If you’re new to yoga, you might be wondering how much is too much and how much is too little.
Some practitioners recommend practicing 2 to 3 times a week. Others say it differently. But even if you practice just an hour a week, you will benefit.
Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question.
It depends on what you want to get out of your yoga practice.
Maybe you want to build a stronger body and mind. Maybe you’re looking for something completely different.
But doing yoga every day has been shown to be beneficial. It can help you improve your mood and cope better with anxiety and depression. It also makes you stronger and more flexible. Daily routines can help you develop a pattern of self-care.
You will find that your natural energy and vitality will increase. Your ability to stay calm during times of stress will improve dramatically. But again, what you want out of yoga will determine how often you practice it.
Before we dive in, let’s do some Yoga 101. This will help inform what kind of practice you want to do.
What is yoga?
What is yoga?
Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word “Yuj”, which means “tension” or “bondage”. Yoga has also been interpreted as a “bonding” or method of discipline.
About 2,000 years ago, the Indian sage Patanjali summarized the practice of yoga in the “Yoga Sutras”. The Yoga Sutras are a collection of 195 verses that serve as a philosophical guide to yoga. In it, Patanjali outlines the eight branches of yoga. This tries to improve our behavior from the outside. It then makes us focus inward until we achieve samadhi or enlightenment.
Today, most yoga practitioners are only concerned with the third branch of physical practice, the asanas. This posture program is designed to cleanse the body. It provides physical strength and stamina, helping practitioners to meditate for long periods of time.
What is Hada?
What is Hada?
Hatha means capricious or violent. Thus, Hatha Yoga refers to a set of physical exercises and sequences. These lines line your skin, muscles, and bones. These poses are also designed to open channels in the body to allow energy to flow freely.
Hatha can have different translations after decomposition. “Ha” means “sun” and “tha” means “moon”.
This is the relationship between Hada and balance.
This balance can exist between males and females. As the sun is active and hot, the moon is inclusive and cool. Hada offers us a way to create balance and unify these opposites.
In our bodies, Hatha Yoga helps us develop balance, strength and flexibility. But we can also apply these teachings to our endeavors on the mat. By surrendering to each pose, we can surrender to different parts of ourselves.
Hatha Yoga is a powerful tool for self-transformation.
It requires us to focus on our breath, to calm the fluctuations of the mind. By practicing Hatha Yoga, you become more present in the moment.
What is Om?
What is Om?
Om is a mantra or vibration. It is traditionally sung at the beginning and end of yoga classes.
Om is said to be the voice of the universe.
Somehow, the ancient yogis understood that the entire universe is in constant motion. It is never fixed or still. Instead, everything pulsates and produces rhythmic vibrations. Ancient yogis identified this vibration as the sound of Om.
We may not be aware of this sound in our daily life. But if you listen carefully enough, you can hear it just about anywhere.
Chanting Om helps us see our experiences as reflections of the entire universe.
We exist between the setting sun and the rising moon. We ebb and flow with the tides, beating our hearts. Om guides us through this universal movement. Om gives our breath, consciousness and body energy a greater dimension of connection. This power is both exhilarating and calming.
How is yoga different from other forms of fitness?
How is yoga different from other forms of fitness?
Yoga is more than poses. Patanjali’s Noble Eightfold Path shows that physical practice is only one aspect of the whole. But asana practice combines the movement of the body with the wave of the mind.
In this way, yoga naturally connects body, mind and breath.
This inner awareness teaches us to recognize our usual thought patterns. It encourages us to notice these patterns without naming, judging, or changing them. Yoga is more about the cultivation of consciousness. It’s about viewing these poses as tasks rather than goals.
Some people think they can’t do yoga because they are not flexible. This is far from the truth.
Yoga will most likely make your body more flexible. Yoga can also be personalized to suit your needs.
Over time, your newfound flexibility will help balance your strength and coordination. The more flexible your body becomes, the more flexible your mind will become. You’ll also develop more self-confidence and a greater sense of well-being.
How do I start yoga?
How do I start yoga?
First, it helps to have a pair of yoga leggings or shorts. Practice in a t-shirt or top that doesn’t restrict you but isn’t too baggy. You can also bring a towel to class in case it gets too hot.
It is also important not to eat before class. In yoga, you twist from side to side, stand on your head, and bend back and forth. So make sure your last meal is fully digested.
These tips will help you prepare your body. But starting yoga means having an open mind.
When you’re ready to try something new, you can start yoga.