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Yoga
By: Sara Campbell
Yoga has become the buzz-word of the ‘naughties’. Most people you meet will at least have tried it once, if not have their own yoga teacher. But if you’re still unsure, or you’ve tried it but just didn’t ‘get it’ then read on to find out what it’s all about.
Yoga comes in a daunting array of forms – ashtanga, hatha, iyengar, kundalini, sivananda, satyananda… Even if you’ve never thought of trying yoga, no doubt you will have read a few yoga articles in magazines. Can it really make people feel as wonderful as it claims to – beating stress, curing illnesses, helping recovery from serious injuries? The first hurdle for most people in getting into yoga, is where to start.
The best advice is to just try a few classes in your area and see. Each form of yoga has a different emphasis, for example, Iyengar is famous for being very strict on postural alignment while Ashtanga is the famous ‘power’ yoga. Others focus more on relaxation, breathing or meditation. Others again include chanting. Only by trying some of the different forms, will you find the one that’s right for you.
The most important thing is that the teacher pays attention to you during the class, and that you have an experience that, while challenging, was enjoyable. Yoga isn’t about pushing yourself through any pain barriers, it’s about discovering your own potential. The word ‘yoga’ literally means ‘yoke’ or ‘union’ and the practice of yoga is ultimately to connect you with yourself and the Universe. Yoga uses various techniques to achieve this, and you will probably have read some of these words in articles, or heard them bandied around in class:
Asana – posture or position. This includes everything, from standing on one leg in tree pose (vrksasana), to lying down on the floor relaxing in corpse pose (savasana). Each posture is designed to increase your strength or flexibility, or even stimulate and strengthen internal organs, such and the heart and lungs, or digestive or glandular system.
Pranayam – breathing. Various different forms of breathing are used to stimulate the body in different ways. The most basic exercise is to simply learn to allow your chest and belly to expand as you breathe in, and do the reverse on the exhale. Just see for a moment whether you instinctively relax or tighten your belly on the in-breath…
Mudra – hand positions. The most famous mudra is Gyan Mudra, where the tip of the index finger and thumb touch. This is the classic meditation pose. Different names are attributed to different mudras depending on what type of yoga you practice but the premise is the same – the nerve endings in the fingers help to stimulate internal organs, much like reflexology on the feet.
Bhanda – internal muscle lock. We have three major bhandas – Mulhabhanda, which equates to our pelvic floor and lower abdomen; Uddiyana bhanda, the diaphragm; and Jalandhara bhanda which is found in the neck and throat. All three together are called the Mahabhanda. They ‘segment’ the body and, when squeezed or engaged can direct or contain energy within these areas as required.
Mantra – a word or combination of words. Mantra is used in many forms of meditation, both as a form of prayer or worship and to help control the mind. They are often taken from Sanksrit or Buddhist prayers, but can also be English, or any other language for that matter. Often they are sung or chanted in monotone out loud, but can also be repeated silently to help direct the mind during meditation.
Meditation – learning how to control the mind. Meditation is one of the hardest – and rewarding – elements of yoga. It can be frustrating as the mind continues to wander off, trying to solve the problems of the day or the puzzles of our lives. It is the mind’s job to help us organise and manage our increasingly busy lives, but often the mind begins to control us. How often have you laid awake at night with your mind churning over issues? This rarely helps to solve the issues and just makes us feel frustrated, angry – and tired! Meditation helps us train our mind so it solves our problems quickly and efficiently and relaxes when it’s time to switch off.
If you’re still not sure, just take a moment to consider; it is one of the oldest forms of exercise, having been practiced for thousands of years, so there must be something in it! If you’ve done yoga in a gym or fitness studio, you might want to try a class in your local church hall – the setting, and especially the peace within the building you’re practicing in, can make all the difference. Above all, you should find a class that makes you feel like you’re really stepping out of your daily life.
Your yoga class should be a gift to yourself – an hour and a half of pure ‘you time’.
Enjoy!
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