Mankind Yoga
Gentle Hatha yoga instruction in the Bracknell Forest area of Berkshire, UK.
Essential Guidlines For Yoga Practice
These suggestions are offered as helpful hints for newcomers to yoga and as reminders to those with experience.These attitudes set yoga apart from regular exercise as they contribute to the development of a healthy mind as well as a healthy body, by integrating body, mind and spirit.
Always listen to your body and trust it.
Our bodies are complex entities and they constantly send us signals. Many of us don't listen often enough, or we listen but ignore the message. Oftentimes, we rather follow someone else's advise when we should be listening to and follow our own inner wisdom. Honour the wisdom of your body, trust, listen and respond to it. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend, with care, respect and love.
Go at your own pace.
Start where you are, at your own level. Work with, feel and be in your body. Never force a muscle, joint or the breath. Learn to be attentive and respectful of your body's abilities and limitations on a daily basis. Nothing stays the same, we are forever changing. Accept and be patient with yourself.
Be non judgemental.
Become an objective observer of yourself. Let go of burdening thoughts whether you are good enough or not. Yoga is not competitive.
The society in which we live can be very competitive and we have been conditioned to judge ourselves depending on health, youth, beauty, fitness, materialism, financial circumstances, profession, relationships and the list goes on. When we compare ourselves to others, there will be someone with more, and there will be someone with less. Simply learn to observe the differences without evaluating them. Appreciate yourself and the perfection of being just the way you are today. As we become non judgemental towards ourselves, we can extend the favour to others.
Co-ordinate mind, breath and body.
In your yoga practice, move with the breath and let your mind be alert at all times. Stay focused. If your mind starts to wander, concentrate on the breath.
Set yourself free.
Allow your practice to be an effort without a goal. Free yourself from limiting cultural concepts of needing to achieve something, or becoming someone. Just be. Accept what is and stay in the present moment. Feel joy in yourself, you are whole and complete. Stay focused in the now, where the mind goes, the energy goes. Just be.
Always listen to your body and trust it.
Our bodies are complex entities and they constantly send us signals. Many of us don't listen often enough, or we listen but ignore the message. Oftentimes, we rather follow someone else's advise when we should be listening to and follow our own inner wisdom. Honour the wisdom of your body, trust, listen and respond to it. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend, with care, respect and love.
Go at your own pace.
Start where you are, at your own level. Work with, feel and be in your body. Never force a muscle, joint or the breath. Learn to be attentive and respectful of your body's abilities and limitations on a daily basis. Nothing stays the same, we are forever changing. Accept and be patient with yourself.
Be non judgemental.
Become an objective observer of yourself. Let go of burdening thoughts whether you are good enough or not. Yoga is not competitive.
The society in which we live can be very competitive and we have been conditioned to judge ourselves depending on health, youth, beauty, fitness, materialism, financial circumstances, profession, relationships and the list goes on. When we compare ourselves to others, there will be someone with more, and there will be someone with less. Simply learn to observe the differences without evaluating them. Appreciate yourself and the perfection of being just the way you are today. As we become non judgemental towards ourselves, we can extend the favour to others.
Co-ordinate mind, breath and body.
In your yoga practice, move with the breath and let your mind be alert at all times. Stay focused. If your mind starts to wander, concentrate on the breath.
Set yourself free.
Allow your practice to be an effort without a goal. Free yourself from limiting cultural concepts of needing to achieve something, or becoming someone. Just be. Accept what is and stay in the present moment. Feel joy in yourself, you are whole and complete. Stay focused in the now, where the mind goes, the energy goes. Just be.