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YOGA TIPS FOR STUDENTS
- Yoga confers benefits to the body, mind and
spirit, and these benefits are best realized through
a regular personal practice.
- Maintaining a regular practice is helped if
you put aside the same period or periods of time each
day. It is more important than the duration of the
practice. Make a conscious decision to stick to your
yoga (x amount of classes/wk) for a period of no less
than 2 months - this will create a desirable and
healthy habit pattern which will then become a part
of your life and bring you much joy and
contentment.
- Always practice and come to class with an
empty stomach. Otherwise, some of the poses can
interfere with digestion.
- Listen to your body, and if you feel burning
sensations or otherwise injury, stop. Don't wait for
the teacher's instructions.
- Let go of your own ego, and desire to
impress the teacher and other pupils in class. Use
each class to maximize your learning.
- Remember that an essence of a yoga practice
is the study of self. Avoid observing other students
and comparing yourself to them.
- How deeply you go into a pose doesn't matter
as much as how deeply you go within yourself. Use
your inner attention.
- Every good practice should teach you
something, and result in a sense of innocence and
liberation from daily concerns.
- In choosing a teacher, find a person who
engenders your respect, appears to operate with
compassion, has a deep knowledge of the subject, and
with whom you connect.
- Try to learn the yoga tradition including
the yamas, niyamas, and Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras and
other seminal writing.
- Don't limit your practice to your best
poses, but work on poses which are difficult as well.
Try to have a well rounded practice.
- When beginning yoga, there is no substitute
for working with a good teacher as a book or video
cannot provide you with responsive
feedback.
- Be sure to inform your teacher of any
physical problems that may be helped or made worse by
doing yoga. Yoga can have great therapeutic effects,
and an experienced and well-trained teacher can help
pupils realize these benefits for their particular
problems.
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