Yoga Experiences
By sappho99336
@sappho99336 (354)
United States
February 24, 2007 8:06pm CST
I am interested in hearing about people's experiences with yoga. I started taking a yoga class a few months ago. At first I started with Bikram's Beginning Yoga. This nearly killed me! It's a beginning Bikram class, but even beginning Bikram is really difficult. The room is heated up to 90 degrees and my flexibility is bad and my balance is even worse. So I almost fell a few times.
I switched to a different class that I like better. The room is still heated to 90 degrees, but the pace is easier. I am not sure what type of yoga it is; some type of Hatha yoga I assume. We start each session with pranyama breathing and then do sun salutations. I can't remember the names of all the other poses we do or in what order.
We do Warrior I, Warrior II, Eagle Pose, Pigeon, Mountain, and Camel, among others. My favorite is the Child's Pose (balasana). It's just a very soothing pose. I feel that yoga has helped me with my tension-related aches and pains.
What about you? Have you taken yoga classes or done yoga on your own? What kind? Do you do it every day, a few times a week, once a week? Do you feel it has helped you physically or mentally? If so, how? Is there anything you can recommend as far as classes, types of yoga, equipment, poses, etc.?
6 responses
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
25 Feb 07
I don't take classes - but do yoga from home. I am thoughtful on what I want to do - what works for me. I had a friend who severed her coratriod artery and suffered a stroke - from a yoga stance (where you flip your legs over your head and touch you toes to the floor?) So,I would suggest not doing anything your body tells you not too!
@sappho99336 (354)
• United States
25 Feb 07
You are so right about listening to your body and not trying to force it to do something it is telling you not to. What a terrible story! It sounds like you are talking about the plow; I know that's one where you really need to be careful--not look around, etc. I hope your friend recovered from her stroke.
@mobyfriend (1017)
• Netherlands
3 Mar 07
That's a horrible story what happened to your friend. If only this tells you not only to listen to yuour body but also be careful in choosing your teacher. My teacher always watches to see that his students are not going into poses that are not suitable for them yet. He tells us to stay within our limits. So you must also choose a teacher that knows what every student in the class needs.
Did your friend recover from the stroke?
@ramthegreat (36)
• India
16 Jun 07
Hi.
I have been practicing hatha yoga from my age of 15. I definitely feel a betterment in my body and mind.
always remember one thing in your mind. Do not put more strain on your body in pose, it has to grow gradually with your practice.
Comfortability in your poses is what more important.
@sappho99336 (354)
• United States
16 Jun 07
Yes, my yoga teacher is pretty good about reminding us not to do more than we can handle. I don't really so much love the yoga classes themselves, but I feel so much better afterwards that it's worth it to me. Thanks for your input!
@gharinder (2044)
• India
3 Mar 07
so far i havent taken any yoga classes, but i do yoga on my own at home, with the help from a book, i do weight loss asanas, like halsana, and asanas for a good respiratory system, i usually do it everyday in the evening for about half an hour, i have started doing it last month only, so cant say that i have noticed drastic changes, i only know that yoga should be done on empty stomach atleast 5-6 hrs after meal, and a general rule for doing asanas is to inhale while bending and exhale when u straighten up, in yoga as far as i know dont require any sort of equipments. as for asanas (poses), i dont very well remember the names of all poses.
1 person likes this
@sappho99336 (354)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Yeah, I've heard that about doing it on an empty stomach. I've noticed that I don't feel as comfortable my last meal was too close to my yoga class time. Thanks for the info.
@mobyfriend (1017)
• Netherlands
2 Mar 07
I have been following hatha yoga classes for 3 years once a week and i try to practice at home whenever i can sometimes with the help of a video or watching yogazone. Our class consists of several poses for about an hour and a shavasana for about 15 minutes or longer.
All I can say it has helped me enormously physically as well as mentally.
I can't recommend anything but just listen to to your body.
1 person likes this
@sappho99336 (354)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Yes, I think it is a really good thing for both body and mind.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
13 May 07
Yes I do Yoga everyday. I hate to miss because i feel so good after. I started taking lessons about 30 yrs ago and have never looked back (except in class!)At 73 yrs old I'm too old to stop now. It has changed my life! I'm still working on the farm everyday and I Love it!
I stopped Doctoring, shortly after I began to do Yoga. I soon developed an inner awareness of my physical body.
I haven't had a medical checkup in 30 years. I'm so healthy I can hardly stand it! All the poses are important, because they all work together to make you strong and verile.
1 person likes this
@sappho99336 (354)
• United States
13 May 07
Yes, I only do yoga once a week, but I really notice if I miss a class. It does help with strength, I've noticed, but I think I'll pass on the virility (I assume that's what you meant when you said "verile"), since virile means "manly." :-). I'm glad to hear that you are in such good health and that yoga has been able to help with that.
@skyle487 (17)
• Philippines
18 Feb 09
i've been pracitising yoga for 11 months now. i never thought i could sustain any form of exercise until now. not only that, it was through yoga that i became really conscious about my health. i've even started to take up running! and eating vegetables and avoing fastfood and red meat.
most importantly, i'm glad i took up yoga at a really difficult point in my life. it has kept me calm through those times. i can imagine myself being different (i.e., more helpless) if i had gone through these things without yoga.
