The twelve basic postures, or asanas, should be practised in a specific order. The aim is to promote good health and to awaken the subtle energy – prana – in your body. After you have finished your yoga practice, you will feel a profound sense of physical and emotional wellbeing.
The sequence of twelve basic asanas are specially designed to help your body and mind to reap the greatest possible benefits. They should be followed in the order given in this book and you should practise them at every session. Also take care to follow any breathing instructions given as well as the guidelines for relaxation poses in between asanas.
INITIAL RELAXATION Always begin with relaxation in Corpse pose to focus your mind and prevent you from being distracted by the demands of everyday life. Continue with Easy sitting pose. This gives you a firm sitting position for performing the Eye and Neck exercises, as well as the breathing exercises. Next comes the Sun salutation, which stimulates the heart and the circulation of the blood. It also serves as a general warm-up for the poses that follow.
THE FIRST HALF OF YOUR PRACTICE After the Sun salutation, you move on to asanas that focus mostly on muscle stretching. The stretching is always followed by relaxation of the muscles. In addition, the inverted poses of this first part of your practice increase the blood supply to the head, which improves the function of the brain and the thyroid gland.
THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR PRACTICE From Cobra onwards, the asanas focus more on muscle strengthening. This is done by contracting then relaxing the muscles. In addition, poses such as Bow, Half spinal twist, and Peacock exert more pressure on your internal organs. This helps to detoxify the tissues and increase their blood supply.
FINAL RELAXATION Practise Final relaxation lying in Corpse pose. Never omit this essential part of your practice. When you relax in this position, your voluntary muscles and your internal organs relax completely. Final relaxation also helps you to absorb all the benefits of the asanas you have just practised.
You can schedule your yoga practice anytime from early morning to late evening. The most important considerations are:
• You should not eat 2–3 hours before you practise.
• Except late in the evening, you should have a wholesome meal or snack shortly after you practise.
• Taking a shower before you practise is advantageous, but a shower is not recommended immediately after, as it neutralises prana.
• Choose a time when you will not be distracted by phone calls.
The step-by-step instructions in this book guide you from beginner level, through intermediate to advanced. If you are a beginner, you may find that, to start with, you can only manage a few of the steps leading up to the final pose. If this is the case, do not worry and do not force yourself on to the next step. It is not a competition. In yoga, there are benefits for mind and body at every step. When you reach the final pose, look at the illustration showing the common faults in the pose. You may be doing some or all of these. As you practise the pose, try and be aware of your mistakes and do your best to correct them.
Many poses have a counterpose – one that moves the spine and other joints in the opposite direction. So, having performed Shoulderstand, which gives you a forward bend, Fish, which is another basic asana in its own right, provides you with a backward bend a little later on in your practice.
Loose cotton clothing that enables you to move easily is ideal. You will also need a rubber mat for practising asanas, and a pillow when you practise the Easy sitting pose. You may also like to cover yourself with a thin blanket during Final relaxation.
