Guidelines and Cautions for Practice

 

Guidelines

  • Always prepare the muscle with warm-up exercise before practicing yoga postures. This not only assists in attaining the correct position and sustaining the position but also prevents muscle cramps or other injuries.
  • Move slowly and gently in and out of the postures. Focus the mind on the postures and don’t rush from one posture to another.
  • Be attentive to a specific body positions needed to attain the posture. Work to a level that is comfortable for the body. If a posture is difficult to achieve, then do not overstretch the spine or muscles to achieve the position. Instead, practice an easier variation or another posture that is more comfortable and gives similar benefits. After a few weeks, try the difficult posture again.
  • Once the correct position has been attained, let the breath steadily flow in and out through the nostrils. The eyes should have a soft, single pointed focus.

Cautions

  • If pain or discomfort is experienced when holding a posture, consult a yoga therapist who can advise on counter-stretches. Frequent practice of the counter-stretch can eliminate the discomfort or pain experienced in the posture. If pain continues to persist, then seek medical advice.
  • In some of the postures, the flow of blood is reserved. If this causes light-headedness or dizziness, then gently release from the posture and adopt one of the relaxed postures.
  • Individuals with high blood pressure and heart problems should avoid standing poses, inversions, and the strenuous backward and forward bends. Also avoid jumping when practicing standing positions with feet wide apart. If in any doubt, seek medical advice.
  • The Sun Salutation and inversions are not recommended for women during menstruation.
  • During pregnancy, yoga should be practiced under the guidance of an antenatal yoga teacher. In general, the following should be avoided; Sun Salutation, standing postures during the first three months, inversions, prone postures, forward bends, and backward bends. Many of the postures can be carried out but in an adapted form, which avoids pressure on the abdomen.

 

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