Читать книгу Look 15 Years Younger: The 15-Minute-a-Day Yoga Plan - Barbara Currie - Страница 25

I do hope that you are now really raring to go and can’t wait to get started. Just before we begin, however, a few guidelines for your yoga practice:

1 Work in a warm, airy room in bare feet and wear loose comfortable clothing. A leotard and tights are in my opinion the best for women, but jogging bottoms and t-shirts are also fine, and are the best option for men.

2 Wait until at least two hours after a main meal before you practise yoga.

3 Make sure that you won’t be disturbed. You deserve time just for yourself to concentrate your body and clear your mind.

4 You will need a mat or blanket to sit on. Yoga is very much a ‘no-equipment’ exercise system, so you don’t even need to buy a special mat for your yoga. A blanket has always been the traditional suggestion for yoga practice, but if you haven’t got one that you feel is suitable, a car rug or thick bath towel will do fine. There are now many yoga mats on the market that some people find useful, but I am a bit of a traditionalist and still prefer my blanket.

5 Yoga is great for all age groups – my pupils range from 4 to 84 – however, it is for healthy people, so if you do have any health concerns whatsoever, just ask your doctor’s advice before you begin. If your doctor is unclear about the type of movements you will be doing, take this book along to show him, but do emphasize that you will not be straining and will only be moving into the positions at your own pace, going into your maximum position in each movement. You must have your doctor’s consent before you start to practise. Yoga is very beneficial for your health and frequently many health problems can be greatly helped by yoga practice. You must however never substitute yoga for your doctor’s treatment.

6 PREGNANCY: Yoga can be most beneficial during both pregnancy and labour. However, if you are new to yoga, I recommend waiting until after your 3-month check-up at about 14-15 weeks before commencing yoga practice. If you have been practising yoga on a regular basis prior to conception and have no history of miscarriage then there should be no reason why you should not continue. You must always make sure that your doctor gives you permission to practise yoga during pregnancy.I do prefer that you go to a class qualified to guide you through the various stages of pregnancy as the movements need to be adjusted to cope with the baby’s increasing size. In general, avoid all the movements which put strain on the abdomen (these are indicated throughout the book) and always move carefully and slowly without strain. Learn to relax and enjoy your pregnancy.Following the birth, it is advisable to wait until your post-natal check-up before resuming yoga practice. If your doctor is happy that all is well and gives you his blessing to recommence practice then do tell your teacher of the nature of your delivery. Start very gently and carefully. You will quickly regain your shape and feeling of well-being.

The golden rule of yoga: Never, ever strain. I know this is different from other methods of exercise that you might have tried, but in yoga we focus on the positive health of the pupil and the enhancement of the energy flow or life-force within us. Straining in yoga is never an option.

Your body today is the result of how it has been taken care of how you have exercised, coped with your share of troubles, the diet you have eaten, how you have slept and relaxed and your individual focus and attitude to life.

It is extremely hard to suddenly come face-to-face with your body in certain movements and realize how stiff and out of shape and uncoordinated you have become. Please cheer up – it really is a good thing to gradually discover our imbalances and frailties. All you need is your daily yoga to help correct them.

Now, to go back to straining – if you strain or jerk in a movement you are liable to tear or hurt yourself so putting a total halt on further practice for a while.

Move into each posture slowly and carefully without strain, and relax in your own maximum position. This is the secret of success. Every time you practise, no matter how bad you were to start with, you will find that you are a tiny bit more flexible, and after just a few weeks you will really see the difference in your flexibility, shape and feeling of well-being. When a system has been tried and tested for over 5,000 years, as yoga has, and is still increasing in popularity, we know it works!

The key to developing a beautiful physical appearance is to start from the inside out by clearing away physical and emotional toxins.

ANNE LOUISE GITTLEMAN