Five Essentials of a Yoga Practice

1) Awareness :

Yoga develops awareness of what is taking place in the moment. Awareness is a powerful skill to learn however it is only learnt by taking the journey inwards. It is something that you can’t learn at a class in university but it can be learnt by the practice of yoga.

2) Slow & Steady :

Never rush during the Yoga session. Slow down yourself on Yoga mat.

3) Breathing :

It's very important to be aware of breath while practicing Yogasanas. Movement of body should be synchronized with awareness & breath. And this make Yoga, Yoga; this is actually real charm of Yoga. When focusing on the breath during asana practice, the energy, the prana, begins to flow more freely pushing through any emotional and physical blockages and thus freeing the body and mind. Which results in the “feel good” effect after a yoga practice. 
·  Breath, inhale & exhale should be through the nose.· Breathing should be Relaxed, Rhythmic & Silent.

4) Alignment :

Each Yoga style has its own take on alignment. In absence of proper alignment you will not be able to derive maximum benefits. How to come into posture, how to release it’s very important.

5) Health Status :

You should discuss your injuries and special health conditions before the class with your Yoga instructor or teacher. This will help your Yoga teacher to make your practice and experience more enjoyable.

What Non Practitioner Think About Yoga

After having a 11 years long experience of Yoga teaching found these interesting things about new comers to learn Yoga:

1.  Mostly in India people start doing Yoga or look towards Yoga when everything fails to provide good health or not any way left for recovery from illness or when doctor wrote down on prescription – “Do Yoga”. Then people look towards Yoga as medicine, just Yoga teacher tell everything once & people will learn even in 30 minutes or 60 minutes.
2. When start practice in private Yoga class or group Yoga class, people expecting quick result like ENO- "ENO de jhat se aaram".
3. People don’t want to be regular in Yoga practice but need it’s benefits lifelong.
4. Nobody want to label himself beginners, in few sessions everybody start demanding advance practices, even when they not even able to perform very basic Yoga serious Pawanmuktasana  I.
5. Most of the people who come to learn, don’t want to be students.

Beginners Yoga : A Complete Guide

Yoga is a complete life style & in starting it’s challenging discipline for beginners. The Asanas, or postures are slow and steady and are not meant to be painful, but this does not mean that they are not challenging.

Definatin of Yogasanas “Sthiram sukham aasanam”, meaning ‘the position which is comfortable and steady.’ Never extend yourself too much to cause discomfort. With practice, you should see yourself relaxing into the stretches with ease.

Some people doing it through learning from television or net, there is nothing wrong with this, but it’s helpful or good for healthy people only. If you are suffering from any chronic ailments and diseases such as stomach ulcer, tuberculosis, depression, blood pressure, heart problem, backache or any other ailments don’t start practice yourself, it may be increase your problem and you will not get the benefits of it. So, consult a Qualified Yoga Therapist before starting any practices, otherwise result may be more painful.

In the starting you may not be able to attain some postures, so don’t try to stretch too much or even not give jerk to reach into final posture, it’s may pull you muscles or give pain. Just remember that doing the every postures systematic are important, performing them absolutely perfectly is not the goal of Yoga. Yoga is not just an exercise; Asanas releases mental tensions by dealing with them on the physical level. The result is the release of dormant energy, the body becomes full of vitality and strength, the mind becomes light, creative, joyful and balanced.


For beginners there are a few tips when starting Yoga sessions.

• Select well-ventilated and less furnished room for practice.
• Use blanket of natural material for the practice as it will act like as an insulator between the body and the earth, Yoga mats also can be use if blanket it not available or convenient.
• Make sure you take a warm, relaxing shower and that you wear comfortable clothes that will allow you to stretch easily.
• Turn off your phone and don’t answer the door, you need peace and quiet.
• Turn the lights low (or you can do it in the sunlight), whatever suits you.
• During practice do not use fans and air conditioner unless it is extremely hot.
• Release all thoughts; it’s good or bad doesn’t matter; before the practice & relaxed yourself by Chanting any Santi Mantra.

You can chant this mantra, before starting the practice:

शांति मंत्रा
ऊं सहना ववतु
सहनौ भुनक्तु
सहविर्यम् करवावहे
तेजस्विना वधीतम् अस्तु
मा विद विशावहै
ऊं शांति शांति शांति

These tips make it easier for you as a beginner in yoga.