Yoga so popular today that just by saying yoga teacher is an introduction in itself. Simmi Naresh calls herself a yoga influencer too. So let us dive straight away in this amazing experience.
Yoga is an ancient art form originated from India. Elaborate?
Yoga is derived from the sanskrit word yog which means to unite or join. Its principles are to integrate all aspects of the body with the mind and the soul to achieve ultimate happiness with a balanced life. It originated in India more than 5000 years ago. Yoga is also commonly understood as a therapy or exercise system for health and fitness. While physical and mental health are natural consequences of yoga, the goal of yoga is more far reaching. Yoga does not adhere to any particular religion, belief system or community.
It has always been approached as a technology for inner well being. Anyone who practises yoga with involvement can reap its benefits irrespective of one’s faith, ethnicity or culture. Nowadays, millions and millions of people across the globe have benefited by practicing yoga which has been preserved and promoted by eminent yoga masters from ancient times to this date.
What is the relevance of yoga in the context of COVID?
During this ongoing pandemic when we all are bound to live restricted life under the constant fear of infection risk it is natural for anyone to develop anxiety. Continuous flow of negative news, inadequacy of daily resources and burden of work from home. Everything adds negativity to the atmosphere and anxiety and depression start growing up. Because of the pandemic there are so many health issues like high blood pressure, muscle tension and breathing issues and in such situations, yoga can help us to calm down.
There are different forms of yoga that can help us to stay physically strong and mentally balanced. The posture and asanas of yoga help us to reduce muscle tension, joint issues and relax our sympathetic system resulting in a relaxed mind. Yoga also teaches us to regulate our breath which can make a person feel relaxed and at ease. There are so many yoga poses which help us manage our BP levels and anxiety. Yes, yoga has definitely helped people during this pandemic. It calms our mind and helps us to keep physically fit and the meditation portion helps us to listen to our inner self.
Common queries about yoga answered
As a yoga teacher I get lots of questions everyday. Here are some of the most common and important ones.
Correct sequence of yoga
People ask me what is the correct sequence of doing yoga. Yoga is divided into three parts, asnas, meditation and breathing exercise. Asnas consists of mild stretching exercises. If you have about one hour, then you can follow all the sitting, standing, supine and lying positions. But if you have less time, you can organise your class by starting with mild stretching exercise followed by two sitting and standing poses, two supine and lying positions. After that you can do Pranayam which is a breathing exercise followed by meditation for five mins. This class will almost be 20 to 25 mins. If you follow these three steps, then only you will get the complete benefit of yoga. Just doing one part will be of no use because yog is complete only if you do the yoga poses, breathing and meditation together.
Need of an instructor
Another common question which I get is that do you need an instructor to learn yoga. There is a lot of free content available on social media. I think some of them are superficial. When I started yoga I was also dependent on social media videos. I checked lots of blogs and YouTube videos and learnt from them. I won’t say I did not benefit from training videos but this approach might be harmful and cause injury. To know the correct postures, I also did a 500 hour in Rishikesh to know what actually yog is. So I would suggest that whenever you start yoga, learn from a certified yoga teacher who knows what yoga is so that you don’t injure yourself. According to me if you practise yoga with a good teacher, you will gain fundamental knowledge, good techniques and harmless practise.
Yoga during periods
One of the common question from ladies is that is yoga safe during periods. In the past yoga instructors told students not to perform invert positions. The idea being that retrograde menstruation causes blood to flow in the wrong direction. But there are so many mild poses with variations in yoga which is very helpful during the periods. Like if you have a cramp, it gives you relief from cramps and mood swings. This is my personal experience. So I suggest that you should do mild yoga during periods.
Best time to do yoga
People also have confusion about what time they should practise yoga. If you read Sage Patanjali you will find that ancient people do yoga at brahma muhurta which is between 4 am to 6 am in the morning and believe me if you practise yoga at that time, you will find change in your body. But nowadays, it is not possible in the modern world because we are so busy with our commitments and job that we are not getting time to get up early in the morning. So my suggestion will be that whenever you get up, you can do yoga anytime but on an empty stomach.
Connected to this, a lot of people ask how much I should eat prior to yoga class. It is not about yoga but if you do any exercise, like walking or running or going to a gym avoid eating a meal for two hours before the class. A small snack is fine, but a heavy meal might not be a good idea. So the best option is practicing early in the morning. But if you do it in the daytime keep a two hour gap.
There are so many questions people ask which I cannot cover here. But if you can mail me or contact me directly on my social media handles, I would be glad to answer them.
https://www.instagram.com/si.mmi6470/
I am Manisha Yadav, Founder and Ideologue of Narisakti. MBA Student and Digital Marketing expert, I take your brand online and help you reach more customers.
As a beginner in yoga I found it very helpful……it’s amazing
I have read other articles on yoga but they are given in a very intricate way……so it obfuscates people Rather than enlighten them…….this one has really encouraged me to start practicing Yoga on daily basis…..I loved how every question was answered in a simple way for all the readers to understand the facts and experiences that were very well written. I loved it. 🙂
As a beginner in yoga it was very helpful for me……..it’s an amazing article.
I have read other articles about yoga but they are given in a intricate manner. So, it obfuscates people rather than enlighten them. This article has really encouraged me to practice yoga on daily basis. Every question was answered in a simple way for all the readers to understand the facts and experiences of the writer. It was awesome 🙂
Clear and thoughtful content….helpful for those who want to start practicing yoga daily!! ❤️