Yoga is an ancient practice aimed at integrating your body, mind and spirit through a series of breathing techniques and body postures, also referred to as asanas. There are many types of yoga practices, some of which include hatha, anusara and bikram yoga, all stemming from the same principle of integration. Yoga is meant to be practiced on an individual level at your own pace, and there is no competition. As long as you practice each asana to your body's capacity, you receive full benefits from the postures. With yoga, you will gain flexibility and achieve stress relief.
Step 1
Set up your yoga mat on a flat surface that is comfortable and quiet for you to practice your yoga routine. Pace a yoga towel on top. The towel will prevent you from slipping during your practice as your body warms up and you begin to sweat.
Step 2
Keep your spine straight and your shoulders back and away from your ears during all your poses. Do this unless the pose requires you to curve your spine into a forward or back bend. Common poses where you will engage in a back bend are utrasana, or camel pose, bhujangasana, or cobra pose, bitilasana, or cow pose, and salambhasana, or locust pose. Forward-bend poses include balasana, or child's pose, uttanasana, or standing forward bend, and parsvottanasana, or intense side stretch pose.
Step 3
Focus on your breathing throughout the yoga posture series. Remember this when you are holding a pose that is stretching your muscles or feels hard. Use your breath to maintain the posture and go deeper without hurting yourself. Your breath will help you pace your practice.
Step 4
Maintain proper alignment in every posture. Never compromise your alignment to go deeper into a posture, as this may hurt your body. You can have a friend observe your postures and help you by comparing your alignment to a yoga book or speak to your yoga instructor so he can be aware of you during class and can correct your postures when needed. If you are practicing at home, practice in front of a full-length mirror until you are sure you are doing each posture correctly.
Step 5
Take time to acknowledge your yoga practice in savasana, or corpse pose. In this posture, your body is in neutral position. "Yoga Journal" recommends staying in savasana five minutes for every half hour of yoga practice.
Things You'll Need
- Yoga mat
- Towel
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