General Guidelines for Yoga Practice

A Yoga practitioner should follow the guiding principles given below while performing Yogic practices:

Before The Practice

• Śauca means cleanliness - an important prerequisite for Yogic practice. It includes cleanliness of surroundings, body and mind.
• Yogic practice should be performed in a calm and quiet atmosphere with a relaxed body and mind
• Yogic practice should be done on an empty stomach or light stomach. Consume small amount of honey in lukewarm water if you feel weak.
• Bladder and bowels should be empty before starting Yogic practices.
• A mattress, Yoga mat, durrie or folded blanket should be used for the practice.
• Light and comfortable cotton clothes are preferred to facilitate easy movement of the body.
• Yoga should not be performed in state of exhaustion, illness,in a hurry or in acute stress conditions.
• In case of chronic disease/ pain/ cardiac problems, a physician or a Yoga therapist should be consulted prior to performing Yogic practices.
• Yoga experts should be consulted before doing Yogic practices during pregnancy and menstruation.

During The Practice

• Practice sessions should start with a prayer or invocation as it creates a conducive environment to relax the mind.
• Yogic practices shall be performed slowly, in a relaxed manner, with awareness of the body and breath.
• Do not hold the breath unless it is specially mentioned to do so during the practice.
• Breathing should be always through the nostrils unless instructed otherwise.
• Do not hold body tightly, or jerk the body at any point of time.
• Perform the practices according to your own capacity.
• It takes some time to get good results, so persistent and regular practice is very essential.
• There are contra-indications/ limitations for each Yoga practice and such contra-indications should always be kept in mind.
• Yoga session should end with meditation/ deep silence / Śhānti paṭha.

After Practice

• Bath may be taken only after 20-30 minutes of practice
• Food may be consumed only after 20-30 minutes of practice.

Food For Thought

A few dietary guidelines can ensure that the body and mind are flexible and well-prepared for practice. A vegetarian diet is usually recommended, and for a person over 30 years, two meals a day should suffice, except in cases of illness or very high physical activity or labour.

How Yoga Can Help

Yoga is essentially a path to liberation from all bondage. However, medical research in recent years has uncovered many physical and mental benefits that Yoga offers, corroborating the experiences of millions of practitioners. A small sampling of research shows that:

• Yoga is beneficial for physical fitness, musculoskeletal functioning and cardio-vascular health.
• It is beneficial in the management of diabetes, respiratory disorders, hypertension, hypotension and many lifestyle- related disorders.
• Yoga helps to reduce depression, fatigue, anxiety disorders and stress.
• Yoga regulates menopausal symptoms.
• In essence, Yoga is a process of creating a body and mind that are stepping-stones, not hurdles, to an exuberant and fulfilling life.

Source: Ministry of AYUSH