Yoga for Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Yoga
Chapter 1 Yoga 101: Building a Foundation
Understanding the True Character of Yoga
Finding unity
Finding yourself: Are you a Yoga practitioner?
Considering Your Options: The Seven Main Branches of Yoga
Taking a Closer Look at Hatha Yoga
Finding Your Niche: Four Basic Approaches to Yoga
Yoga as fitness training
Yoga as therapy
Yoga as a lifestyle
Yoga as a spiritual discipline
What most approaches to Yoga have in common
Pointing the Way to Happiness: Health, Healing, and Yoga
Balancing Your Life with Yoga
Locating Your Starting Place in the World of Yoga
Chapter 2 Ready, Set, Yoga!
Finding Suitable Yoga Instruction
Checking out classes and teachers
Making sure the course fits your experience level
Taking other important considerations into account
Preparing for Group Practice
Deciding what to wear
Packing your Yoga class kit
Putting safety first
Class etiquette
Going for It on Your Own
Fulfilling Your Promise to Yourself: Making Time for Yoga Practice
Chapter 3 Preparing for a Fruitful Yoga Practice
Cultivating the Right Attitude
Leave pretzels for snack time
Practice at your own pace
Send the scorekeeper home
Picture yourself in the posture
Enjoying a Peaceful Yoga Practice
Busting the perfect posture myth
Listening to your body
Moving slowly but surely
Practicing function over form with Forgiving Limbs
Chapter 4 The Fine Art of Letting Go of Stress
The Nature of Stress
Correcting wrong attitudes
Changing poor habits
Releasing bodily tension
Relaxation Techniques That Work
Deep relaxation: The corpse posture
Ending relaxation peacefully
Staying awake during relaxation
Afternoon delight
Magic triangles: Relaxing through visualization
Relaxation before sleep
Insomnia buster
Yoga Nidra: Catch Up on Your Sleep Quotient with Yogic Sleep
Formulating your intention
Performing Yoga Nidra
Chapter 5 Breath and Movement Simplified
Breathing Your Way to Good Health
Taking high-quality breaths
Relaxing with a couple of deep breaths
Practicing safe yogic breathing
Reaping the benefits of yogic breathing
Breathing through your nose (most of the time)
What if I can’t breathe through my nose?
What about breathing through my nose all the time?
Mastering the Mechanics of Yogic Breathing
Understanding how your emotions affect your diaphragm
Appreciating the complete yogic breath
Belly breathing
Belly-to-chest breathing
Chest-to-belly breathing
Starting out with focus breathing
Realizing the power of a pause
Seeing How Breath and Postural Movement Work Together
Breathing in four directions
Recognizing the distinct roles of movement and holding in Yoga postures
Achieving a deeper stretch with The Yoga Miracle
Answering common breath and movement questions
How much should I move and how long should I hold?
What about bouncing when I hold a stretching posture?
How do I start combining breath with movement?
Infusing Sound into Yogic Breathing
Breath Control the Traditional Way
Alternate nostril breathing
The cooling breath
Shitkari: Inhalation through the mouth
Kapala-bhati: Frontal sinus cleansing
Part 2 Moving into Position: Basic Yoga Postures
Chapter 6 Please Be Seated
Understanding the Philosophy of Sitting
Adding Variety to Your Sitting Postures
Chair-sitting posture
The easy posture: Sukhasana
The thunderbolt posture: Vajrasana
The auspicious posture: Svastikasana
The perfect posture: Siddhasana
Chapter 7 Standing Tall
Standing Strong
Exercising Your Standing Options
Mountain posture: Tadasana
Standing forward bend: Uttanasana
Half standing forward bend: Ardha uttanasana
Asymmetrical forward bend: Parshva uttanasana
Triangle posture: Utthita trikonasana
Reverse triangle posture: Parivritta trikonasana variation
Warrior I: Vira bhadrasana I
Warrior II: Vira bhadrasana II
Standing spread-legged forward bend: Prasarita pada uttanasana
Half chair posture: Ardha utkatasana
Downward-facing dog: Adhomukha shvanasana
Chapter 8 Steady as a Tree: Mastering Balance
Getting to the Roots of the Posture
Balancing Postures for Graceful Strength
Warrior at the wall: Vira bhadrasana III variation
Balancing cat
The tree posture: Vrikshasana
The karate kid
Standing heel-to-buttock
Scorpion
Chapter 9 Absolutely Abs
Taking Care of the Abdomen: Your Business Center
Exercising Those Abs
Exploring push-downs
Trying yogi sit-ups
Strengthening with yogi sit-backs
Creating variety with extended leg slide-ups
Arching with the suck ‘em up posture
Exhaling “soundly”
Chapter 10 Looking at the World Upside Down: Safe Inversion Postures
Getting a Leg Up on Leg Inversions
Legs up on a chair
Legs up on the wall
The happy baby
Standing spread-legged forward bend at the wall
Trying a Trio of Shoulder Stands
Half shoulder stand at the wall
Reverse half shoulder stand at the wall
Half shoulder stand: Viparita karani
Chapter 11 Easy ‘round the Bends: Classic Bending Floor Postures
Gaining a Strong Spine (and Some Insight)
Bending over Backward
Cobra I: Salamba bhujangasana
Cobra II: Bhujangasana
Cobra III
Locust I: Shalabhasana
Locust II
Locust III: Superman posture
Bending from Side to Side
Seated side bend
All-fours side bend
Folded side bend
Bending Forward
Seated forward bend: Pashcimottanasana
Head-to-knee posture: Janushirshasana
The great seal: Mahamudra
Wide-legged forward bend: Upavishta konasana
Chapter 12 Several Twists on the Yoga Twist
Trying Simple Upright Twists
Easy chair twist
Easy sitting twist
The sage twist
Twisting while Reclining
Bent leg supine twist
The Swiss army knife
Extended legs supine twist: Jathara parivritti
Chapter 13 Dynamic Posture: The Rejuvenation Sequence and Sun Salutation
Warming Up for the Sun: Rejuvenating in Nine Steps
Gliding Through the Seven-Step Kneeling Salutation
Advancing to the 12-Step Sun Salutation
Chapter 14 A Beginner’s Routine for Everyone
Starting Slowly and Wisely
Trying Out a Fun Beginner Routine
Easy pose: Sukhasana
Shoulder rolls
Sitting cat: Cakravakasana
Balancing cat: Caravakasana variation
Sitting cat: Cakravakasana variation
Mini rejuvenation sequence
Standing twist: Parivrtta trikonasana
Cobra: Bhujangasana
Child’s pose: Balasana
Reclined hamstring stretch: Supta padangusthasana
Bent leg supine twist: Parivartanasana
Knees to chest pose: Apanasana
Corpse pose: Shavasana
Reaching Beyond the Beginning
Part 3 Creating and Customizing Your Yoga Routine
Chapter 15 Designing Your Own Yoga Program
Applying the Rules of Sequencing
Getting Started with Warm-ups
Reclining warm-up postures
Lying arm raise
The double breath
Knee-to-chest posture
Double leg extension
Hamstring stretch
Dynamic bridge: Dvipada pitha
Bridge variation with arm raise
Dynamic head-to-knee
Standing warm-up postures
Standing arm raise
The head-turner
Shoulder rolls
Dynamic standing forward bend
Seated warm-up postures
Seated fold
Rock the baby
Selecting Your Main Postures and Compensation Poses
Getting stronger with standard asanas
Bringing balance with compensation postures
The dynamic cat
Dynamic knees-to-chest
Thunderbolt posture: Vajrasana
Including Plenty of Rest and Relaxation
Knowing when to rest and when to resume
Mastering rest postures
Corpse posture: Shavasana
Shavasana variation with bent legs
Easy posture: Sukhasana
Mountain posture: Tadasana
Child’s posture: Balasana
Child’s posture with arms in front
Knees-to-chest posture: Apanasana
Cooking Up a Creative Yoga Routine with the Classic Formula
Enjoying a postural feast: The 30- to 60-minute general conditioning routine
Attunement
Warm-up
Standing postures
Balancing postures (optional)
Rest
Abdominals
Compensation and preparation
Inversion (optional)
Compensation for inversions and preparation for back bends
Back bends
Compensation for back bends
Preparation for forward bends
Forward bends
Compensation for forward bends
Preparation for twists
Twists
Compensation for twists
Relaxation
Making the most of a little: A 15-minute routine
General conditioning
Preparation for meditation and Yoga breathing
Satisfying an appetite for a quick pick-me-up: A five-minute routine
Chapter 16 Partnering Up for Yoga
Defining Partner Yoga
Enjoying the Benefits of Partner Yoga
Exploring Eleven Ways to Pose with a Partner
Partner suspension bridge
Partner teeter-totter
Partner warrior II
Partner table pose
Double triangle
Partner tree pose
Yoga miracle pose
Seated straddle pose
The partner diamond
Partner seated twist
Easy partner camel
Chapter 17 It’s Never Too Soon: Pre- and Postnatal Yoga
Partnering Yoga with Pregnancy
Enjoying Yoga support as you and your baby grow
Exercising caution during pregnancy
Finding Perfect Pregnancy Postures
Side-lying posture
The cat and cow
The cobbler’s posture: Baddha konasana
A safe, quick prenatal routine
Mountain posture: Tadasana
Warrior I: Vira bhadrasana I
Warrior II: Vira bhadrasana II
Standing wide-legged forward bend: Prasarita pada uttanasana
Triangle posture: Utthita trikonasana
Supported chair squatting posture: Modified ardha utkatasana
Cobbler’s posture
Continuing Yogic Exercise after Pregnancy (Postpartum)
Chapter 18 Yoga for Kids and Teens
Kid Stuff: Making Yoga Fun for Youngsters
Engaging the imagination: Approaching poses in a child-friendly way
Finding Yoga postures kids love
The mountain posture
Warrior I
Bear posture
Cat and cow
Jumping frog
Tree posture
Cobra II
Lion posture
Downward-facing dog
Child’s posture
The bridge
The wheel
Knee-hugger
Easy posture
The big yummy posture: Shavasana
Easing the Transition into Adulthood: Yoga for Teens
Calling all teens: The antidote to stress in an overscheduled life
Fit for life, and so much more
A New Yoga Routine for Teens
Chapter 19 It’s Never Too Late: Yoga for Aging Adults
Reaping the Benefits of Yoga through Midlife and Beyond
Working through menopause
Navigating andropause
Developing bones of steel
Approaching Prime of Life Yoga with the Right Mindset
Developing User-Friendly Routines for Midlifers
Prime of Life Yoga routine: Level I
Prime of Life Yoga routine: Level II
Staying Active: Yoga for Older Adults
Cherishing the Chair: Safe Routines for Older Adults
Cherish the chair routine: Level I
Seated mountain posture
Seated mountain arm variation
Seated karate kid variation
Seated wing-and-prayer
Seated butterfly posture
Standing warrior I chair variation
Seated sage twist
Seated forward bend
Cherish the chair routine: Level II
Seated mountain posture
Seated mountain double arm variation I
Seated mountain double arm variation II
Seated triangle posture
Seated pigeon posture
Seated warrior I chair variation
Seated camel posture
Seated forward bend
Chapter 20 Prop Art: The Why and How of Simple Props
Examining the Pros and Cons of Props
Exploring the advantages of props
Looking at props’ drawbacks
Going Prop Hunting at Home
Working with a wall
Using a blanket for more than bedding
Choosing a chair for comfort
Stretching with a strap
Seeking Out Props You May Want to Purchase
Supporting alignment with the help of blocks
Bolstering support with pillows
Eyeing the many uses of eye pillows
Turning to inversion props
Chapter 21 Yoga Against the Wall
The World Is Your Yoga Studio
A Wall-Supported Yoga Workout
Wall mountain pose
Mountain posture flow
Wall warrior flow
Standing side bend at the wall
Half chair at the wall
Wall warrior III
Wall hang
Yogi wall sit-ups
Wall splits
Inverted hamstring pose at the wall
Legs up against the wall
Part 4 Living Life the Yoga Way
Chapter 22 Yoga throughout the Day
Making Yoga a Habit
Turning your face toward a Yoga morning
Practicing Yoga throughout the day
Seeking Your Higher Self
Observing yourself
Understanding yourself
Practicing self-discipline
Transcending yourself
Making Inroads into the Eightfold Path with Moral Discipline
Vowing to do no harm
Telling the truth all the time
Seeing how stealing means more than material theft
Observing chastity in thought and deed
Acquiring more by living with less
Adding other moral practices
Exercising Yogic Self-Discipline
Purifying mind and body
Calming the quest through contentment
Focusing with austerity
Partnering research with self-study
Relating to a higher principle
Chapter 23 Meditation and the Higher Reaches of Yoga
Understanding Concentration
Unleashing your essence
Gaining focus
Practicing Meditation
Getting a handle on cakras
Following a few guidelines for successful meditation
Maintaining proper bodily posture
Overcoming obstacles to meditation
Adding sounds to meditation
Reciting your mantra
Using a rosary
Breathing mindfully
Trying walking meditation
Practicing lovingkindness meditation
Working toward Ecstasy
Reaching toward Enlightenment
Chapter 24 Yoga Therapy: Customizing Your Back and Body Treatments
What You Need to Know about Yoga Therapy
How to find a good Yoga therapist
What to expect if you see a Yoga therapist
A whole-person approach
An initial series of sessions and beyond
Cost
A Five-Step Plan for a Healthy Back
Yoga Rx for Lower Backs
Lower back conditions that need more arching
Lower back conditions that need more folding
Lower back routine
Corpse posture with bent legs: Shavasana variation
Knee-to-chest posture: Ekapada apanasana
Lying arm raise with bent leg: Shavasana variation
Push-downs I: Urdhva prasrta padasana I
Push-downs II: Urdhva prasrta padasana II
Dynamic bridge: Dvipada pitham
Hamstring stretch: Supta padangustasana variation
Balancing cat: Chakravakasana variation I
Child’s posture with arms in front: Balasana variation I
Half warrior: Ardha virabhadrasana variation
Cobra II: Bhujangasana
Cobra I: Sphinx
Prone resting posture: Advasana variation
Locust I: Shalabhasana
Child’s posture with arms back: Balasana variation II
The butterfly: Jathara parvritti variation I
Bent-leg supine twist variation: Jathara parvritti variation II
Knees-to-chest posture: Apanasana
Corpse posture with bent legs, repeated
Chapter 25 Using Restorative Postures to Relieve Stress and Chronic Pain
Your Yoga Toolkit for Relieving Chronic Pain
Relieving back and body pain with gentle movement
Reducing the intensity and frequency of headaches
Helpful Postures for Chronic Pain
For your aching lower back
Knees-to-chest posture
Bent-leg feet-on-a-chair pose
Supported corpse variation
Supported cobra
For relief from headaches and from upper back and neck pain
Supported crossed-legs forward bend
Self-massage
Supported seated camel pose
Supported fetal pose
Supported reclined twist
Supported half shoulder stand
For when it hurts all over: Joint and overall body pain
Supported corpse pose
Supported reclined bound angle posture
Supported child’s pose
Supported full bridge pose
Part 5 The Part of Tens
Chapter 26 Ten Tips for a Safe Yoga Practice
Avoid Seeing Yoga as a Competition— Even with Yourself
Listen to Your Body and Be in the Moment
Challenge Yourself, Don’t Strain Yourself
Forget about What You Used to Do
Don’t Buy into “No Pain, No Gain”
Choose Function over Form
Find the Intersection of Focus and Ease in Your Postures
Seek Out a Yoga Teacher Who Respects Your Limits
Find Your Personal Comfort Zone
Give Yourself the Benefit of Time and Allow Yoga to Unfold
Chapter 27 Ten Ways to Get the Most out of Your Yoga Practice
Understand Yoga
Set Clear and Realistic Goals
Commit Yourself to Growth
Stay for the Long Haul
Start with Good Habits
Vary Your Routine
Breathe to Increase Your Awareness
Do Your Best, Don’t Worry about the Rest
Allow Your Body to Speak Up
Share Yoga
Index
EULA