Beginning of Yoga

Health improvement, stress management, spiritual balance or physical purification, these can all be reasons for beginning yoga classes, but deciding to turn to yoga is only the very first step of the quest. The next thing to do before beginning yoga is to decide which type or approach to turn to. Make some research on the various approaches and see which one best suits your needs and personality, not to mention the level of physical fitness that has a word to say in the matter. Beginners are usually attracted by Hatha yoga since it is so popular in the West that it has become synonym with “yoga” in a broader sense of the word.

Whichever be your choice keep in mind that when beginning yoga you need something basic, and you can turn to fancy styles later. The next thing to do is to actually find a yoga class in your area. Very often local newspapers and magazines give listings of centers and organizations that are involved in the teaching of yoga for beginners. All you need to do is take things the easy way; you will actually learn the secrets of yoga practice in time, step by step, so there is no point in trying some of the most difficult asanas from the very beginning.

When beginning yoga it is important that you pay enough attention to ligaments and joints; if you suffer from an osteoarticular problem, it is best to inform the yoga instructor before you start practicing. Furthermore, entering the meditation state will not be something to happen all of a sudden, first you'll have to learn the tricks of correct breathing and little by little get into the state in which the body and mind are happily balanced. Many yogis will actually tell you that practice is the key to achieving great things on the path to self-knowledge.

Last but not least, it could be pretty risk to commit yourself to yoga practice without proper guidance; therefore, beginning yoga only with the help of some web pages it is definitely wrong. Do not try asanas and meditation techniques on your own, after reading some informative materials; things are definitely more complex than they seem, and the presence of a master to help you through the training stages is essential. Consequently, refer to the information you find online only to enrich your knowledge of the practice, and do not use it as a basis for beginning yoga.