Yoga at Home for Absolute Beginners!

Beginners Hatha Yoga: More positive comments on the quaint Yoga Primer

I like to read amazon reviews to help in deciding on book purchases.  As I said the other day, I found Jess Stearn's book, Yoga, Youth, and Reincarnation invaluable for teaching me the essence of yoga and for its excellence tips and techniques.  Another reader agrees and she makes some important points as follows:

"The best thing about this book is that it stresses the how and why, rather than the usual, "Do this!" As with everything, it's not as much WHAT you do...it's HOW you do it. Plow your way through the rest of it for the occasional tip, rule, or instruction, and you will be amazed at the benefits...As a 20-something agnostic-by-mind, atheist-by-heart, all I was interested in was getting in shape physically, and, perhaps, controlling my own emotions. Imagine my surprise when, 3 months later, I found I had become an entirely different person! Not only was I physically more capable than I had ever been in my life, but I had the courage and the confidence to change my life into what I wanted it to be."

What does the review above reveal?

1)  You can teach yourself yoga from a book (as long as it's a good book!)

2) Yoga requires no change in your spiritual or philosophy - you don't need to adopt any specific spiritual beliefs

3)  Yoga is more than a physical system and it enhances and brings about oneness in your body, mind, and spirit even if you weren't seeking it - as long as your practice diligently and with the appropriate instruction!

Wishing you a day of energy and serenity as I get ready to roll out my yoga mat,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez

 

 

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: A Quaint but Solid Yoga Primer by Jess Stearn

 

The above book is one of the first two books that taught me basic, yet powerful hatha yoga!  I consider it one of my personal yoga classics that I would NEVER, never dare part with.  I own two yellowed copies. Written in the 1960s by the then New York journalist, Jesse Stearn, who delved into the mystical and metaphysical world to disprove it, the book ardently describes his journey into the world of yoga.

Studying with a yoga teacher in the Boston area, Jess Stearn shares his experiences with a spirited and fit yoga instructor who revealed a whole new world to him.  Skeptical at first, Jess takes on the challenges his yoga teacher gives him and within a few months he feels new from the inside out.  The story is simple and some parts seem very 1960s-ish.  One would almost expect to see  tie-dyed hippies with flowers in their hair and layers of beads pop out between the covers! So - what do I find so fantastic about this book?

For me, it captures and explains the essence and spirit of how to do yoga to transform your body and mind in a gentle, yet powerful way.  It teaches us that yoga can be done and enjoyed by virtually anyone, regardless of age or condition.  Jess Stearn had suffered whiplash in an auto accident that yoga helped to relieve and eliminate. There is no talk of "hot" yoga or power yoga or props or Birkram yoga competitions.  It was just simple, and in my humble view, true yoga.  Yoga that allows you to become slim, supple, and serene and to cultivate heightened awareness and experience being "alive."  Especially useful are some of the in-depth explanations of how to execute certain poses and what to expect and not be alarmed about when you begin.  I return to this book to refresh my memory about why I do yoga and what got me started.  Check it out!  You can still find copies on Amazon.com.

Thought of the Day:" Gentle, flowing motions synchronized with breathing obviously improve circulation and coordination."  ~ Jess Stearn - Yoga, Youth, and Reincarnation

 

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: The Joyful Lightness of Being

As I have mentioned in the past, I like yogi Eric Schiffman's recommendation about setting an intention at the beginning of your yoga practice. This morning I decided to give my yoga practice the "light" touch.  I wanted to feel enlightened and light-hearted as I moved and held the poses.  It's easy to become jaded when doing a daily practice.  Feeling "obligated" can quickly strip the joy out of your at home yoga regime and make it feel like a burden weighing down your back.  You have to be creative and seek out ways to keep your practice fresh and fun.  And, setting an intention is one of them.

So, today, I made certain that as I did my poses, I felt "light-hearted." Interestingly enough when I turned on the classical music cable station there was no heavy duty slow music by Wagner or Debussy. All the pieces that came on were upbeat and fast paced. My favorites were the selections by Vivaldi and by Mathia (never heard of him/her before) - the latter of which was played by the Royal Sinfonia orchestra.  By the end of my 30-minute session, I felt an incredible and joyful lightness of being!  Experiment with your own intentions.

Cheers,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez

Beginners Hatha Yoga: End Your Session with Energy and Beethoven's Music

In a past post I recommended enhancing the power of your yoga regime by beginning with a stated intention to focus on throughout your practice.  A couple of weeks ago I shared how enveloping myself in Beethoven's music as I did my morning yoga amped up my energy.  Well, this morning I listened to a Beethoven CD again and as I did my last pose, the second movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony in A Major, Opus 32 began to play.   What synchronicity! 

Beethoven's 7th Symphony, which premiered in 1813, was apparently one of his most successful and best-loved works and would sometime cause audiences to respond with "sheer jubilation."  According to one biographical source,  "in this piece, the rhythm more than the melody is the driving force, carrying the listener along on waves of triumph and elation from the introduction to the closing bars."

Yes, as I finished my practice this morning listening to this second movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony, I felt not only relaxed, but elated.  It's a wonderful way to conclude a yoga session and to maintain energy throughout the day....which I have!  Check out Beethoven's music on www.beethoven.com and consider ending your sessions with one of his pieces!

Helping you keep your practice fresh!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez

Beginners Hatha Yoga: Yoga Myths Persist

This is a really easy warmup I am doing here. It follows the egg roll move I explained in a recent post. Yet, it's very effective in stretching and releasing tension, especially in the thighs and lower back.  You don't have to do complex, complicated yoga poses to benefit tremendously from yoga.  And, that is the aim of recent efforts by the Yoga Alliance- to educate people about the reality of yoga.  The Yoga Alliance released its 2010 Yoga Insight Survey which revealed that many Americans still believe that you have to be super flexible to do yoga (how about doing yoga to become flexible...), that it involves religious worship, and that "it isn't a workout."

Amazing isn't it that truths often take years to filter through the general population?  This has prompted the release of a DVD series to motivate more people to try yoga, to demystify it.  Gees, I really better publish my yoga book pronto - that's its purpose also!  I am happy though that more information is entering the marketplace to encourage people to take up this healthful practice.  So - have you started?

Thought of the Day:  A daily dose of basic yoga goes a long way to feeling and looking your personal best!~ Laura V. Rodriguez
 

 

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Age Really is No Barrier - An Inspirational Book!

Age is really no age barrier to doing yoga - unless  you're a newborn!  Especially not for gentle yet empowering hatha yoga.  Almost 3 years ago when I was getting back into doing yoga practice with greater focus and consistency, I came across Ageless Yoga by Rosie Reichmann at the library. I love seeing yoga books by "real" people - that is, people who are not models like Christy Turlington or super yoga teachers such as Rodney Yee (although both of these individuals DO offer much value in their yoga books!)

Born in Czechoslovakia in 1917, Rosie Reichmann was one of 12 children who emigrated to England at age 20.  Do to an unfortunate event, Rosie became afflicted with back pains that caused her to seek out help from specialists in England and Switzerland over the next 20 years.  Not until she learned yoga at age 40 at the Iyengar Yoga Clinic in London was Rosie able to cure her pains.  He introduction to yoga led to a lifetime practice and passion that she shared with others through classes teaching young and old women daily. Her book, Ageless Yoga, was published in 2001 when she was 84 and she models all the poses in her book.  The book teaches yoga asanas and breathing techniques.  The instructions are simple and clear.  Her commentaries reveal her love and gratitude for the benefits that yoga has brought to her life. Read it for inspiration!

Thought for the day:  "Make your body live by daily practice. Chores and housework have no effect on your body.  In contrast, yoga rectifies your posture, strengthens your neglected muscles and repairs those that have atrophied.  There is no part of your body that does not benefit greatly from practicing yoga." ~Rosie Reichmann in Ageless Yoga.

 

 

Beginners' Hatha Yoga Poses: Bow Pose - Great for Back,Chest &... Libido!

No, that's not a caricature of me in the bow pose!  (Hmm - I may consider it though for my book cover).  Here's another book excerpt - my explanation of the bow pose - it's strenuous but doable....!

Bow  (Sanskrit name –Dhanurasana; dhanu=bow)

Type of yoga pose:  Intensive, powerful backbend, convex pose that bends the spine inward.

Body parts targeted:  Lumbar area, spine, thigh muscles (you should really feel them!), abdominals, bustline, buttocks, and upper arms.

How to do the pose:

1. Lie on your stomach with your chin down on your mat with your arms

and hands at your sides and your legs straight.  You body should be relaxed and limp (aah – that can feel so good, but don’t go to sleep!).  Inhale and exhale deeply at least once.

2. Bring your toes and heels together; stay relaxed.

3. Bend both legs at your knees; bring your heels as close to your buttocks as possible.

4. Reach back with both hands and grasp each ankle with your respective hand (if you can’t grasp both ankles, grasp one ankle and perform the bow by alternating the feet each time until you build up enough strength and flexibility to grasp both ankles).

5. Inhale and slowly raise your knees and lift thighs as high as possible off the floor while simultaneously and gently raising your head and trunk off the floor.  Your body should look like a bow and your arms should look and feel like a taut bowstring (having that image in your mind helps the stretch).

6. Keep your head back only as far as is comfortable (be certain not to strain your neck!) and keep your knees together if possible.

7. Hold the pose for the stipulated time and inhale and exhale normally.

8. Lower yourself in slow motion out of the bow by first releasing your legs and allowing them to move slowly back toward the mat starting with your knees, then followed by your trunk and head.

9. Return to your initial resting position on your stomach with chin down on the mat.

10. Your entire body should be limp as you rest for a moment before repeating the pose or moving on to the next pose.

 

Practice time:  Start with 3 seconds max, add 1 or 2 seconds per week or as you find comfortable until you are holding until you can comfortably hold the pose for 12-15 seconds.

Number of repetitions:  1-2

Key benefits from this pose: 

1. Strengthens, firms, and tones the abdominal, thigh, and arm muscles.

2. Helps reduce weight in the hips; tightens and eliminates extra fat from the back and buttocks.

3. Opens the chest and adjusts the sacroiliac and lumbar vertebrae.

4. Improves the posture and streamlines and firms bust muscles.

5. Improves spinal elasticity and flexibility.

6. Helps relieve menstrual disorders and lower back pain.

7. Enhances libido by stimulating the sex glands (sex becomes sexier!)

Special tips and Laura’s experience with this pose:

This is one of the most intense, challenging poses taught in this book and that I do daily. Sometimes, I can hold the bow for only 10 seconds, other times I can hold it for 15 seconds.

Lift your thighs off the ground with ideally with your knees together.  If this is difficult, you can allow some space between your knees, but gradually work your way to keeping the knees together.

When I started this pose, and this is still true on some mornings when I awaken a bit stiff, I feel a strong stretch in my upper thighs just by bending my legs at the knees.  Be patient and persistent and your comfort level will increase over time. After completely the pose you will likely hear your heart beating or you may feel slightly out of breath because you have been lifting your own body weight. Although strenuous, this pose is still feasible for the non-athlete like me.  As you gain experience, you may choose to rock back and forth gently while holding the pose.

Cheers!

Laura

Copyright © 2010 by Laura Venecia Rodriguez 

 

Hatha Yoga for the Non-Athlete: Book Excerpt- How to do the Child Pose

I learned the child pose only a few years ago - it was not taught in the yoga books I learned from as a teen.  Easy to do, the child pose is excellent as a warm-up and as a resting point between more strenuous poses!  Here is my explanation of it from my soon to be completed yoga book for the non-athlete!

Child/Embryo Pose – Arms Forward  (Sanskrit name – Balasana) 

Type of yoga pose:  Kneeling forward bend

Body parts targeted:  Upper torso, hips, hamstrings, spine, thigh muscles, and ankles.

How to do the pose:

1.    Kneel on the floor and sit on your knees with them close together.  Inhale and exhale deeply.

2.    Inhale and gently fold yourself forward until your forehead rests on the floor.

3.    Exhale and stretch your arms forward out in front of your head.

4.    Feel the deep fold in your ankles, knees, and hips.  Inhale and exhale again.

5.    Allow yourself to totally relax.

6.    Rest in this pose for 5-10 seconds.

7.    Bring arms from their forward position back to your sides.

8.    Gently and slowly uncurl your upper back and neck and raise your head moving up one vertebra at a time until you return to an erect and relaxed kneeling position.

 

Practice time:  Start with 5-10 seconds and increase by a few seconds each week until you can hold the pose for 30 seconds or more depending on your time constraints.

Number of repetitions:  1-2 or 1 between other poses

Key benefits from this pose: 

1.    Reduces fatigue and tension in body.

2.    Relaxes neck and lower back and limbers knee joints.

3.    Releases tightness in and develops flexibility of ankles, knees, and hips.

4.    Reduces tension in upper thigh muscles.

5.    Counteracts strain from backward stretches.

6.    Helps alleviate insomnia and constipation. 

Special hints and Laura’s experience with this pose:

This stretch is soothing – especially after completing challenging inverse poses such as the bow or the cobra.  It’s excellent for cooling down and resting between poses and for counterbalancing inverse stretches such as the bow. 

Initially, you may find this pose a bit uncomfortable if you have a lot of accumulated tension and tightness in your upper thighs.  If I have slept in an awkward position, I notice such tightness which the pose helps alleviate.

Be patient and stay in the pose only as long as is comfortable for you. Work your way up to holding the pose for longer periods.

Beginners' Hatha Yoga: Another Book Recommendation

Last week I wrote a post about a physician from Voorhees, NJ teaches yoga classes and touts the myriad health benefits of hatha yoga.  Even though the news article about her stated that the medical establishment is slowly waking up to the benefits of yoga -  that may not be quite accurate.  

The above book, Yoga as Medicine, another recent addition to my yoga library, is written by Timothy McCall, MD.  Just over 500 pages, this book is a comprehensive resource of the many medical conditions that the practice of yoga can alleviate.  Part 3 of the book, "Yoga Therapy in Action" offers detailed information about how yoga can help with  anxiety and panic attacks, arthritis, asthma, back pain, cancer, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, excess weight and many more conditions!

McCall, a Western-trained physician, one day decided to try yoga because he thought it would be "interesting."  He stopped and started in his practice.  However, once he began regular practice (and, as he says, "inserting yoga into the cracks in my day"), amazing things began to happen.  His chest started to open up and he improved his posture.  Most importantly, he says, were the mental and psychological benefits he started to notice.  He worried less and was less irritated by problems that in the past would have had him blurting out profanities.  He ended up studying with renowned yoga teacher, Patricia Walden.

Yoga as Medicine is an excellent resource for someone who wants more convincing about all they can gain from the practice of yoga.  The only area I would disagree with McCall in is that he doesn't recommend learning on your own at first.  Other than that, I love this book - it's a wealth of research and information about the health benefits of yoga.  You can read excerpts from the book at:  http://www.drmccall.com.

Wisdom of the Day:  Yoga is not a panacea, but it is powerful medicine indeed for body, mind, and spirit.  Above all, yoga is a path. The longer you stay with it and the more heart you put into the journey, the father it can take you."~  Timothy McCall, M.D.

Yoga for Beginners: Yoga Book Recommendation

I bought the above book, The Easy Yoga Workbook, by Tara Fraser, two years ago to update my yoga bookshelf. Tara began yoga quite early in life - at age 6 and opened a yoga school, Yoga Junction, in London in 1999.

This soft cover book has a ring binding which makes it easy to lay out and view the large type pages that are easy for read for beginning hatha yoga students of all ages.   I like Tara's explanation of what yoga is and how it differs from other physical regimes.  She says that yoga differs from Pilates, for example, because "it is not concerned solely with the musculo-skeletal body.  It operates on other levels such as the deep tissue, the internal organs and the endocrine and nervous systems."

When I read Tara's book I feel her enthusiasm for the practice and her interest in sharing yoga's myriad benefits to the reader.  And, I believe, she conveys the innate spirit of yoga and its power for creating oneness and harmony in our minds and body and as a "tool for radical change and self-development."

Especially useful for the hatha yoga beginner are Tara's explanation of simple, classic poses such as the cobra, the downward facing dog pose, and child pose.  She offers ways to modify poses that initially may be difficult for the beginner who may have stiff lower backs and legs.  She also includes a chapter on the benefits of yoga as cross-training for racquet sports like tennis and for dance and aerobics.  All in all, the book is a useful reference, tastefully done, for any beginning hatha yoga student learning and practicing at home.

Tara is a gracious lady who gave me permission to quote from her book which you can easily find at amazon.com.  You can learn more about her and her classes (if you happen to go to London) at www.yogajunction.co.uk.

Wisdom of the Day:  "Beginning yoga is easy!  Whatever your age and physical condition you can embark on a yoga practice today and gain some instant benefits, such as a lift in your mood and energy level, a feeling of calmness and a better night's sleep." ~ Tara Fraser in The Easy Yoga Workbook.