Surely you have heard of yoga on occasion and you know that more and more people are practicing it, but yoga is not only an ancient technique, yoga is also a state of mind, and an attitude that guides us towards a high level consciousness, health and fullness.
Yoga includes meditation, relaxation and breathing, but also a loving and open attitude as well as a compassionate and generous life.
It has been shown that practicing yoga every day is really beneficial for physical and mental health. And you don’t need to be practicing it for a long time; with just 10 minutes of yoga a day in your life you will notice big differences. We already know that sometimes it is difficult for us to introduce exercise into our routine, but introducing yoga is really rewarding.
If you want to introduce a bit of relaxation and exercise into your daily routine, here are some tips on how to practice yoga.
What is needed to practice yoga
To practice yoga you do not need too much equipment or sports products. Just put on comfortable clothes that allows you to move freely and is not too tight, for example leggings, a t-shirt and a sports bra instead of a conventional one if you are a woman, and if you are a man with shorts and a t-shirt you will be ready. To practice yoga you will also need a yoga mat or mat. You will easily find this in a sports store, in yoga studio centers or even in online stores. They are not excessively expensive and will make your practice more pleasant.
On the other hand, there are also yoga accessories, such as yoga blocks, yoga belts or large cushions or blankets. At first you do not need to get them, but these will help you improve and advance in the practice of yoga.
You may also find it difficult to concentrate, so you could put on some very soft, relaxing music to help free your mind.
If you are not convinced that yoga is for you, I recommend that you try a few days without buying any of the equipment, with a blanket or rug from home you can get by for a few days, and once you are convinced of the benefits of yoga, invest a little more, at least on the mat.
If you find it difficult to introduce yoga into your daily routine, it is best to practice yoga in the morning, so you will start the day with greater optimism, and if you cannot do it, then take your equipment (clothes) everywhere, it is possible that you can take advantage of some downtime throughout the day. Maybe at lunchtime you can take advantage of 10 or 15 minutes and start doing yoga in a park near work.
Where to practice yoga
You can sign up at a gym or yoga studio if you are a beginner or would like to be explained, corrected and be with more people.
Another option is to read yoga books, and use instructional videos online. There are also possibilities to take classes online, but for this you need to have your webcam connected so that the teacher can guide you and see you to correct your posture.
Once you learn the basics, it will be easy for you to get home and practice it in a relaxed way.
What yoga do i choose
There are different styles of yoga, and although they all share the same essence, they have their own characteristics and work on a specific function, such as harmony, spirituality, inner growth, improving health, using it as physical therapy, etc. Although the most normal thing is to start in hatha yoga, which is the original and is done physically. It is a slow and meditative style of yoga. And most bodies and health conditions can develop it and reap its benefits, such as relaxation or increased energy.
If you want a slightly more intense, fast and physical style, you could opt for vinyasa, which is yoga of fluid sequences.
No matter what style you have decided on, the important thing is that you start with a basic level, suitable for beginners.
Prepare yoga class
To practice yoga you need your own space. Try to be in an open room, with space, quiet and without noise or distractions.
Keep in mind that before you start doing yoga you should think that this time is for you, to free your mind and put your life on pause. Your mind should be focused specifically on what you are doing and not on other responsibilities or issues. This is your moment and nobody can bother you, because you need to be fully aware of what you are doing. Therefore, if you have children, it is important that you choose a time when they are sleeping, doing some activity or that someone takes care of them in the meantime.
Try to wait two or three hours after eating, especially if it was a large meal.
Before starting, especially at the beginning, it is important that you organize your time. What days are you going to dedicate to yoga and what hours will you do it and for how long. You should also prepare your own basic exercise guide and also practice breathing. Many people believe that practicing yoga always at the same time and in the same place brings many more benefits, since your body and mind already associate the time and place with the yoga session.
Practicing yoga in the morning is a good option to start the day with energy, so you no longer have to face excuses throughout the day not to practice it. Another interesting option is to do yoga at night, as some styles of yoga are ideal for deep relaxation, which is perfect for helping you sleep.
Practices and improvements
As we have mentioned, yoga is very beneficial for health, but especially if it is practiced daily, however, you should not be overwhelmed or make a fuss about not being able to do it one day or another. Do not worry because the body is really powerful and the body memory will easily remember how far you have managed to go before.
It is also important that you keep in mind that the changes and benefits take a while to appear, but this is normal, the very obvious changes do not occur immediately, but in a short time you will realize the positive impact that the practice of yoga brings.
It is always better to dedicate a few minutes to it regularly than to push yourself to the maximum one day sporadically. Choose the easiest poses to start with; perfect them, and then move on to more complicated poses. Whenever you are going to perform a more complex asana you should never think that “I can’t do this”. We must eliminate the negative mentality and let the energy flow. Yes, you can do all the postures, although some may take you a little longer than others.
Yoga-sequence
You should always start your yoga practice with some meditation and some chanting exercises; this will calm you down and center your thoughts.
Warm up with some sun salutations and then move on to a variety of standing exercises, inversions, push-ups, bridges, and finishing with a Sava Sana would be a good idea.
You should always end with a final relaxation posture.
You could also alternate some easy sessions with more complicated ones during practice days.
With all these steps and tips, surely your doubts about how to practice yoga have been resolved, now all that remains is to start!
