- Guidelines
for Performing Yoga Exercises
- By: Robert
Elias Najemy
-
Without doubt one needs to
learn yoga from an experienced teacher. On the other hand, because
some attempt to perform exercises guided only from a book, these
general guidelines might be useful.
1. DO NOT FORCE YOUR BODY
under any circumstances. No matter how many times we say this
to people, they just keep on doing it. They try to push their
bodies into the exercises, whether the body is ready or not.
This is a great mistake which does more harm than you can imagine.
Work slowly with your body. Respect its limits. These limits
will gradually extend and you will gain flexibility if you work
regularly and sensitively at stretching your limits. The body
will get the message and the tension which is preventing you
from proceeding will gradually be released.
2. BE REGULAR in you
practice. A few times a week is not enough if you really want
to heal, transform or develop your body.
3. DO NOT CONTINUE ANY EXERCISE
WHICH CAUSES PAIN. Check with your doctor or exercise instructor
what you should do. Pain is a message from the body which must
be listened to. In some cases it may simply be the body’s
process of changing. In such cases, you simply need to bear with
it and continue (without forcing) and it will gradually pass.
In other cases you may be doing harm to some part of your body
and may have to stop and do some other preparatory exercises
before returning to that one.
4. EXERCISE ON AN EMPTY
STOMACH at least three hours after eating.
5. REMOVE ALL JEWELRY AND
TIGHT CLOTHING. Let your body be free of any restrictions.
Find some loose, comfortable clothing or body-hugging dance tights
for exercising.
6. BE CONSCIOUS AND CONCENTRATE
on what you are doing. Keep your mind on feeling what is happening
in the body and concentrate on your breath and position. Do not
think about other things or talk to anyone while exercising.
If possible, it would be best if you were alone in the room,
without distractions such as radio or TV, so that you can concentrate.
If this is not possible, just try to concentrate on yourself
and ignore what is going on around you.
7. GIVE IMPORTANCE TO YOUR
BREATHING. Each exercise has a specific way of breathing.
This is an extremely important aspect of the exercise. In many
cases, it is even more important than the physical movements
themselves. By conscious of your breathing and breathe slowly
and deeply, according to the instructions for each exercise.
In general (with some exceptions) we inhale when we stretch upward
or backward and exhale when we bend downward or forward.
8. COMPLETE YOUR EXERCISE
SERIES WITH DEEP BREATHING and, if possible, with DEEP RELAXATION.
9. AVOID EXERCISING AT LEAST
THREE MONTHS AFTER SURGERY, unless you have specific permission
from your doctor. Some exercises should be resumed only 6 months
after surgery, unless you have your doctor’s permission
to start earlier. Also, avoid all exercises at any time when
you suspect internal bleeding or an inflamed appendix.
10. ALLOW YOUR ATTENTION
to flow through the body as you become aware of each muscle and
the tension and energy stored there and allow that energy to
flow and the muscle relax.
_______________________________________
Robert Elias
Najemy, a life coach with 30 years of experience, has trained
over 300 Life coaches and now does so over the Internet. Info
at: http://www.HolisticHarmony.com/introholisticcoach.asp
He is the author
of over 20 books, 600 articles and 400 lecture cassettes on Human
Harmony. Download FREE 100's of articles, find wonderful ebooks,
guidance and teleclasses at http://www.HolisticHarmony.com. His books The Psychology
of Happiness and Remove Pain with Energy Psychology are available
at http://www.amazon.com
- _______________________________________
-
- ARTICLE POSTED
MARCH 22, 2004
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