consists of standing up and tilting the trunk to the feet and then getting up by extending your arms towards the sky. Do it as many times as you consider necessary.
Then, incorporate other types of stretches, push-ups, bridges or, if you already feel ready, you can do some basic yoga postures, such as the mountain, tree, warrior, triangle, fish or dog pose looking down.
Finally, always do it with a posture of relaxation, as is the posture of the corpse. This should not be an exception but part of a rule.
If you do not know the correct way to perform these movements, it is best to read a little about yoga postures or ask for the help of a teacher, in order to avoid an injury caused by a bad movement.
Some people are a little intimidated by the presence of another person. Maybe they feel sorry for thinking they’re not doing it the right way. However, the teacher will not only be your guide but will also fill you with positivity, peace and energy.
Consider varying your daily routine. Make a mix of easy and difficult sessions. You may also vary in the length of practice sessions. Sometimes they can be long and sometimes short.
If you wish, you can invite a friend to accompany you to perform the yoga exercises. Some of them even require teamwork. On the other hand, you will feel more at ease and motivated.
You will see that in a very short time your body will become more flexible, balanced and strong. So, you can perform positions that previously cost you a lot or you can include some of greater difficulty.
You will also breathe much better and increase your ability to concentrate. That is, you will be able to feel good about yourself and reach spiritual fulfillment.
What You Need
Before deciding to practice this discipline, it is important that you know some types of yoga that exist. That is, the nine branches of the yoga tree, whose purpose is to unite body and mind. However, regardless of the type of yoga you wish to practice, you will work on meditation and the connection between individual and universal consciousness.
Among the types of yoga, we find Bhakti yoga, it is the path of devotion and worship to God. His intention is to cultivate a special relationship with the divine. It is practiced using singing sessions.
There is also Hatha yoga, it is ideal for those people who seek to consolidate their body and maintain good physical health, since it is the exploration of the body through the different postures of yoga. This is the most common type of yoga in the West.
On the other hand, there is also Japa yoga or yoga with mantras. A mantra is a word, phrase or syllable that is repeated aloud, with the purpose of centering the mind and that it can enter into harmony with the body.
Another branch of yoga is Jhana yoga, which is also known as the yoga of true knowledge. Those who practice this type of yoga, are in constant search of wisdom through themselves through debate and reason.
Karma yoga is ideal for those people who have as their purpose in life, to serve humanity, since it is a selfless path, which sees yoga as the means to be able to offer themselves to God, without the need to expect any reward.
One you may have already heard is Tantra yoga, as many people mistakenly relate it to a form of sex of the spiritual kind. However, sex is only a tiny part of tantric yoga. This works in the part of ritual, meditation and mysticism. One of the branches of tantric yoga is hatha yoga.
Laya yoga or kundalini yoga has the purpose of acting based on the chakras or energy centers, with the purpose of achieving the mastery of each of them to find true power.
Another type of yoga, which we can talk about, is Raja yoga. It is one of the most classic types of yoga, since it is about the development of the mind. It is also known by the name of the path of the king and its objective is to improve the ability to concentrate of the person.
There is also Kriya yoga. This is an advanced technique to achieve spiritual evolution with one’s own being. He is also known due to his desire to achieve union with infinity through various actions.
On the other hand, we find Sahaja yoga, which has as its main objective to be completely aware of our true self. It is also known as the union with the power, which is present everywhere, of divine love.
Anusara yoga, which is also known as the yoga of tantric philosophy, is about perceiving the universe through our own senses, as a manifestation of God.
Aerial yoga, as the name suggests, is about practicing yoga in the air, and has many benefits for both body and mind.
Last but not least for our well-being, there is Kripalu yoga, which is an instrument to achieve autonomy and personal growth. It is also known as the yoga of self-acceptance.
Councils
Don’t try to go too fast. Yoga is not about a race, rather the idea is to go little by little. Knowing our body and how it reacts to each of the postures is not achieved overnight. Therefore, it will be necessary for you to cultivate patience and take enough time to complete the process.