| New to yoga? Start here! Yoga means union, and | | | | famous style places an emphasis on learning precise |
| hatha is a combination of words meaning sun and | | | | movements, and also using props like straps and |
| moon. So, hatha yoga, which is the practice we are | | | | blocks to help less flexible individuals assume the |
| most familiar with in the West has a meaning | | | | necessary postures. Ask friends and colleagues for |
| stemming from the uniting of opposites. Yoga is an | | | | teacher recommendations, and go with someone well |
| ancient Indian philosophy described by Patanjali in his | | | | regarded and close by. You can always change your |
| famous Yoga Sutras as the spiritual discipline or | | | | mind; the main thing is to get started with the learning |
| practice with the intent of uniting the individual soul with | | | | process. |
| the World soul. | | | | If you do not have a teacher nearby, you should pick |
| Before the deep thinking involved discourages you, you | | | | up Yoga the Iyengar Way by Silva, Mira, and Shyam |
| can rest assured that in the West, and indeed for | | | | Mehta. This is probably the single best book in print for |
| many Indian people, the modern practice of yoga | | | | starting a new practice without a teacher. Even if you |
| encompasses only one or two of the original eight | | | | have a good school in your local area, consider getting |
| branches that Patanjali described. When you look for a | | | | this one as a reference, to reinforce what you learn in |
| yoga class, or an instructional book or video, you are | | | | class. It has great pictures and descriptions of basic |
| selecting a system of postures to learn, which yoga | | | | and intermediate asanas (poses), and the book has |
| practitioners as asanas know. You may be familiar | | | | been thoughtfully arranged to teach several complete |
| with the most popular systems: Kripalu, Iyengar, | | | | sequences of exercise. |
| Ashtanga or Power Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, Bikram or | | | | Do not worry about the spiritual aspects of practice at |
| Hot Yoga. | | | | first. Some schools, like the Sivananda program, |
| There are a number of systems because there in no | | | | emphasize vegetarianism, proper breathing and |
| one single central authority in yoga. Every master | | | | relaxation techniques and even meditation along with |
| teacher, or guru, perfects his own practice and passes | | | | the beginner class. This can be too soon for people |
| it on to his or her students. In practice, when you | | | | trying out yoga for some extra exercise or to lose |
| choose a style, you should consider a few factors. | | | | weight. If you are curious about yoga, get started with |
| First, what classes are offered in a convenient location | | | | the classes, and maybe the spiritual aspects will begin |
| to your home, school or workplace? You will find that | | | | to appeal more at some point. It does not matter; |
| similarities outweigh the differences, and attending a | | | | many are content to go on for decades becoming |
| class more frequently will allow you to more fully enjoy | | | | excellent practitioners and get great benefits in terms |
| and experience what the discipline has to offer you. | | | | of health or wellbeing, with minimal exploration of the |
| Next, you should consider the style itself. Keep in mind | | | | spiritual side of yoga. Union of opposites, the body and |
| that there is no one "brand name" in yoga practice that | | | | mind, the self and others, the will and desires, are what |
| is better than any others are. Many recommend | | | | this practice is about. How that manifests is different |
| starting out with an Iyengar beginner's class, since his | | | | for every individual. |