Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Getting Started
• Part 2 of 3: Yoga Lessons
• Part 3 of 3: Taking Your Yoga Practice to the Next Level
• Warnings
• Additional articles

Yoga is an ancient set of beliefs in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions that strives for spiritual discipline. The spiritual aspect of yoga is less understood in the West and is more commonly known as the physical training of certain postures or asanas. Yoga has many uses and philosophies, including strengthening muscles, relaxing, increasing energy, improving stretching, and expanding the mind. Anyone can practice yoga, from asana practice to meditation and breathing exercises.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Getting Started

1. 1 Determine the goals of your yoga practice. Before starting yoga, it would be helpful to identify why you want to do this practice. Yoga can be a method of exercise, a way to reduce stress levels or cope with stress, a remedy for illness or injury, or a path to spiritual realization and peace.
   • Think about what parts of your health you want to work on, such as strength, flexibility, endurance, anxiety, or depression. You can also practice yoga to improve your overall health.
   • You can write down your goals in your yoga practice. Update your goals often and add new ones to test your strength all the time. For example, your goals might be "train more often" or "master Lolasana."
2. 2 Know that there is no such thing as "good" or "right" yoga. There are different styles and ways of practicing yoga, and there will always be more experienced yogis than you. It is important to remember that yoga is neither a competition nor a traditional sport, but a personal practice of mindfulness, relaxation, and physical enhancement that is designed to enrich your life and your body.
   • Anyone can practice yoga and benefit from it. Introduce yoga into your daily routine to help improve your physical and mental health, even if you practice for 10 minutes a day.
   • It can take a while to find a specific yoga style or school that you enjoy. Likewise, trial and error will help you find the right teacher for you and your goals.
   • Practice an open mind and an open mind. Instead of thinking, "I am completely inflexible, I will not succeed in yoga," understand that "yoga is the flexibility of the mind, not the body."
   • Remember yoga is not a competition. Each person has different abilities, and the goal of yoga is to focus on oneself and not on what others are doing.
3. 3 Collect the equipment you need. At a minimum, you will need a yoga mat. You can also purchase a yoga strap, yoga blocks, and a large blanket or bolster. These items will help you improve and deepen your yoga practice, as well as make it more comfortable.
   • Look for a thick, non-slip mat. If you are on a budget, instead of buying a new rug, you can always use the tools at hand: a blanket, towel, or pillows.
   • Mat and other supplies can be purchased at sporting goods stores, yoga studios, and online yoga stores.
4. 4 Wear breathable, loose-fitting clothing. You need comfortable and breathable clothing. This will help you achieve full range of motion and flexibility, and avoid the inconvenience of tight-fitting clothing.
   • You don't have to buy special yoga clothes, just try to wear something comfortable and not too tight. Women can wear leggings, a tank top and a sports bra. Men can wear sports shorts and a regular T-shirt.
   • When trying more challenging poses, you can wear tighter pants and a T-shirt that won't fall off, distracting you from the process.
   • If you are doing Bikram yoga, which takes place in a hot environment, or an athletically intense yoga practice such as Jivamukti, be sure to wear lightweight, breathable clothing that wicks sweat well.
5. 5 Find a comfortable place to study. If you decide to try yoga at home before signing up for a class, find a comfortable and relaxing place to explore your yoga practice. Make sure you have enough space to move around and some privacy from the outside world.
   • On each side, you should have about a meter of free space so that you do not crash into a wall or some kind of interior item.
   • The place where you practice should be quiet and calm so that no one interferes with your concentration. Also, choosing a comfortable place, such as a cool and damp basement, is unlikely to be the best option.
6. 6 Warm up with salutations to the sun. Yoga can be quite active, so it is necessary to properly warm up the body. Several sets of sun salutations, or Surya Namaskaras, can effectively prepare your muscles and mind for yoga practice.
   • There are three different sun salutations. Do 2-3 sets of Surya-namaskara of different types as a warm-up. These various sun salutations will help develop and prepare your muscles and keep you safe and easy to practice.
   • Group activities often begin with a sun salutation. If you get used to starting with it at home, you will be more comfortable if you decide to join the group in the future.
7. 7 Learn several yoga asanas. There is a huge variety of postures, or asanas, for yoga practice, ranging from difficult and tense to simple and relaxing. Start your yoga practice with a few asanas that you enjoy and are comfortable with, and that also align with your yoga goals.
   • There are four different types of yoga poses: standing, inverted, stretching, twisting, and bending in different directions. Try one or two of each pose to balance your practice.
   • Standing poses include mountain pose (Tadasana), tree pose (Vrikshasana), and hero poses (Virabhadrasana I, II, and III).
   • Inverted postures include the handstand (Mukha Vrikshasana) and the headstand (Salamba Shirshasana).
   • Stretching postures include locust posture (Salabhasana), cobra posture (Bhujangasana), and bridge posture (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana).
   • If desired, twisting asanas can be added between back and forth bends to balance and stretch the spine. Twisting postures include the Bharadwaja twist (Bharadvajasana) and the Matsyendra half pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana).
   • Forward bends include the seated forward bend (Pashchimottanasana) and the star pose (Tarasana).
   • End the practice with the Corpse Pose (Shavasana), which will help you relax after your yoga session.
   • Hold each asana for 3-5 breaths.
   • Always balance asanas that work on one side while doing them on the other side.
   • You can find thousands of yoga poses on the internet.
8. 8 Concentrate on your breathing. Yogic breathing, or pranayama, is one of the basic skills of any yoga practice. Focusing on the breath deepens your asana practice, attunes you to your own body, and helps you relax.
   • Pranayama helps the body circulate oxygen to different parts of the body. The goal is to breathe deeply, inhaling and exhaling completely and evenly through the nose.For example, you can breathe in for 4 counts, hold your breath for 2 counts, and then exhale completely for 4 counts. The number of accounts can be changed in accordance with your abilities.
   • If you want to get the most out of yogic breathing, then sit up straight with your shoulders back. Maintain correct posture without slouching. Breathe in slowly and evenly, focusing on your belly and pulling it in to expand your lungs and chest.
   • You can also try Ujjaya breathing, which will help you practice more efficiently and fluently. With this breathing, you inhale and exhale evenly through your nose, making a slight sound in the process, similar to the sound of the sea.
9. 9 Devote time to yoga as often as possible. Regardless of what asanas, pranayama or goals you choose for your yoga practice, it would be beneficial to practice as often as possible. Even if you can devote 10-15 minutes to a session, the more you practice, the more you learn and the more you reap the benefits of yoga.
   • You can turn on music, light a candle, or go outside to relax and forget about other worries.

Part 2 of 3: Yoga Lessons

1. 1 Find out for yourself what you want from yoga lessons. Yoga has evolved into a variety of styles and practices, each with its own focus. Try different types of yoga and lessons from different instructors until you find what you like best.
   • Ask yourself what you want to achieve with yoga, taking into account the various questions and potential practices that can help answer them.
   • Are you looking for something that can strengthen, tone and improve the condition of your body? Try Vinyasa, Ashtanga, or Jivamukti.
   • Do you want something to help stretch tense muscles? Try Bikram, Iyengar, Kundalini or Hatha directions.
   • Want to relax your body? Try restorative yoga, yin, Sivananda, or Jivamukti.
   • Want to revitalize your mind? Most yoga practices will help you improve your mental health, but in particular, you should try Kundalini, tonic yoga, Sivananda, yin, or Jivamukti.
   • Do you want to test your possibilities? Try Ashtanga Yoga or Jivamukti.
2. 2 Find a qualified yoga instructor. Although there is no national certification for yoga instructors, different types of yoga will have individual certification programs. Find a qualified and certified yoga instructor you want to try. All good instructors will have some basic characteristics in common, and you should always feel comfortable around them.
   • The instructor should be willing to adapt to the needs of his students, even in the middle of the session.
   • The instructor must have a positive and attractive attitude and energy.
   • The instructor must have a well-developed knowledge of the philosophy, practice and history of yoga.
   • The instructor should provide constructive feedback and advice when needed or when requested.
3. 3 Find a community or studio that you feel comfortable with. Each yoga studio offers its own style of yoga and has its own energy. Some studios offer food, they tend to focus more on communication, while other groups devote more time to introspection.
   • Consider the level of other participants. Do you want mentoring from other, more experienced students in the group, or do you want to learn with people of your level? A good studio will offer different levels of activity for every type of student, from beginners to advanced learners, and even from pregnancy yoga to postpartum yoga.
   • Most yoga studios offer the first lesson for free, so experiment with the different offerings nearby until you find the studio and instructor you like. Various yoga disciplines will also help you improve.
4. 4 Look for "Learn and Work" sentences. Sometimes yoga studios offer free classes for people who agree to sit at the reception desk, clean the halls, or clean up the locker rooms. Ask the studios nearby if they offer such arrangements, which are a great way to save money and become a part of your local yoga community.
5. 5 Consider online tutorials. While feedback and motivation in group sessions is one of the best ways to learn, you can learn new poses and techniques from an abundance of online sources. Specialty yoga websites and apps contain thousands of videos detailing any possible type of yoga practice.
   • A quick internet search will show you poses for all yoga skill levels for free.
   • Be sure to check the qualifications of the online teacher or online services. Better to find the lessons taught by a certified instructor.
   • Some sites offer one-on-one webcam training with a professional yoga instructor if you can't find a yoga studio nearby.

Part 3 of 3: Taking Your Yoga Practice to the Next Level

1. 1 Set a goal. Thorough yoga practice involves goal setting. Dedicate your practice to something or someone, then it will become more satisfying and meaningful for you.
   • Lightly touch the bases of your palm, then your palms themselves, and finally your fingers to fold your hands for prayer. You can leave a small space between the palms if you want to let the energy flow through them.
   • If you don't know your intention, your goal may be to simply “let go”.
2. 2 Increase the duration of your practice. After you become comfortable with yoga practice, try to extend your practice by holding each pose a little longer and moving smoothly from asana to asana. Add new and more challenging poses as you practice.
   • Many yoga sessions last 60 to 90 minutes. Determine the duration of your practice based on this.
3. 3 Strengthen your practice. You can intensify your practice as you become fully familiar with your established practice. This can be done by simply holding the poses a little longer and diving deeper into more challenging poses.
   • In asanas with lunges and squats, you can go down a little lower.
   • To make the session more intense, you can increase the speed of the transition from pose to pose.
   • You can also incorporate more complex asanas from each of the four groups into practice. For example, you can try the headstand and handstand (Shirshasana II) instead of the usual headstand.
4. 4 Increase your exercise frequency. One of the best ways to strengthen your yoga practice is to increase the number of days per week that you practice. You can safely practice 5-7 days a week. If you make yoga a part of your daily life, its positive effects can benefit your physical and mental health.
5. 5 Start with meditations. Many people like to start their practice with chanting or meditation. It helps release distracting thoughts, focus on your breathing and energy, and increase your mind and body awareness.
   • You can start your meditation and / or chanting with "om", which is the most basic sound.
   • If you are chanting, you can feel the vibration of the mantra in your lower abdomen. If you don't have this feeling, try sitting more upright.
   • Other mantras can be chosen. The mahamantra, also called the “great mantra” or Hare Krishna, will help you achieve purification and peace of mind. Repeat the entire mantra as many times as you like. Her words: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
   • Allow thoughts to come and go every time they arise. This will help you focus and let go of whatever you cannot control.
   • Every time you need to refocus your mind, repeat “I” with each breath in and “release” with each exhalation.
   • Meditation requires constant practice and is an important part of yoga. You will have good days and bad days, accepting this fact is part of the journey.
6. 6 Set new goals. If you started yoga with one simple goal - to become healthy or find a conscious way to get rid of stress - try adding a new purpose to your practices. If you have been focusing only on the body or only on the mind, try focusing on the body and mind at the same time.
   • To focus more deeply on your practice, add chanting or meditation to it.
7. 7 Keep moving forward. There are countless benefits of yoga, if you practice it regularly, you can experience them all. Remember that yoga is a personal practice: it’s not about taking a particular pose in the same way as the person in the video or picture. Its essence is a journey to asana, enlightenment, to what your goal is. Always keep your mind and heart open.

Warnings

• Yoga should never be painful, if in any position you experience pain, take a simpler version of the same asana. Don't force yourself into any position, and if you do feel pain, get out of the position and try something else.
• Pay attention to the transitions between the poses. If the transition from asana to asana is poorly performed, you can be injured in the same way as if the posture itself is performed incorrectly.

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