How To: Yoga

Step One: Don't be a donut, obviously.

So, you’ve been thinking lately about yoga? “Fraudulent fad or fabulous fitness?” you ask yourself when you walk past a ‘studio’ and see the rows of grunting, sweating and yet beautifully limber people stretching and sliding and slipping around on coloured mats. It looks simple, but you’ve been told it is a painfully difficult discipline, and you’re not sure where to even begin with finding the right class for you. Well, you’ve come to the right place, my little yogi, let me answer some of your questions. 

What is Yoga?

Yoga Australia gives this definition of yoga: 

“[Yoga] is recognised as an ancient system of belief (a practical philosophy or darsana) derived from the Vedic tradition of India and the Himalayas, more than 2500 years ago. It is a system of belief that recognises the multi-dimensional nature of the human person, and primarily relates to the nature and workings of the mind, based on experiential practice and self-enquiry.”

From a ‘lay person’s’ (meaning not a yoga practitioner) point of view, I would define yoga as a form of exercise that focuses on building your physical fitness by exercising your mental fitness. Confused? In a yoga* class, you move through a series of postures (poses/stretches) that strengthen and stretch your body. Yoga allows and expects the practiser to completely connect their mind with their body, the more you can focus on the pose you are holding and the more you can tune in to your body, the better you become. It teaches you to focus solely on one thing at a time and so trains both body and mind simultaneously. Think of it as a moving meditation. 

Are There Different Types of Yoga?

There are many different types of yoga, too many for me to detail, so I’ll take you through the types I’ve tried myself. 

Hatha Yoga

The term Hatha Yoga actually can be used to describe all yoga, but if you’re looking at taking a Hatha class it will likely be quite a basic form of yoga that takes you through slow, meditative poses. In my experience, Hatha Yoga is lovely and gentle. If you want to feel flexible and relaxed after a class, try Hatha. It’s usually a great type of yoga to try if you’re a beginner as it’s not too physically strenuous or demanding. Don’t think you won’t get a workout with Hatha though, you’ll still be holding poses, stretching and moving.

Bikram Yoga or Hot Yoga

You probably can’t get further away from the description I just gave about Hatha Yoga than Bikram. Bikram Yoga involves completing twenty-six poses, a mixture of standing and floor, and two breathing exercises in a highly structured ninety minute class…all in a 37 degree Celsius room (that’s about 98 in Fahrenheit). Bikram is intense and, so says the people who teach it, intensely good for you. If the instructor is doing their job properly, every Bikram class should be exactly the same, which has its pros and cons. If you’re thinking that the twenty-six poses (you can see them all here) seem deceptively easy looking, you’d be right. Nothing is easy in a room that super heated. That said, when warmed at that level, your muscles become amazingly flexible, and in a Bikram class you’ll find yourself doing things you never thought possible (and sweating more than you’d ever thought possible. We’re talking serious perspiration people!). 

I tried Bikram last year and loved it; I can honestly say I’ve never felt so good during exercise than when I was doing the floor series, especially when I was expecting to feel so bad. It is pretty hardcore stuff, but after growing up as a gymnast that’s the kind of exercise I’m used to. It’s purportedly great for everything from your cardiovascular health to your immune system to stopping junk food cravings, and after going I can see how it might be. If that’s not enough, can I just add that everybody, and I mean every body, looked simply amazing at my Bikram class? There are some ‘rules’ that it’s best to stick to, such as not eating in the two hours before class, so make sure you do your research before heading along. Bikram classes can be expensive, and sadly it isn’t exactly in my current price range, so I have given it up (for now) in lieu of cheaper options. I highly recommend giving Bikram a try if you’re looking for a challenge, but keep in mind it’s not for the faint of heart! 

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa Yoga is the yoga type I currently practice. Like Hatha, Vinyasa Yoga classes can vary a lot depending on the instructor you have. Essentially, Vinyasa focuses heavily on connecting breathing to movement. It can be a bit more aerobically stimulating than a Hatha class, and you should really find yourself stretching, strengthening and sweating. Expect to have some sore muscles after this one, and if you’re looking for a visible (but not Bikram extreme) physical difference, then Vinyasa is the place to start. 

How Do I Go? What Do I Do?

First step to becoming a yoga-god? Do some googling. You need to start by finding out what types of yoga classes are offered in your area, where, for how much and when. Some classes have a ‘first time’ or introductory offer, so you can give it a go at a cheaper rate or without having to buy a whole month or term pass. You might find a class that suits you right away, or you may have to try a few, but the important thing is to give it a solid try.

If you have your own, it’s always a good idea to take your yoga mat with you, if you don’t you might be able to borrow or hire one when you do your class. Wear comfortable exercise clothing, I always find tighter is better than looser because you’re less likely to get entangled with all the twisting going on. As with any exercise, take a water bottle with you and make sure you’re eating correctly to have enough energy to make it through.

 

Will I Look Stupid?

No. You might feel stupid, you might fall or wobble or twist the wrong direction or let out an accidental yoga fart, but everyone in the class was a beginner once and they’ve all been there. Trust me, if they’re doing their practice correctly, no one should be noticing anyone other than themselves. If you go regularly, I find that improvement in yoga is amazingly rapid and pretty soon you’ll feel like a pro (pro-ish. There’ll always be that crazy yoga lady up the front who has been practicing for fifty years and looks like an upsized Praying Mantis to remind you that you’re not a pro yet). 

Every yoga class I’ve been to, even Bikram, has levels within each pose that allow for you to either stop and concentrate on perfecting a basic posture or continue on into a harder pose. You should never feel pressure to work past the level that you feel comfortable with or to do something that’s badly painful or just not right for your body. 

Why Yoga?

Exercise is, generally speaking, something a lot of us need to do more of. Yoga offers a very beneficial and mostly more gentle and relaxing way to do this. Because it’s also so meditative, it is a great treat for your mind as well as your body. Lastly, most yoga is conducted using Sanskrit, which is a beautiful language, and words like asasana and chaturanga dandasana will become part of your vocabulary, for which there are no negatives! 

Yoga might not be right for everyone, but it seems to work for a huge variety of people. If you’re interested then I suggest you get up off the computer and try it out.

Namaste!**

*To be clear, we’re really talking about a Westernized version of yoga here. The term yoga originally was used to describe a religious practice much more heavily centred on meditation and not so much on physical exercise as it is today. There’s widely acknowledge to have been a marriage between more modern and Western exercise and the traditional yoga practiced by Buddhists in what it is we practice now, but hey, why not combine all the good bits of everything, right? 

**Too corny? Probably. Will I change it? Nope.

How To: Meditate

 One of my teachers once told me that Buddhist monks began the practice of joining fore finger to thumb when meditating as a 'self timing' device. When their fingers parted, they knew they had done enough.

Picture found originally here.

I was lucky enough to go to a school that, while Catholic, was quite expansive and progressive in its religion teaching. Not being one myself, I wasn’t supremely interested in the religious studies we did which pertained purely to becoming a better Catholic, but I was really engaged by the other material we studied; profiles of all of the major religions and a few smaller ones, in depth studies of texts and practices and day trips to synagogues, mosques, museums and cemeteries.

During my time at school I had two wonderful teachers who taught us a lot about meditation practice. My interest in meditation really began with them and through my own research and further study has increased. Below are outlined some of my favourite ‘do it yourself’ meditation exercises.

Food Meditation or Eating Mindfully

We always did this meditation at school with Allens Snakes. To this day yellow snakes (only Allens though), are one of my very favourite things to eat. You’ll need food, preferably just one ingredient by itself, say a carrot or piece of cheese (or an Allens Snake!). This meditation uses questioning to keep you focussed and experiencing the present moment.

Method:

*Sit comfortably, close your eyes and focus on breathing deeply and settling your mind some.

*Take the piece of food and lift it to your nose. What does it smell like?

*Put the food in your mouth, but do not chew, just let it rest on your tongue. Does it feel heavy? Is it releasing any flavour?

*Slowly move the food around a little, you can squish it or suck on it if you want. Focus now on the flavour coming from the morsel, what can you taste? Is it sweet or savoury? Salty or creamy?

*Now you can chew the food, but still focus on the textures and flavours you’re experiencing. When you’re done, swallow it. What kind of aftertaste is left?

Listening Meditation

This one’s really simple. I usually find it best to lie down in a still room with the windows open. This is all about listening, so try and make sure there are no really loud televisions or music players near you.

*As you lie, slowly narrow down you’re ‘field’ of listening until you’re focussing only on the sounds your body makes; breathing, beating, pulsing, maybe twitching or lengthening as you ease into relaxation.

*Then, stretch your listening outwards, until you’re focusing on sounds from around the room. Does the furniture shift and settle? Is there a ticking clock or are there any animals making noises?

*Gradually, shift your listening outside the room. Can you hear neighbours talking? Birds in the trees and traffic passing by?

*Now focus on the sounds farthest away from you, see just how far you can hear. *Next you need to draw your listening back in, first into the surrounding outside, then back to your room, then to your own sounds, until all you can hear once again are the noises of your body.

Plain Old Meditation

This year I began practicing what I call ‘plain old mediation’ in earnest. All I literally do is sit on a flat floor cushion, legs crossed (although I don’t see that it would make a difference in a different position if you were sitting up straight and well supported) and breathe. I make sure that my breaths are long and slow, and that the exhalation is the same length as the inhalation (we have a tendency to breathe shorter out than in). Then I slowly start to let go of my thoughts, trying to slow my mind down a little and relax into the stillness until there are no thoughts and all I’m doing is sitting and breathing. I wouldn’t say it’s hard, but it’s not instantly achievable; thoughts whir back up the moment I let myself lose focus or get distracted. It’s definitely not something to get angsty about, and I think that’s where a lot of people get tricked up with mediation; the angrier you get about not being able to ‘do it right’ the more you’ll over think things, when thinking is something you’re trying to get a break from.

I don’t like to put a timer on my mediation, I can usually just tell when I’ve had enough and I think a buzzer or alarm would jar me about. I do like to see sometimes how long I’ve mediated for though, and so far my average is about ten minutes, which I’m pretty impressed by. I find that on the mornings that I do meditate I seem to have hours extra in the day and am incredibly productive. I’m able to focus clearly and don’t try to multitask and spread my energy around all day long. It’s definitely proven a great habit for work outcomes, and I think mentally as well.

I’ve done other types of meditation (think a two hour walking and bowing stint at a Buddhist monk-in-training temple) and have really enjoyed all of them. These three are my basis, DIY at home options, and a good place to start if you’ve never meditated before. Additionally, there are literally hundreds of guided meditation recordings on youtube, and if you’re finding it hard to lead yourself through I recommend you give one a go as well. Happy meditating!