What is Yoga?
Yoga Sanskrit for 'to yoke' meaning to unify.
Unifying body, mind and soul is a generally accepted meaning. But it's much deeper, that is to unify all as one. By practicing the 8 limbs of yoga, one diminishes the feeling of being a separate entity in this universe and realizes the oneness.
What type of Yoga?
The following is a Hatha (ha means sun and tha means moon) yoga practiced and taught by B.K.S. Iyengar.
Why practice Yoga?
Although the prior question, what is yoga? answers why one needs to practice, over the years the reasons for yoga practice has unnecessarily branched out. Such as for flexibility, relaxation, stress relief. Yes yoga does help with all the reasons. But the best reason is having no reason. Let me explain, all our life we have taken up different endeavors for different reasons, we set goals, expectations and rules and at the end feel elated by positive results or depressed by failures or push harder to succeed. All these only end in fortifying the 'I'. So let us "Just Be". Let us not own our practice nor surrender our practice, may the practice bloom gently like a flower.
8 Limbs of yoga as compiled in the Yoga Sutras or Aphorisms (pithy observations)
Yama
Niyama
Aasana
Pranayama
Pratyahara
Dharana
Dhyana
Samadhi
In every module we will focus on one limb and certain aasanas and pranayama.
First limb is called YAMA meaning ethical or moral observation of oneself while interacting with others. It includes 5 sutras.
Ahimsa - Non harm towards oneself or others.
Sathya - Truthfulness
Asteya - Non stealing from others
Brahmacarya - Moderation in all things
Aparigraha - Non possessiveness
Pranayama - Dirgha Pranayama or deep abdominal or deep belly breathing.
Initially start the practice by placing one hand on your belly and one on your chest. Take a 6 second inhale and a six second exhale. As you progress you can increase number of seconds.
Aasana
Yoga Sanskrit for 'to yoke' meaning to unify.
Unifying body, mind and soul is a generally accepted meaning. But it's much deeper, that is to unify all as one. By practicing the 8 limbs of yoga, one diminishes the feeling of being a separate entity in this universe and realizes the oneness.
What type of Yoga?
The following is a Hatha (ha means sun and tha means moon) yoga practiced and taught by B.K.S. Iyengar.
Why practice Yoga?
Although the prior question, what is yoga? answers why one needs to practice, over the years the reasons for yoga practice has unnecessarily branched out. Such as for flexibility, relaxation, stress relief. Yes yoga does help with all the reasons. But the best reason is having no reason. Let me explain, all our life we have taken up different endeavors for different reasons, we set goals, expectations and rules and at the end feel elated by positive results or depressed by failures or push harder to succeed. All these only end in fortifying the 'I'. So let us "Just Be". Let us not own our practice nor surrender our practice, may the practice bloom gently like a flower.
8 Limbs of yoga as compiled in the Yoga Sutras or Aphorisms (pithy observations)
Yama
Niyama
Aasana
Pranayama
Pratyahara
Dharana
Dhyana
Samadhi
In every module we will focus on one limb and certain aasanas and pranayama.
First limb is called YAMA meaning ethical or moral observation of oneself while interacting with others. It includes 5 sutras.
Ahimsa - Non harm towards oneself or others.
Sathya - Truthfulness
Asteya - Non stealing from others
Brahmacarya - Moderation in all things
Aparigraha - Non possessiveness
Pranayama - Dirgha Pranayama or deep abdominal or deep belly breathing.
Initially start the practice by placing one hand on your belly and one on your chest. Take a 6 second inhale and a six second exhale. As you progress you can increase number of seconds.
Aasana
Sukh Asana - Easy seated Pose
Sit on one or two folded blankets to keep your hips elevated above your knees.
If you have a knee injury or pain keep your legs extended.
Upon every inhale lengthen your spine to remain seated tall.
Sit on one or two folded blankets to keep your hips elevated above your knees.
If you have a knee injury or pain keep your legs extended.
Upon every inhale lengthen your spine to remain seated tall.
Balasana -Child's Pose
Seat your hips on your heals or widen your knees and add blankets over your calf muscles to rest your hips.
Rest forehead on the floor or blankets.
Arms can extend forward or by side.
Alternate Asana is Aapanasana, were you lying on your back and hug your knees to your chest by wrapping your arms around your knees or shins.
Seat your hips on your heals or widen your knees and add blankets over your calf muscles to rest your hips.
Rest forehead on the floor or blankets.
Arms can extend forward or by side.
Alternate Asana is Aapanasana, were you lying on your back and hug your knees to your chest by wrapping your arms around your knees or shins.
Tad Asana - Mountain Pose
Foundation of all standing poses. Keep feet hip width distance apart, toes pointing in and heals out. Lift the toes off the floor and root down thru the four corners of the feet.
Lift up thru the thighs and curl the pelvic bone up a gagging the abs. Then soften the toes back to the floor. Inhale lengthen the spine and lift the sternum and slightly tuck the chin. Let your arms stay beside your body palms facing forwards, fingers spread wide.
Foundation of all standing poses. Keep feet hip width distance apart, toes pointing in and heals out. Lift the toes off the floor and root down thru the four corners of the feet.
Lift up thru the thighs and curl the pelvic bone up a gagging the abs. Then soften the toes back to the floor. Inhale lengthen the spine and lift the sternum and slightly tuck the chin. Let your arms stay beside your body palms facing forwards, fingers spread wide.
Uttanasana - Standing Forward Fold
From Tadasana bend your knees as much as needed and swan dive down to reach you fingers or palms to the floor.
If you have lower back injury or pain you can come to half fold or camper pose, by keeping your spine long and resting your arms on your thighs and clasping the palm.
From Tadasana bend your knees as much as needed and swan dive down to reach you fingers or palms to the floor.
If you have lower back injury or pain you can come to half fold or camper pose, by keeping your spine long and resting your arms on your thighs and clasping the palm.
Lunge - a transition pose
From Uttanasana place palms down on the floor or blankets you may bend your knees as needed. Step right foot back coming into high lunge. If holding the pose is strenuous start by lowering the left knee to the floor coming to a low lunge. Keep your gaze forward. Repeat on left side to balance the stretch.
Very important
1. keep knees above ankles or behind never too forward from the ankle.
2. Keep shoulders over elbows over wrist. Avoid rounding, use block as needed.
From Uttanasana place palms down on the floor or blankets you may bend your knees as needed. Step right foot back coming into high lunge. If holding the pose is strenuous start by lowering the left knee to the floor coming to a low lunge. Keep your gaze forward. Repeat on left side to balance the stretch.
Very important
1. keep knees above ankles or behind never too forward from the ankle.
2. Keep shoulders over elbows over wrist. Avoid rounding, use block as needed.
Pattasana - Plank Pose
From Lunge step booth feet back coming to plank. Very important to keep shoulders over elbows over wrist. Again you may lower both knees to the floor, but keep your abs and flutes engaged.
From Lunge step booth feet back coming to plank. Very important to keep shoulders over elbows over wrist. Again you may lower both knees to the floor, but keep your abs and flutes engaged.
Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose
From Plank, place the heels on the floor, press chest back, lengthen spine and lift tailbone to the sky.
From Plank, place the heels on the floor, press chest back, lengthen spine and lift tailbone to the sky.
Bhujangasana - Cobra Pose
From plank release your body to the floor, on the next inhale lift chest, shoulders and head up. Keep the gaze a few feet out in front on the floor. Important keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs.
From plank release your body to the floor, on the next inhale lift chest, shoulders and head up. Keep the gaze a few feet out in front on the floor. Important keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs.
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana - Upward Facing Dog Pose
From cobra push through your palms and lift chest, abdomen and thighs off the floor.
Keep the gaze forward. Important keep your shoulders over elbows over wrist.
Savasana - Corpse Pose
Relaxation pose lying prone on the floor. Release any tension or with holding in any part of the body.
From cobra push through your palms and lift chest, abdomen and thighs off the floor.
Keep the gaze forward. Important keep your shoulders over elbows over wrist.
Savasana - Corpse Pose
Relaxation pose lying prone on the floor. Release any tension or with holding in any part of the body.
No comments:
Post a Comment