Need help starting out

[anthony574]

Hi all, and greetings!

I am beginning Hatha Yoga to compliment my meditation and other practices. I purchased Complete Idiot's Guide to Yoga. I know what you're thinking...that's not the best guide, but if you've ever read Idiot's Guide or the For Dummies, they really are great as expressing the different physical and spirutual, Western and Eastern aspects. Anyway, after building a good foundation I am learning the Asanas, but the book presents them in somewhat of an encyclopedic form beginning with the standing poses, sitting, forward, ect...  I have been learning them in order, but then it occured to me that an aim is to complement with opposites - standing then sitting, forward bend then backward bend, ect. I know about 4 standing poses and vinyasanas. I learn about one pose a day. Should I begin learning a different type of pose everyday? For example, tomorrow learn a sitting pose, then a twisting pose, then a forward bend, ect.

Also, the book wasn't terrible clear up to now about breathing. It does say to exhale going into certain poses, exhaling during expanding poses and inhaling during contracting poses...but that is not always clear. Is there a universal rule to breathing going into, or out of a pose and depending on the nature of it. Thanks

[Scott]

The best way to move in and out of poses is in the most relaxed way possible.  Forcing a breath out or in causes problems.  Breathe through your nose naturally.  Don't try to breathe softly if your body is telling you to breathe more deeply or quickly.  Don't try to breathe deeply, if the body isn't needing deep breaths.  Let the body breathe.

About the poses, it's cool to learn a new one each day, but make sure that you keep an arsenal of core poses.  The sun salutation is good to do every day.

There are others here much more experienced than I am at asanas.  Some people with TONS of experience.  Good luck!

[markc]

IMHO the best thing is to go to a couple of classes.  This will give you more of an understanding as to how to structure your session and the order in which to do the asanas.  You will also get off to a better start and a good teacher will be able to give you individualised modifications and advice.