Yoga

[M1ke12]

PSA!

 

Haha, I just wanted to contribute a little piece to this forum. I started attending yoga classes regularly for the Asana practice last march. It was a much better work out then I expected and I fell in love.

 

I have never been a religious person but I heard someone say that Asana is only a SMALL part of what yoga really is. So I fired up the computer and started researching.

 

This opened a whole new world for me and I learned a ton of wisdom. These last three weeks have been by far the most trying time in my life. By far. I was a mess.

 

Things happen for a reason. I learned just enough spirituality that I am getting through this. If this had happened prior to my learning? I dunno but it wouldn't have been good.

 

Every mistake in your life is a gift.

 

So give it a try. Yoga works with all religions.

 

Any other yogies out there?

[Michelle ma Belle]

Yep...LOVE it!

 

My only frustration is that I'm not nearly as consistent as I would like to be. I go through spits and spurts and then wonder why I don't make this a much bigger more daily practice.

 

Regardless, everything about it is beautiful.

[LLQ1986]

here here! Yoga is part of my life, part of me

[dichotomy]

Yoga is part of my overall weekly exercise routine. Usually twice a week. It has been a challenge for me being a big guy, but found some routines that work. I find yoga brings its own unique benefits and feelings compared to other exercises. I also like some of the meditation.

[loveweary11]

I'm very new to it as well and some of those asanas definitely use muscles I didn't even know I had!

 

I'm sticking with regular weight lifting and adding the yoga in.

 

Very much looking forward to learning more.

[MrDuck]

I'm a huge yoga fan!

 

I used to race MTB, and box a lot as a teenager, I've always played a lot of sport, I still play rugby. I think I take a laid back approach to life but when it comes to sport I've always been competitive, very competitive.

 

I love yoga because it's not about numbers or beating anyone else, it's just about you and strength of body meeting strength of mind.

 

I was first taught yoga when I was travelling. Used to surf every morning, then practice yoga on the beach every evening (hard life ).

I still practice every day (unless I'm sick), I practice with my seven year old son, which is great cause its something I can share with him and work on together

He's great! His natural balance is wayyy better than mine!!

 

Tripod headstand's where I'm working at right now, I'd love to be able to pull off an Iron cross headstand, I'm dreaming at the moment, can't get anywhere near steady enough on my head as of yet.

[Buddhist]

I began the kundalini practices early last year. What happened was a very rocky road and everything kind of blew up in my face in quick succession. It created huge emotional challenges with the sudden release of pent up emotional blocks over a period of about 6 months. One year on though and I would do it all again. The result is that a lot of buried trauma suddenly became conscious and I was able to take practical steps to deal with the baggage.

 

Beware, kundalini is rapid and explosive, depending on how much you've got lurking in the shadows but the end result of finally being free of it and a stronger person is well worth it. I'm very grateful now for the clarity I have about my life and the fact that I don't have to keep repeating the same disappointing cycles I've been living. But the early stages of that release was debilitating. I had to take 3 months off work because I developed a disorder that needed daily treatment and careful work to overcome.

 

But I'm poised now to start my life over free of a lot of perplexing restrictions. I'm a dedicated yogi now. There is nothing that keeps my mind and body fitter than this daily practice. It's a firm part of my life. I find that yoga takes on a life of it's own with daily practice. I used to do a few times a week and the benefits of that are nowhere near the power of daily practice. Once I went daily my body morphed into an athletic yet slender build. Something I had tried for years to achieve and never got there.

 

Also the flexibility aspects really require daily dedication for me as my hamstrings and calves are prone to getting iron-tight and knotted up quickly.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Buddhist

[Cablebandit]

My wife and I enjoy yoga at home together with a few Rodney Yeee yoga dvds. I thought it was going to be pretty much useless but boy was I wrong. It completely cured my 20 year old back problems within the first 2 weeks. I am amazed at how much flexibility I had lost over the years at 47yo. I think this is an exercise that is almost more beneficial the older you get.

[truthtripper]

I prefer Feldenkrais-awareness through movement. No religion involved, just a desire to explore the natural movements of one's own body and it's use in everyday life.

[loveweary11]

Looking at yoga tomorrow at a regular class, as opposed to with yoga instructors I know personally. And no clubs/music this weekend.

 

What is the best type of class for a very physically fit person (with no flexibility) who is still very new with yoga?

 

And what should I wear??

 

Here are my choices for tomorrow....

 

 

 

9:00 am - 10:15 am Power Yoga (All Levels)

10:00 am - 11:30 am Power Yoga (All Levels)

10:30 am - 11:45 am Vinyasa Flow (All levels)

12:00 pm - 1:15 pm Power Yoga (All Levels)

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm 5 Elements Yoga Flow

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Vinyasa Flow (All levels)

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Power Hour

6:15 pm - 7:15 pm Deep Relaxation- Meditation & Pranayama

[Popsicle]

I say start with the 6:15 one and move up to the others if you like it. I'm looking into going too.

[loveweary11]

I say start with the 6:15 one and move up to the others if you like it. I'm looking into going too.

 

I know I liked it 1 on 1.

 

My personal yoga instructor (of infamy in my posts) did several ass kicking sessions with me one on one.

 

They were hard, but relaxing and I enjoyed challenging my body to move in ways I wasn't used to.

 

Used muscles I didn't know I had!

 

I'm concerned after doing these more taxing asanas, that I might be kind of bored in the really mellow ones.

 

She didn't go easy on me at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure she went a little hard on me just to see what would happen. lol

[SpiralOut]

I used to go to hatha yoga classes regularly. It helped me to deal with a stressful period in my life. Now I don't do it that often, but I try to attend class when I can. I'll sometimes do a 10 minute routine at home doing hip-opening poses since those help me to deal with lower back pain. I also believe the saying that we hold our stress in our hips and that those poses can release emotional stress. Sometimes if I can't sleep at night, I'll get up and do some hip opening poses like pigeon and lizard, and afterwards I'm able to fall asleep.

Edited January 31, 2016 by SpiralOut

[Popsicle]

I know I liked it 1 on 1.

 

My personal yoga instructor (of infamy in my posts) did several ass kicking sessions with me one on one.

 

They were hard, but relaxing and I enjoyed challenging my body to move in ways I wasn't used to.

 

Used muscles I didn't know I had!

 

I'm concerned after doing these more taxing asanas, that I might be kind of bored in the really mellow ones.

 

She didn't go easy on me at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure she went a little hard on me just to see what would happen. lol

 

Ok then you might be ready for the more intense ones.

[Justanaverageguy]

I began the kundalini practices early last year. What happened was a very rocky road and everything kind of blew up in my face in quick succession. It created huge emotional challenges with the sudden release of pent up emotional blocks over a period of about 6 months. One year on though and I would do it all again. The result is that a lot of buried trauma suddenly became conscious and I was able to take practical steps to deal with the baggage.

 

Beware, kundalini is rapid and explosive, depending on how much you've got lurking in the shadows but the end result of finally being free of it and a stronger person is well worth it. I'm very grateful now for the clarity I have about my life and the fact that I don't have to keep repeating the same disappointing cycles I've been living. But the early stages of that release was debilitating. I had to take 3 months off work because I developed a disorder that needed daily treatment and careful work to overcome.

 

 

Can second this experience. I actually stumbled across a very intense kundalini practice before I got into yoga properly. Triggered a massive release of emotional energy. Jerking tremors, Kriyas, feeling of electricity running up my spine as well as feelings of intense bliss and entering into deep meditative states. I don't think many people understand that yoga can trigger this - and see it merely as a workout routine. My experience of Kundalini was overwhelmingly positive but required a lot of work to ground the energy.

[Buddhist]

I don't think many people understand that yoga can trigger this - and see it merely as a workout routine. My experience of Kundalini was overwhelmingly positive but required a lot of work to ground the energy.

 

Yes this.

 

In the west yoga is seen purely divorced from the metaphysical. I was quite ignorant myself until I triggered this experience. It became a very visceral one and real, something I had to actively manage and could not ignore. The issues it brought to the surface would have taken a decade of talk therapy to do the same. I do think we are missing out on some very powerful techniques by taking the skeptical approach to practices that have been proven to work.

 

Given that the western world is riddled with mental health issues I think it's time we started to take notice.

[Justanaverageguy]

Yes this.

 

In the west yoga is seen purely divorced from the metaphysical. I was quite ignorant myself until I triggered this experience. It became a very visceral one and real, something I had to actively manage and could not ignore. The issues it brought to the surface would have taken a decade of talk therapy to do the same. I do think we are missing out on some very powerful techniques by taking the skeptical approach to practices that have been proven to work.

 

Given that the western world is riddled with mental health issues I think it's time we started to take notice.

 

Agree and encouragingly the kundalini technique I learnt is actually being used by a healer in Australia who is trying to study it in a western medicine setting. He is working with John Hopkins University in the USA.

 

He has had a lot of success treating patients not only with emotional issues but also physical issues. Spinal, soft tissue injuries and rehabilitation after surgeries. He named the technique "K-Tremor" its based on Kundalini and triggers a tremor in the bodies nervous system which releases energy blockages to restore the flow of energy in the body. I describe it kind of like acupuncture on steroids and without needles. Once triggered it then allows for enhanced self healing of both emotional and physical issues. They actually did a report on the 60 minutes TV show recently with one of his patients who had been in a wheelchair for 25 years with partially severed spinal column who he helped walk again using the technique. No needles, no drugs, no surgeries just some Yoga techniques and the bodies ability to heal itself. Pretty amazing

Edited February 1, 2016 by Justanaverageguy

[Summer3]

PSA!

 

Haha, I just wanted to contribute a little piece to this forum. I started attending yoga classes regularly for the Asana practice last march. It was a much better work out then I expected and I fell in love.

 

I have never been a religious person but I heard someone say that Asana is only a SMALL part of what yoga really is. So I fired up the computer and started researching.

 

This opened a whole new world for me and I learned a ton of wisdom. These last three weeks have been by far the most trying time in my life. By far. I was a mess.

 

Things happen for a reason. I learned just enough spirituality that I am getting through this. If this had happened prior to my learning? I dunno but it wouldn't have been good.

 

Every mistake in your life is a gift.

 

So give it a try. Yoga works with all religions.

 

Any other yogies out there?

 

Once a week I take a yoga class. It's great for stretching balance and tests your body in ways that other classes might not.