Asana Awareness

Asana- the practice of yoga postures. The asanas are the postures themselves.

or centuries, people have been practicing yoga as a form of exercise, therapy, and relaxation. Like other Eastern religions, yoga is holistic in nature; it fosters well-being of body, mind, and spirit. This idea is perhaps best explained by B.K.S. Iyengar, founder of a widely successful system of yoga:

If you look after the root of the tree, the fragrance and flowering will come by itself. If you look after the body, the fragrance of the mind and spirit will come of itself.

I discovered yoga about 2 years ago. I had developed an interest in Eastern philosophy and religion during my year in Japan (see Journey), and was looking for a form of exercise less jarring to the body than jogging or weightlifting. What I found was so much more.

I have become physically and mentally dependent on regular practice. More so than any other form of exercise that I have discovered, yoga is:

Intensive: In just one hour, I can undo any amount of stiffness and lethargy from a night of sleep or a day of inactivity.
Awakening: Yoga promotes alertness from the intermost regions of the mind to the tips of the fingers and toes.
Adaptive: Practice can be dynamic and cardiovascular or slow and meditative. Some postures incorporate the whole body, while others isolate certain regions. Practice can be tailored to suit any mental or physical circumstances.
Preventative: Aside from very minor colds, I have not gotten sick in the over two years that I've been practicing.
Relaxing: Even the most rigorous sessions end in the deep relaxation of Savasana. This supine posture is a systematic letting go of any remaining tension in the body. It also clears the mind and completes the process of renewal.

Getting Started

It is essential to start by taking a yoga class. You cannot see how your own body is aligned. A good teacher will be able to make the necessary adjustments so that you can feel when you are doing the poses correctly.

A good book for home practice is YOGA the Iyengar Way by Silva, Miras & Shyam Mehta. It contains illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions for all of the basic poses.

Coming Soon: An article on my experiences with yoga and diabetes.

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