Yoga Poses w/ Sonja 7, Half Moon Pose, Ardha Chandrasana, Yoga for Beginners

Posted on April 7th, 2010 by admin in yoga for beginners | 19 Comments »


Yoga Poses w/ Sonja 7, Half Moon Pose, Ardha Chandrasana, yoga for beginnersSonja Spray is a yoga teacher in Austin, Texas. In this free online demonstration video she shows you how to correctly do a Half Moon Pose, Ardha Chandrasana, the correct way. She also discusses the benefits of this yoga pose as well as what to avoid so you are not doing the asana incorrectly. Including the correct starting and ending position for the exercise. This is a pose for beginners. Namaste This video was produced by Psychetruth www.youtube.com www.myspace.com Music by Jimmy Gelhaar www.jimmy.us Copyright © Target Public Media 2009. All Rights Reserved. This video may be displayed in public, copied and redistributed for any strictly non-commercial use in its entire unedited form. Alteration or commercial use is strictly prohibited.

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Beginner Yoga Poses – How Do You Start?

Posted on April 7th, 2010 by admin in beginners yoga poses | No Comments »

If you’d like to start a personal yoga practice, and learn to practice on your own outside of classes and without videos, but you don’t know where to begin, I have a recommendation for you. Find the book “Moving Toward Balance, 8 Weeks of Yoga with Rodney Yee” by Rodney Yee with Nina Zolotow. Yee’s book takes readers through an 8-week journey of fully experiencing dozens of poses, learning to listen to their inner teacher and developing a level of comfort and confidence in their personal practice. It answered a lot of questions for me, and the first time I read it I wished sincerely that I’d found it sooner.

In the introduction of the book Yee explains that the best way to learn yoga and fully understand it is to practice on your own. He speaks compellingly about why practice at home is so important. He observes that students that don’t have a personal practice tend to focus on whether or not they are doing a pose right, while those that do seem to focus on the experience of the poses and the effects they have in the body and the mind. This really spoke to me, and provided another incentive for becoming more disciplined in my own personal practice.

The need for a personal practice is a common theme in conversations I have with yoga friends. We have read and believed that we should practice on our own, but many of us struggle to find the discipline, or maybe it’s the confidence, to do so. I’ve had mental conversations with myself that go like this, “I’m not sure what to do once I get on the mat, so I’m just not going to get on the mat today. Maybe I’ll find inspiration or instructions tomorrow.” Sound familiar? Well, Yee’s book offers inspiration and instructions.

Yee helps on the confidence front by asking readers to approach their personal practice with a playful and accepting attitude, instead of being self-critical and competitive. He cautions that worry about whether you are practicing correctly can kill your motivation like nothing else. The book provides tips on overcoming some of the most common excuses, how to create a space that inspires you to practice, and how to motivate yourself to practice. The motivational methods include music, bribing yourself, and even a humorous story of a student that watched The Simpsons while practicing for the first few months.

The core work of the book comes through the 8 Weeks of Yoga program. Each week has a different focus on a type of asana and an aspect of the non-physical side of yoga. Week 1 is focused on standing poses and being present, Week 2 is focused on sun salutations and awakening awareness, and so on. There are color photos throughout, providing great illustrations of the poses. If you follow the 8-week program, you will deepen your personal understanding of yoga. And at the end of the eight weeks, Yee answers the question of “What now?” with two sections on creating and sustaining a personal yoga practice.

Overall I found the book to be wonderful, full of sound technical information and kind supportive advice for beginners and experienced yoga practitioners alike.

Wendy is a Certified Yoga Instructor with a focus on fitness, health and well being. She shares her knowledge and experiences at MostlyYoga.com. Thanks for reading!

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Yoga Hip Opening Poses for Beginners : Yoga: Reclining Big Toe Pose

Posted on April 6th, 2010 by admin in beginners yoga | No Comments »


Using a strap for the reclining big toe pose, in yoga, will help you open up and stretch your hips. Learn the reclining big toepose from a professional yoga instructor in this free yoga video. Expert: Cathie Ryder Bio: Cathie Ryder has been teaching yoga since 1983, and is the owner and operator of Yogamatters in New Hampshire. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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Yoga Poses, Postures, And Asanas

Posted on April 3rd, 2010 by admin in beginners yoga poses | No Comments »

In the modern world when most of us lead a very sedentary life and gorge on junk foods with no time for some elementary exercises, diseases like heart problem, blood sugar, and so on are common. Yoga has proven its effectiveness in keeping these and various other health problems at bay. A mere twenty minutes of yoga can do the magic.

There are a number of yoga postures to suit the varied needs of different people. It is difficult to discuss them in a single article but an attempt has been made to discuss some of the more common and effective yoga poses. Yoga is not only a form of exercise for the body but involves the well-being of the mind as well as internal organs of an individual. If followed properly and with total devotion, it is an ideal cure for many physical as well as mental diseases.

One of the well-known benefits of yoga is meditation, which relaxes the mind, enhances concentration, and helps an individual to perform his task better. There are different types of yoga like Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Karma Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga. All form of yoga insists that you follow it religiously. It is best to perform yoga early in the morning just after you wake up since the mind remains most peaceful during that time.

There are various yoga poses that may be categorized as beginners’ yoga poses, intermediate yoga poses, advanced yoga poses, etc. Some of the yoga poses are discussed in detail here. Pavana-mukta-asana is especially beneficial in releasing trapped digestive gas from the stomach and intestines. For this, you will need to lie down in a relaxed manner. After inhaling, bend your right knee and bring it to your chest with your hands while keeping the fingers interlocked all the time. Keep your left leg straight. Hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhaling, lift your head, and try to touch the knee with your forehead. Remain in that position for a few seconds and then return your head back to the floor and inhale. Then bring the right leg back to the floor. Repeat the same with the left leg.

Another yoga pose, which is beneficial for the lower back, abdomen, and chest, is vriksasana where you will need to stand with both feet touching from the heel to the toe. You should stand erect with your back straight and the arms should press loosely against the sides with palms facing inward. Hands should clasp together at the palms near the chest. Take your right foot to the inside of your left thigh (knee bent) and raise your hands above your head in a prayer position.

The thunderbolt or the diamond pose is another common type of yoga poses and is equally easy to perform. It is actually a seated posture that requires you to sit with your legs folded under you. Keep your back erect and place your hands on your knees. Your eyes should be fixed on a point in front of you. Breathe normally and remain in that position as long as you can.

Different yoga poses are there and you should choose only those that you feel comfortable performing. It is very important that different yoga poses be done correctly in order to benefit. In addition, there are some yoga poses, which you should avoid if you are suffering from back pain or from some other problems.

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Basic Yoga Poses : Yoga Benefits

Posted on March 30th, 2010 by admin in benefits of yoga | No Comments »


benefits of yoga include increased flexibility, stabilization and cardiovascular endurance. Discover more benefits ofyoga with expert tips from a yoga instructor in this free video about basic yoga positions. Expert: Linda Black Contact: www.alpineyoga.org Bio: Linda Black is the owner and instructor of Alpine Yoga in Highland, Utah. Filmmaker: joseph wilkins

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Yoga Standing Poses for Beginners : Yoga Standing Poses: Tree Pose

Posted on March 28th, 2010 by admin in beginners yoga | No Comments »


A very common yoga standing pose, the tree pose builds core stability. Master the yoga tree pose with the tips in thisfree fitness video from a certified yoga instructor. Expert: Cathie Ryder Bio: Cathie Ryder has been teaching yoga since 1983, and is the owner and operator of Yogamatters in New Hampshire. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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Yoga Standing Poses for Beginners : Yoga Standing Poses: Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

Posted on March 27th, 2010 by admin in beginners yoga | 2 Comments »


The standing yoga hand-to-big-toe pose requires a strap. Work out the legs with the yoga pose demonstrated in thisfree fitness video from a certified yoga instructor. Expert: Cathie Ryder Bio: Cathie Ryder has been teaching yoga since 1983, and is the owner and operator of Yogamatters in New Hampshire. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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Yoga Standing Poses for Beginners : Yoga Standing Poses: Five-Pointed Star Pose

Posted on March 26th, 2010 by admin in beginners yoga | No Comments »


The fundamental five-pointed star standing yoga pose begins with a wide stance. Work out with the yoga poses demonstrated in thisfree fitness video from a certified yoga instructor. Expert: Cathie Ryder Bio: Cathie Ryder has been teaching yoga since 1983, and is the owner and operator of Yogamatters in New Hampshire. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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Yoga Poses w/ Sonja 9, Chair Pose, Utkatasana, Yoga for Beginners Asana

Posted on March 26th, 2010 by admin in yoga for beginners | 12 Comments »


Yoga Poses w/ Sonja 9, Chair Pose, Utkatasana, yoga for beginners Asana Sonja Spray is a yoga teacher in Austin, Texas. In this free online demonstration video she shows you how to correctly do a Chair Pose, Utkatasana, the correct way. She also discusses the benefits of this yoga pose as well as what to avoid so you are not doing the asana incorrectly. Including the correct starting and ending position for the exercise. This is a pose for beginners. Namaste This video was produced by Psychetruth www.youtube.com www.myspace.com Music byJimmy Gelhaar www.jimmy.us Copyright © Target Public Media 2009. All Rights Reserved. This video may be displayed in public, copied and redistributed for any strictly non-commercial use in its entire unedited form. Alteration or commercial use is strictly prohibited.

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Yoga Standing Poses for Beginners : Yoga Standing Poses: Mountain Pose

Posted on March 25th, 2010 by admin in beginners yoga | 1 Comment »


The standing yoga mountain pose is the foundation of all standing poses. Build a sturdy base for a standing yoga workout with the techniques discussed in thisfree fitness video from a certified yoga instructor. Expert: Cathie Ryder Bio: Cathie Ryder has been teaching yoga since 1983, and is the owner and operator of Yogamatters in New Hampshire. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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