Yoga... For the Body and the Mind

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Through its wide range of postures, hatha yoga aims to tone the whole body . . . and while the practice doesn't always result in weight loss, it does—when kept up—help the body to redistribute weight in ways that fit a person's bone structure. Most asanas—especially those that involve upside-down positions—are also said to help regulate the metabolism by putting beneficial pressure on the glands and stimulating their action with a gentle "inner massage".

The physical branch of yoga helps to break down the painful connective tissue that can grow in joints, too . . . so it can ease the aches and pains of such chronic ailments as rheumatism, arthritis, and bursitis. Yoga is often said to alleviate migraine headaches, as well as constipation and other digestive problems . . . and it can sometimes effectively lower blood pressure by improving circulation. What's more, many of the basic hatha yoga exercises involve breath control, thereby increasing the amount of life-giving oxygen absorbed by the blood.

Hatha yoga, then, is a wonderful form of exercise! In fact, after just a few days of experimenting with the beginning postures, you can expect to experience increased energy, a heightened sense of awareness, and the first indications of a firmer, better-toned physique. Not long thereafter, as your complexion starts to glow and your hair takes on a new sheen, you should also be able to see the difference yoga can make.

HOW TO "POSTURE"

The word asana comes from the Sanskrit term for "seat" or "sitting method", and it's generally believed that the intricate set of hatha poses now familiar to yoga students evolved from a few simple meditation positions. Each hatha asana is referred to by a tongue-twisting—for Westerners—Sanskrit term (which usually ends in "-asana"), but many have also been given more easily remembered names . . . of animals, vegetation, farm implements, and various Hindu deities.

There are only a few basic guidelines to be observed while practicing yoga. First, posturing should always be done on an empty stomach, so wait at least three hours after eating a full meal—or one hour after a snack—before beginning your asanas. Many think that the exercises are best performed immediately after waking each day. However, you'll probably find that your body is less flexible in the early morning, so you may prefer to do some of the more difficult postures later . . . perhaps as a means of bedtime relaxation.

Practice your yoga in a quiet, airy room that's warm enough to keep your muscles "primed". (What could be more pleasant on chilly winter evenings than a few minutes of yoga in front of the fireplace or woodstove?) Be sure you're working on a level surface, and use a towel or blanket to pad the floor underneath you.

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