Foreword xv
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 4
Part I: Getting Started with Yoga 5
Chapter 1: Yoga 101: Building a Foundation 7
Understanding the True Character of Yoga 7
Finding unity 8
Finding yourself: Are you a yogi (or a yogini)? 9
Considering Your Options: The Eight Main Branches of Yoga 9
Taking a Closer Look at Hatha Yoga 12
Finding Your Niche: Four Basic Approaches to Yoga 16
Yoga as fitness training 16
Yoga as therapy 17
Yoga as a lifestyle 17
Yoga as a spiritual discipline 18
What most approaches to Yoga have in common 19
Pointing the Way to Happiness: Health, Healing, and Yoga 19
Balancing Your Life with Yoga 21
Locating Your Starting Place in the World of Yoga 22
Chapter 2: Ready, Set, Yoga! 23
Finding Suitable Yoga Instruction 24
Checking out classes and teachers 24
Making sure the course fits your experience level 26
Taking other important considerations into account 27
Preparing for Group Practice 28
Deciding what to wear 28
Packing your Yoga class kit 28
Putting safety first 29
Paging Miss Manners 30
Going for It on Your Own 31
Fulfilling Your Promise to Yourself: Making Time for Yoga Practice 32
Chapter 3: Preparing for a Fruitful Yoga Practice 33
Cultivating the Right Attitude 33
Leave pretzels for snack time 34
Practice at your own pace 34
Send the scorekeeper home 35
Picture yourself in the posture 36
Enjoying a Peaceful Yoga Practice 36
Busting the perfect posture myth 36
Listening to your body 37
Moving slowly but surely 38
Practicing function over form with Forgiving Limbs 39
Chapter 4: Relaxed Like a Noodle: The Fine Art of Letting Go of Stress 41
The Nature of Stress 41
Correcting wrong attitudes 42
Changing poor habits 43
Releasing bodily tension 45
Relaxation Techniques That Work 45
Deep relaxation: The corpse posture 46
Afternoon delight 48
Magic triangles: Relaxing through visualization 49
Relaxation before sleep 50
Insomnia buster 51
Yoga Nidra: Catch Up on Your Sleep Quotient with Yogic Sleep 51
Formulating your intention 52
Performing Yoga Nidra 53
Chapter 5: Breath and Movement Simplified 55
Breathing Your Way to Good Health 55
Taking high-quality breaths 56
Relaxing with a couple of deep breaths 57
Practicing safe yogic breathing 58
Reaping the benefits of yogic breathing 59
Breathing through your nose (most of the time) 59
Mastering the Mechanics of Yogic Breathing 61
Understanding how your emotions affect your diaphragm 62
Appreciating the complete yogic breath 62
Starting out with focus breathing 65
Realizing the power of a pause 66
Seeing How Breath and Postural Movement Work Together 66
Breathing in four directions 67
Recognizing the distinct roles of movement and holding in Yoga postures 67
Achieving a deeper stretch with The Yoga Miracle 68
Answering common breath and movement questions 69
Infusing Sound into Yogic Breathing 71
Breath Control the Traditional Way 72
Alternate nostril breathing 73
The cooling breath 74
Shitkari: Inhalation through the mouth 75
Kapala-bhati: Frontal sinus cleansing 76
Part II: Moving into Position: Basic Yoga Postures 77
Chapter 6: Please Be Seated 79
Understanding the Philosophy of Sitting 80
Adding Varity to Your Sitting Postures 81
Chair-sitting posture 82
The easy posture: Sukhasana 83
The thunderbolt posture: Vajrasana 84
The auspicious posture: Svastikasana 84
The perfect posture: Siddhasana 86
Chapter 7: Standing Tall 89
Standing Strong 89
Exercising Your Standing Options 91
Mountain posture: Tadasana 91
Standing forward bend: Uttanasana 92
Half standing forward bend: Ardha uttanasana 94
Asymmetrical forward bend: Parshva uttanasana 95
Triangle posture: Utthita trikonasana 96
Reverse triangle posture: Parivritta trikonasana variation 98
Warrior I: Vira bhadrasana I 99
Warrior II: Vira bhadrasana II 100
Standing spread-legged forward bend: Prasarita pada uttanasana 101
Half chair posture: Ardha utkatasana 102
Downward-facing dog: Adhomukha shvanasana 104
Chapter 8: Steady as a Tree: Mastering Balance 107
Getting to the Roots of the Posture 107
Balancing Postures for Graceful Strength 108
Warrior at the wall: Vira bhadrasana III variation 109
Balancing cat 110
The tree posture: Vrikshasana 111
The karate kid 112
Standing heel-to-buttock 113
Scorpion 114
Chapter 9: Absolutely Abs 115
Taking Care of the Abdomen: Your Business Center 116
Exercising Those Abs 117
Exploring push-downs 117
Trying yogi sit-ups 118
Strengthening with yogi sit-backs 119
Creating variety with extended leg slide-ups 120
Arching with the suck ’em up posture 121
Exhaling “soundly” 122
Chapter 10: Looking at the World Upside Down: Safe Inversion Postures 123
Getting a Leg Up on Leg Inversions 124
Legs up on a chair 124
Legs up on the wall 125
The happy baby 126
Standing spread-legged forward bend at the wall 127
Trying a Trio of Shoulder Stands 128
Half shoulder stand at the wall 129
Reverse half shoulder stand at the wall 130
Half shoulder stand: Viparita karani 131
Chapter 11: Easy ’round the Bends: Classic Bending Floor Postures 133
Gaining a Strong Backbone (and Some Insight) 133
Bending over Backward 135
Cobra I: Salamba bhujangasana 136
Cobra II: Bhujangasana 137
Cobra III 138
Locust I: Shalabhasana 139
Locust II 140
Locust III: Superman posture 141
Bending from Side to Side 141
Seated side bend 142
All-fours side bend 143
Folded side bend 144
Bending Forward 144
Seated forward bend: Pashcimottanasana 145
Head-to-knee posture: Janushirshasana 146
The great seal: Mahamudra 148
Wide-legged forward bend: Upavishta konasana 149
Chapter 12: Several Twists on the Yoga Twist 151
Trying Simple Upright Twists 152
Easy chair twist 152
Easy sitting twist 152
The sage twist 154
Twisting while Reclining 155
Bent leg supine twist 155
The Swiss army knife 156
Extended legs supine twist: Jathara parivritti 157
Chapter 13: Dynamic Posture: The Rejuvenation Sequence and Sun Salutation 159
Warming up for the Sun: Rejuvenating in 9 Steps 160
Gliding Through the 7-Step Kneeling Salutation 162
Advancing to the 12-Step Sun Salutation 164
Chapter 14: A Recommended Beginners’ Routine for Men and Women 167
Starting Slowly and Wisely 167
Trying out a Fun Beginner Routine 168
Corpse posture 168
Lying arm raise 169
Knee-to-chest posture 169
Downward-facing dog 170
Child’s posture 171
Warrior I 171
Standing forward bend 172
Reverse triangle posture variation 173
Standing wide-legged forward bend 174
The karate kid 175
Corpse posture redux 176
Reaching Beyond the Beginning 176
Part III: Creating and Customizing Your Yoga Routine 177
Chapter 15: Designing Your Own Yoga Program 179
Applying the Rules of Sequencing 180
Getting Started with Warm-ups 181
Reclining warm-up postures 184
Standing warm-up postures 188
Seated warm-up postures 192
Selecting Your Main Postures and Compensation Poses 193
Getting stronger with standard asanas 193
Bringing balance with compensation postures 195
Including Plenty of Rest and Relaxation 198
Knowing when to rest and when to resume 198
Mastering rest postures 198
Cooking Up a Creative Yoga Routine with the Classic Formula 200
Enjoying a postural feast: The 30- to 60-minute general conditioning routine 202
Making the most of a little: A 15-minute routine 212
Satisfying an appetite for a quick pick-me-up: A 5-minute routine 213
Chapter 16: Partnering Up for Yoga 215
Defining Partner Yoga 215
Enjoying the Benefits of Partner Yoga 216
Exploring Twelve Ways to Pose with a Partner 217
Partner suspension bridge 217
Partner teeter-totter 218
Hugasana 219
Partner warrior II 220
Partner table pose 221
Double triangle 222
Partner tree pose 223
Yoga Miracle pose 224
Seated straddle pose 225
The partner diamond 226
Partner seated twist 227
Easy partner camel 228
Chapter 17: It’s Never Too Soon: Pre- and Postnatal Yoga 231
Partnering Yoga with Pregnancy 231
Enjoying Yoga support as you — and the baby — grow 232
Exercising caution during pregnancy 233
Finding Perfect Pregnancy Postures 234
Side-lying posture 234
The cat and cow 234
The cobbler’s posture: Badda konasana 236
A safe, quick prenatal routine 237
Continuing Yogic Exercise after Pregnancy (Postpartum) 241
Chapter 18: Yoga for Kids and Teens 243
Kid Stuff: Making Yoga Fun for Youngsters 244
Engaging the imagination: Approaching poses in a child-friendly way 244
Finding Yoga postures kids love 245
Easing the Transition into Adulthood: Yoga for Teens 256
Calling all teens: The antidote to stress in an overscheduled life 256
Fit for life, and so much more 257
Developing Yoga Routines for the Young and Restless 259
Standing routine 259
Floor routine 262
Chapter 19: It’s Never Too Late: Yoga for Midlifers and Older Adults 265
Reaping the Benefits of Yoga through Midlife and Beyond 266
Working through menopause 266
Not just a “woman thing”: Navigating andropause 266
Developing bones of steel 267
Approaching Prime of Life Yoga with the Right Mindset 267
Developing User-Friendly Routines for Midlifers 268
Prime of Life Yoga routine: Level I 268
Prime of Life Yoga routine: Level II 271
Staying Active: Yoga for Older Adults 274
Cherishing the Chair: Safe Routines for Older Adults 275
Cherish the chair routine: Level I 275
Cherish the chair routine: Level II 281
Chapter 20: Prop Art: The Why and How of Simple Props 287
Examining the Pros and Cons of Props 288
Exploring the advantages of props 288
Looking at props’ drawbacks 288
Going Prop Hunting at Home 289
Working with a wall 289
Using a blanket for more than bedding 289
Choosing a chair for comfort 290
Stretching with a strap 290
Seeking Out Props You May Want to Purchase 291
Supporting alignment with the help of blocks 292
Bolstering support with pillows 292
Eyeing the many uses of eye pillows 293
Turning to inversion props 293
Chapter 21: Yoga Against the Wall 295
The World Is Your Yoga Studio 295
A Wall-Supported Yoga Workout 297
Wall mountain pose 297
Mountain posture flow 298
Wall warrior flow 299
Standing side bend at the wall 300
Half chair at the wall 301
Wall warrior III 302
Wall hang 303
Yogi wall sit-ups 304
Wall splits 305
Inverted hamstring pose at the wall 306
Legs up against the wall 307
Part IV: Living Life the Yoga Way 309
Chapter 22: Yoga throughout the Day 311
Making Yoga a Habit 311
Turning your face toward a Yoga morning 312
Practicing Yoga throughout the day 312
Seeking Your Higher Self 313
Observing yourself 313
Understanding yourself 313
Practicing self-discipline 314
Transcending yourself 314
Making Inroads into the Eightfold Path with Moral Discipline 314
Vowing to do no harm 315
Telling the truth all the time 316
Seeing how stealing means more than material theft 317
Observing chastity in thought and deed 317
Acquiring more by living with less 318
Adding other moral practices 319
Exercising Yogic Self-Discipline 319
Purifying mind and body 320
Calming the quest through contentment 320
Focusing with austerity 320
Partnering research with self-study 321
Relating to a higher principle 322
Chapter 23: Meditation and the Higher Reaches of Yoga 323
Understanding Concentration 324
Unleashing your essence 325
Gaining focus 325
Practicing Meditation 326
Getting a handle on cakras: Your wheels of fortune 327
Following a few guidelines for successful meditation 328
Maintaining proper bodily posture 331
Overcoming obstacles to meditation 332
Adding sounds to meditation 332
Breathing mindfully 333
Walking meditation 334
Working toward Ecstasy 335
Reaching toward Enlightenment 336
Chapter 24: Yoga Therapy: Customizing Your Back and Body Treatments 337
What You Need to Know about Yoga Therapy 337
How to find a good Yoga therapist 339
What to expect if you see a Yoga therapist 339
A Five-Step Plan for a Healthy Back 340
Yoga Rx for Lower Backs 340
Lower back conditions that need more arching 341
Lower back conditions that need more folding 341
Lower back routine 342
Chapter 25: Using Restorative Postures to Relieve Stress and Chronic Pain 357
Your Yoga Toolkit for Relieving Chronic Pain 357
Relieving back and body pain with gentle movement 358
Reducing the intensity and frequency of headaches 358
Helpful Postures for Chronic Pain 359
For your aching lower back 359
For relief from headaches and from upper back and neck pain 363
For when it hurts all over: Joint and overall body pain 367
Part V: The Part of Tens 371
Chapter 26: Ten Tips for a Safe Yoga Practice 373
Avoid Seeing Yoga as a Competition — Even with Yourself 373
Listen to Your Body and Be in the Moment 374
Challenge Yourself, Don’t Strain Yourself 374
Forget about What You Used to Do 374
Don’t Buy into “No Pain, No Gain” 375
Choose Function over Form 375
Find the Intersection of Focus and Ease in Your Postures 375
Seek Out a Yoga Teacher Who Respects Your Limits 375
Find Your Personal Comfort Zone 376
Give Yourself the Benefit of Time and Allow Yoga to Unfold 376
Chapter 27: Ten Ways to Get the Most out of Your Yoga Practice 377
Understand Yoga 377
Set Clear and Realistic Goals 377
Commit Yourself to Growth 377
Stay for the Long Haul 378
Start with Good Habits 378
Vary Your Routine 378
Breathe to Increase Your Awareness 378
Do Your Best, Don’t Worry about the Rest 378
Allow Your Body to Speak Up 378
Share Yoga 378
Index 379
Larry Payne, PhD, is the founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and was named one of Americas most respected yoga teachers by the Los Angeles Times . Georg Feuerstein, PhD, was internationally respected for his contribution to Yoga research and the history of consciousness.
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