Want To Get Into Yoga/Learn Yoga! Please, help.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Want To Get Into Yoga/Learn Yoga! Please, help.

[Spiritual_Aspirant]

What kind of yoga? There are many kinds of yoga.

 

Hatha Yoga - the most well-known yoga. This is the kind of yoga that does the complex body postures or asanas.

 

Bhakti Yoga - yoga through devotion and love.

 

Jnana Yoga - yoga through knowledge and intellect

 

Laya Yoga/ Kundalini Yoga - yoga that involves practices to awaken the kundalini energy

 

Karma Yoga - yoga through good deeds

 

Mantra yoga - yoga through the chanting of mantras

 

I would recommend you learn Arhatic Yoga (http://www.pranichealing.com/arhatic-yoga)

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Beginners Yoga? Where does a person who doesn't know anything about Yoga, start?

[Siliconvalley1]

These may be of some help:

 

Link 1

 

Link 2

[Desert Eagle]

is there a yoga class near you? I would join one if there was, they usually have physical exercises called asanas and a portion of meditation like the corpse pose, hatha yoga is the common one but you can at least find someone experienced and learn more about the other types.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

These may be of some help:

 

Link 1

 

Link 2

 

Thank you!

 

is there a yoga class near you? I would join one if there was, they usually have physical exercises called asanas and a portion of meditation like the corpse pose, hatha yoga is the common one but you can at least find someone experienced and learn more about the other types.

 

I do not have money to take any classes. I was thinking of using Youtube?

[Dainin]

The Advanced Yoga Practices web site has a free systematic course of lessons that cover many aspects of yoga: meditation, pranayama, bandhas, asana, diet, tantra, kundalini, etc. There is also a forum where you can ask questions. A lot of this is information that you would generally not get by attending a yoga class in the west, where the emphasis is mostly on asanas. Good luck and have fun!

[Eric23]

If you live in a major metro area in the US there are bound to be several "community" yoga classes. They usually cost $5 and some of them are on a donation basis only.

 

I would recommend getting some teaching from a live teacher. You can then practice on your own at home, but you will do so with a correct foundation.

 

The AYP site is a great place to learn the contemplative aspects of yoga. For the physical side of asanas you should really seek a live teacher.

[Encephalon]

How much time and $$ are you budgeting for classes/instruction? Classes average anywhere from 10-15 dollars in LA, so you're looking at $200/mo, conceivably. I found it practical to use dvds at home until I was ready to pay for personal instruction in the intermediate classes. Rodney Yee, Baron Baptiste, there's a bunch of good beginning ones. If you're in decent shape already and can handle a lot of upper body work, check out "Inhale" every morning at 6am PST on the Oxygen network. The music is kind of a drag, but it's a fun routine, and free.

 

If you're already doing any kind of energy work, then Kundalini yoga can expedite the process. The "Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh" dvd feels awesome.

 

"I would recommend getting some teaching from a live teacher. You can then practice on your own at home, but you will do so with a correct foundation." This is really good advice too, at least a couple of times in the beginning. A good teacher can adjust your posture ever so slightly and your body/mind will just blossom.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Blasto

[Josh Young]

Of the forms of Yoga, there are many, of the goals of Yoga, there is but one. This is found in the name Yoga itself.

 

Ponder this well and you shall have your foundation.

 

I suggest doing Japa yoga first.

[Spiritual_Aspirant]

Beginners Yoga? Where does a person who doesn't know anything about Yoga, start?

 

 

Wikipedia's article about yoga is informative. Hatha yoga is best learned from a teacher, you don't want to accidentally injure yourself.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I want to get into the Spiritual type of Yoga? I am not sure if that kind of Yoga exists?

[CarsonZi]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I want to get into the Spiritual type of Yoga? I am not sure if that kind of Yoga exists?

I too would suggest that you have a look at the AYP system. http://www.aypsite.org/MainDirectory.html

 

Love,

Carson

[Siliconvalley1]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I want to get into the Spiritual type of Yoga? I am not sure if that kind of Yoga exists?

 

Leon,

 

Like many others suggested, AYP seems to be the good option among what is available free. I have my own reservations on Anna-Ravi, Bikram, Sant mat Kundalini kinds of Neo Yogas.

 

If one observes the construct of the Yoga system, even before the times of Patanjali who organized it, it is spiritual in nature. All the different yogas - Bhakti, Jnana, Hatha etc. are spiritual in their own sense. They are all there and what is picked depends on the individual, his taste, goal, qualification etc.

 

If by "spiritual", you mean enlightenement, all of them are meant to take you there. Hatha Yoga, through bodily discipline is meant to awaken Kundalini and help one overcome the sense of limited individuality. Kundalini Yoga is really a subset of Hatha Yoga with greater focus on the Tantric aspects. Raja Yoga aims to achieve the same through a dispassionate disciplining of the mind. Bhakti yoga teaches surrender, prayer, service and meditation on mantras and forms to reach the same aspect. Jnana yoga, which is generally not taken up directly by all, is probably not a good start for the beginner. Traditionally, one practiced Hatha Yoga for three years, followed by three years of Raja Yoga, one year of Bhakti Yoga before finally entering the path of Jnana Yoga. While this is a practical approach, it is observed by many that sticking to one of them is sufficient in itself.

 

In the current cosmological cycle named Kali Yuga, it is believed that Japa yoga or recitation of a mantra is the best and safest yoga and this is taught in Gita, the Hindu scripture. Mantra Yoga has in it elements of bhakti, raja, karma, kundalini yogas - gradually preparing one for Jnana yoga. A good addition to mantra practice would be some hatha yoga exercises, mainly for health and physical wellbeing.

 

The SRF correspondence course is inexpensive and involves a mantra practice at the higher stages and that may be a good option if you plan to stick with something for a long time.

 

Soham/Ajapa Yoga, said to be the predecessor of Anapanasati before the advent of Buddha, is a good option to start with as it again involves mantra, simple breathing, visualization and mindfulness.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Siliconvalley1

[DalTheJigsaw123]

I too would suggest that you have a look at the AYP system. http://www.aypsite.org/MainDirectory.html

 

Love,

Carson

 

Thank you kindly!'

 

Leon,

 

Like many others suggested, AYP seems to be the good option among what is available free. I have my own reservations on Anna-Ravi, Bikram, Sant mat Kundalini kinds of Neo Yogas.

 

If one observes the construct of the Yoga system, even before the times of Patanjali who organized it, it is spiritual in nature. All the different yogas - Bhakti, Jnana, Hatha etc. are spiritual in their own sense. They are all there and what is picked depends on the individual, his taste, goal, qualification etc.

 

If by "spiritual", you mean enlightenement, all of them are meant to take you there. Hatha Yoga, through bodily discipline is meant to awaken Kundalini and help one overcome the sense of limited individuality. Kundalini Yoga is really a subset of Hatha Yoga with greater focus on the Tantric aspects. Raja Yoga aims to achieve the same through a dispassionate disciplining of the mind. Bhakti yoga teaches surrender, prayer, service and meditation on mantras and forms to reach the same aspect. Jnana yoga, which is generally not taken up directly by all, is probably not a good start for the beginner. Traditionally, one practiced Hatha Yoga for three years, followed by three years of Raja Yoga, one year of Bhakti Yoga before finally entering the path of Jnana Yoga. While this is a practical approach, it is observed by many that sticking to one of them is sufficient in itself.

 

In the current cosmological cycle named Kali Yuga, it is believed that Japa yoga or recitation of a mantra is the best and safest yoga and this is taught in Gita, the Hindu scripture. Mantra Yoga has in it elements of bhakti, raja, karma, kundalini yogas - gradually preparing one for Jnana yoga. A good addition to mantra practice would be some hatha yoga exercises, mainly for health and physical wellbeing.

 

The SRF correspondence course is inexpensive and involves a mantra practice at the higher stages and that may be a good option if you plan to stick with something for a long time.

 

Soham/Ajapa Yoga, said to be the predecessor of Anapanasati before the advent of Buddha, is a good option to start with as it again involves mantra, simple breathing, visualization and mindfulness.

 

Thank you for all of your suggestions. You have been very kind. Thanks!

[Old Man Contradiction]

Ashtanga Yoga gets progressively more difficult. In the end, it is very very technical. If you torrent, you can find David Swenson's Primary Series, he explains different modifications you can do if you are not flexible enough for some asanas. It comes highly recommended as a spiritually well preserved and authentic from of yoga.

 

P.S. LeonBasin, I think you know my friend Orazio aka Josh.

Edited July 11, 2009 by Old Man Contradiction

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Ashtanga Yoga gets progressively more difficult. In the end, it is very very technical. If you torrent, you can find David Swenson's Primary Series, he explains different modifications you can do if you are not flexible enough for some asanas. It comes highly recommended as a spiritually well preserved and authentic from of yoga.

 

P.S. LeonBasin, I think you know my friend Orazio aka Josh.

 

I think I do. How does he know me?

[Old Man Contradiction]

I think I do. How does he know me?

 

I don't know but I seem to remember seeing someone named LeonBasin commenting on his facebook.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

That would be me! I am not to good with names. Sounds like me though!

[Guest sykkelpump]

Like already mention AYP is good,but also this one. http://www.anmolmehta.com/

It is a big unorganized site but very good.

[Eric23]

Like already mention AYP is good,but also this one. http://www.anmolmehta.com/

It is a big unorganized site but very good.

 

Thanks for the great link I have taken Kundalini yoga classes at our local ashram and enjoyed them. For those drawn to the yoga path, kundalini yoga is worth studying.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Anyone heard of Tao Yoga? http://taoyoga.jimdo.com/

[Vajrasattva]

www.umaatantra.com

Edited October 13, 2009 by Vajrasattva

[tumoessence]

www.umaatantra.com

 

 

I second this one. Great stuff there. Especially, all that is collected into one place.

Clears up a lot of questions about yoga and qigong, and really brings it into the physical practice then moving into the energetics. I like that tibetan yoga is brought into the pic ture as well.

 

disclaimer, I am not paid for this endorsement.

[Spiritual_Aspirant]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I want to get into the Spiritual type of Yoga? I am not sure if that kind of Yoga exists?

 

 

http://pranichealing.com/course/arhatic-yoga