Different people hope to achieve different benefits through the practice of Yoga. The teenager is primarily concerned about spot-improving a not-quite-perfect figure. The typical housewife with several small children will want to increase her energy and lose a few flabby pounds. A middle-aged person needs to rid himself of several years' mounted-up tension and bad habits, be they eating, drinking or smoking; and the elderly have become aware of aches, pains and stiffness. They know something must be done to get the spring back into their step and to enjoy again the taste of food and the resting qualities of deep sleep. Put all those needs together and they spell H-E-A-L-T-H. But, they also spell W-O-R-K. However, the nice thing about Yoga is that it does add up to a lot of expended effort, but doesn't feel like it. It gets tremendous results, but does not exhaust you. Even after a knee-shaking Yoga work-out, you will not suffer from muscular soreness if you follow the sensible rules laid out here. For maximum benefit with a minimum of effort, please consider all these points every time you practise Yoga.
Time
The best time to exercise is either first thing in the morning or last thing at night. It depends on your particular need. In the morning the body is still stiff, but the exercises will help you to work better all day. In the evening the exercising comes more easily and refreshes and relaxes you for a good sleep.
Place
A private, airy place where you can expect little interruption is best. For, the more you concentrate, the better you will do each exercise. A rug or a blanket folded in four will give you good protection from the hard floor without being too soft for efficient performance.
Food
It is wise not to exercise strenuously for at least two hours after a heavy meal and one hour after a light meal, but it is permissible to take a little liquid just before.
Hygiene
The Yoga postures are done more easily after a bath, especially if you are a tense or arthritic person. Always empty the bladder and move the bowels before the practice of Yoga. You will find that constipation is no longer a problem with regular practice, but since the upside-down poses promote elimination, it is advisable to start your program with these.
For The Ladies
You may exercise during menstruation if you wish - on a lighter scale than normal, however. But do not ever practise the inverted postures such as the Shoulder stand. It is quite safe to practise Yoga during pregnancy for the first three months, or longer, but you should always check with your doctor first. There are special exercises to make the muscles of the back strong and elastic, to strengthen the floor of the pelvis, and to master deep breathing techniques as aids to labour.
High Blood Pressure, Dizziness or Detached Retina
People who suffer from any of these complaints should always check with their doctor. They should not at first do any of the inverted postures such as the Shoulder stand, but any of the forward bending poses are beneficial. To experience a certain amount of dizziness in the beginning is quite normal, since the head usually gets little circulation. In the inverted postures there is a sudden onrush of blood dilating the blood vessels, and a slight headache or dizziness may result.
Yoga Asanas (Postures)
There is no doubt that Yoga can work miracles. But the instrument through which wonders are worked is you. Without your discipline, your faith in what you are doing and your persistence in doing it, there can be no results. There is a right and a wrong way of practising Yoga and often a little variation will make all the difference. Try to come to the practice of Yoga without preconceived notions of how to do the exercise. Read or listen to instructions fully and to the end. Too often people will listen half-way, think they know what is going to be said next, and go ahead and do their own incomplete and/or incorrect effort.
No matter what your age, Yoga can help you realize your secret bodily desire: be it energy, health, beauty, youthfulness or graceful bearing - - if you practise regularly and sensibly.
