Yoga Moves

Hatha yoga is an ancient hindu system used for working with the human nervous system. Because its yoga moves release tension and fill you with renewed energy, far too many 21st century people, yoga teachers included, have come to look upon the venerable Indian physical science as solely an exercise for health and vitality of mind and body. It is that, but it is also much more. Hatha yoga practices are more spiritual than physical, more subtle than gross, more a means of understanding than an exotic way to relieve stress or limber up the body.

The yogis who developed hatha yoga designed it as a way to gain conscious control of our life energies, a way to go within, to harmonize the external so that the innermost Self could be encountered. To them, it was about states of consciousness, about living a divine life, and it was used widely as a preparation for meditation.

As you perform the asanas, concentrate on feeling those energies within the nerve currents. Sensitize yourself to knowing when the body has been in each position long enough to tune the nerve currents involved. Then shift smoothly into the next asana. It’s like a dance, a deliberate, fluid dance. During all postures, inhale using the diaphragm, not the chest muscles. Do not stretch unduly or force the body. Relax into the poses. Don’t worry if you can’t perform them all perfectly. Just ensure that you relax as this is paramount in the yoga practise. In time, you will find the body becoming more flexible and supple as your ‘ability’ to relax increases. Free the mind of thoughts and tensions. You will be more aware, more alive, more serene.

While there are many more complex hatha yoga routines, the first twenty-four asanas provide a balanced system for daily use. For the simple purpose of quieting the mind in preparation for meditation, this is all you will ever need. For best results, hatha yoga should be taught personally by a qualified teacher.  For more elaborate regimens, inquire at a recognized school specializing in hatha yoga.

The scene of hatha yoga has a spiritual purpose - to balance physical and physic energies in preparation for meditation. It is not only meant to make us young, beautiful or creative, but to aid us in quieting the mind, body and emotions that we may awaken enlightened consciousness & know the Self within. The practise of Hatha Yoga, the most common form of yoga followed in the modern Western world, will change your life for the better.

The yoga positions listed below are basic yet famous techniques that will enable you to experience that yoga ‘zone’, and all of its benefits! There are variations to these positions should you suffer with any physical limitations:

1.  THE COBRA  - you should do this in easy stages. Lie face-down, face prone, legs tightly together and stretched back, forehead on the floor. Place your hands, palm down, just under your shoulders. Inhale deeply and then raise your head, pressing your neck back, now use your hands to push your trunk up until you are bending in a beautiful arc from your lower spine to the back of your neck. You need go no further than this. However, if you are supple enough, you can now straighten your arms completely, bend the legs at the knees and drop your head back to touch your feet. Even if your head goes nowhere near your feet, drop it back as far as possible and hold the posture whilst continuing to breathe deeply. Come out of the posture very slowly, returning to the face prone position. Relax with your head to one side. Repeat.
2.  THE BOW  - this is also an extreme version of the simple bow. It is actually surprising how many children can do this immediately. Once again just take it in easy stages. Lie face prone on your yoga mat. If you are very slim try to use a thicker, more padded yoga mat for this one. Inhale deeply and bend your knees up. Stretch back with your arms and catch hold of your ankles, keeping fingers and thumbs together on the outside. Inhale and at the same time raise your head and chest, pulling at your ankles and lifting knees and thighs off the floor. Breathe normally, trying to push upward with your legs whilst lifting your head simultaneously. You are now bent like a bow, balancing the weight of your body on your abdomen. You can stop right there but if you are still able to stretch further, then slide your hands down your legs, lift them higher, keep the knees together and pull back as much as you can. Hold your breath for a few normal deep breaths, then relax back to the face-prone position, head to one side.
3. THE SHOOTING BOW  - in Sanskrit this is known as Akarna Dhanurasana because one leg is drawn up to symbolize a shooting bow. Sit with both legs stretched out in front of you keeping your back straight. Reach forward with both hands and clasp your feet, catching the right foot with the left hand and the left foot with the right hand. Inhale, bend the left knee and pull the foot across the body, close to your chest, pointing the elbow up and twisting the body slightly to the right. The left hand stays firm and tight, holding the right foot. Hold this posture and breathing normally, release the position slowly, and relax. Repeat on your other side. Don’t worry, when you are starting out it is enough to just hold the bent left leg with your right hand. When this becomes easier, stretch down and hold the left foot with the right hand. Continue to pull on the left foot, lifting it higher on each exhalation.

Whilst the yoga positions described above seem demanding to say the least, the secret is to try and relax when you practise your yoga moves. It is amazing how much more supple the body becomes when you begin to relax.

There are several different types of yoga and you really need to choose the one that you believe will offer you the most benefits for what you are trying to achieve.

All forms of yoga will add benefit no matter which one you choose because the various types of yoga will always focus on creating a calm and balance in the mind and body while helping to increase flexibility and fitness at the same time.

What many people regard as the most extreme form of yoga is known as Bikram yoga, where the routines are performed in heated rooms where the temperature is set at 95 degrees or more. For some people this can add stress to their exercises and for that reason there are many people who believe that performing under those conditions is detrimental to your well being.

For those people who use the Bikram yoga techniques on a regular basis, they believe that the increased temperatures help to relax and cleanse your body and in doing so give you more benefits over the standard forms of yoga.

The more common form of yoga that you will find in most centers throughout the country is Hatha Yoga. This is probably the best form of yoga for you to choose if you haven’t done any form of this exercise in the past as it will teach you all the basic types of poses that will also be applicable to various other forms of yoga if you intend to move into those other areas at a later date.

It is excellent for people who haven’t done any exercise previously and for elderly people as all the yoga moves are slow and relaxing and will assist in helping you to gain more flexibility without concern for injury.

One step up from Hatha Yoga is Vinyasa yoga which is performed at a faster pace and focuses a lot on breathing during the movements. The stretches that are involved in Vinyasa yoga are more advanced than those in Hatha and are possibly not quite as suitable for a beginner.

There are many other variations of yoga apart from these that I just mentioned but they all have the same philosophy of getting the mind and body to work as one to bring about a balance in your life.