4 Things to Know Before You Learn Yoga

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Yoga is the talk of the town these days and everyone who is anyone is practicing it or at least talking about it. Though yoga and meditation were initially manifested as a means of spiritual growth for the yogis and sages of India, modern medicine has conducted much research on these methods and shown that besides being a path to spiritual upliftment, these practices can also benefit an individual’s body and mind immensely.

However, though there are so many overwhelmingly positive benefits, a newcomer to yoga is usually confused by the variety of practices available and may struggle to figure how to begin and get started. So let’s look at four essential things you need to know if you are beginning your yoga journey!

#1 The Four Kinds of Yoga

Traditionally, the scriptures classify yoga into four types or paths. Most people nowadays tend to think of asanas when you say yoga, but the four Though most of the western world thinks of asanas when they hear the word “yoga”, yoga was traditionally demarcated as karma yoga, where the physical body was used as a means the spiritual goal, gnana yoga, where the mind was used as means towards the spiritual goal, bhakti yoga, where the person’s emotions were used as means towards the spiritual goal, and kriya yoga, where the inner energy was used as means towards the spiritual goal.

#2 Beginning Your Practice

If you aren’t all that flexible or “bendy” don’t worry. Yoga practice needn’t begin with asanas. Asanas are just a small part of yoga, though that may not be the impression you get looking at the yoga studios of today. Think about taking up a meditation to deepen your awareness of body and mind. There are several meditations available on the web, as well some that are sold as CDs.

#3 Figure Out Who to Learn From

Whether you choose to learn a meditation or want to experience the benefits of Hatha Yoga, it is important that you learn from the right source. Doing some of these practices wrong could lead to negative side-effects, so make sure to choose your school or teacher with care. Look for someone who has a proper understanding of the human body as well as of the science of yoga, and who treats his teaching not as a job but as a responsibility.

#4 What Do You Wear?

Tight-fighting clothes aren’t the way to go if you want to practice yoga. However, overly loose fitting apparel isn’t right either. Pick something that your body is comfortable in, rather than something that will show of your curves or biceps! Organic material is preferable to synthetic stuff. Also think about putting on a rudraksha. These are necklaces of 108 beads, made of the seeds of the Elaeocarpus ganitrus, a particular tree found in India and South-east Asia. Rudrakshas help you stay focused. Once again, go with a reputable source rather than someone who looks like a fly-by-night operator!

Ananya Mathur