Long hours at work and juggling responsibilities were taking their toll on me. A general feeling of lethargy and tiredness marked most of my days. It was then that I decided to embark on practicing yoga – an ancient technique from India – of personal development that focuses on the body, mind and spirit.
Yoga has different connotations for different people. It is probably derived from the Sanskrit word “Yuj” a reference to unite – possibly the human self with the universal consciousness through a set of rigorous practice of breathing technique and postures called as “Asanas”.
Yoga has many schools too –
Karma Yoga – The path through action
Bhakti Yoga – Path through devotion
Hatha Yoga – Path through physical purification
Raja Yoga – Path through purification of mind
Kundalini Yoga – Activation of coiled Life force
As a beginner to yoga, I was keen to find out how it could help bring about peace of mind and physical well-being. Before long I enrolled in a yoga course and decided to get started. Any beginner to yoga must first learn to switch off the outside world, be it the cell phone or other intrusions. Choose clothes that are comfortable and allow the skin to breathe. Ensure that you have the right yoga mat.
Luckily for me, regular simple gym workouts, swimming and walks eased my foray into the world of yoga. A beginner to yoga is made to start with simple basic postures or asanas. Intrinsic to most yogic postures is to be able to sit in the lotus position, with legs folded, spine erect and deep breaths. In fact controlled breathing is intrinsic to the practice of yoga.
While the body did feel a bit tired after the initial sessions, the discomfort eased in a few days. Gradually the body became more flexible and the stretches and postures could be done correctly. The sessions on concentrated breathing (pranayama) have just begun and I can feel a better sense of relaxation. In the weeks to come, we will cover more advanced yogic Asanas and also begin meditation sessions.
If you are eager, here are a few links from our portal section:
Kundalini Yoga related to Tantric Yoga
That is for the starters …