Yoga For Dummies

✍ Scribed by Larry Payne; Georg Feuerstein

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Year: 2014
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 411
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Sharing the benefits of yoga in a way that everyone can enjoy and understand Practicing yoga has many health benefits, including improving your overall fitness, flexibility, and strength. It has also been known to reduce heart rate and blood pressure. And if you're suffering from chronic lower back pain, yoga is a perfect choice for you. Yoga For Dummies, 3rd Edition will show you how to get up to speed on the fundamentals of Yoga, whether you're participating in a class, teaching a class, or practicing it on your own. This new edition features over 20% new and updated content plus 12 companion videos featuring the hottest and most popular poses. Inside, you will find: Do-it-yourself yoga programs for you to practice The latest techniques for breathing properly Photos on key poses that can improve front sides and backsides New coverage on yoga against the wall, the use of props in yoga, couples yoga, and more If you suffer from anxiety, depression, or chronic pain, yoga can be a wonderfully relaxing exercise for you. Whether you decide to persist in a traditional do-it-yourself yoga practice or experiment with the use of props in a new yoga routine, this book can help. Children, pregnant women, mid-lifers, and seniors can all enjoy the benefits of yoga simply explained in this comprehensive, fun guide.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents at a Glance
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I: Getting Started with Yoga
Chapter 1: Yoga 101: Building a Foundation
Understanding the True Character of Yoga
Considering Your Options: The Eight Main Branches of Yoga
Taking a Closer Look at Hatha Yoga
Finding Your Niche: Four Basic Approaches to Yoga
Pointing the Way to Happiness: Health, Healing, and Yoga
Balancing Your Life with Yoga
Locating Your Starting Place in the World of Yoga
Chapter 2: Ready, Set, Yoga!
Finding Suitable Yoga Instruction
Preparing for Group Practice
Going for It on Your Own
Fulfilling Your Promise to Yourself: Making Time for Yoga Practice
Chapter 3: Preparing for a Fruitful Yoga Practice
Cultivating the Right Attitude
Enjoying a Peaceful Yoga Practice
Chapter 4: Relaxed Like a Noodle: The Fine Art of Letting Go of Stress
The Nature of Stress
Relaxation Techniques That Work
Yoga Nidra: Catch Up on Your Sleep Quotient with Yogic Sleep
Chapter 5: Breath and Movement Simplified
Breathing Your Way to Good Health
Mastering the Mechanics of Yogic Breathing
Seeing How Breath and Postural Movement Work Together
Infusing Sound into Yogic Breathing
Breath Control the Traditional Way
Part II: Moving into Position: Basic Yoga Postures
Chapter 6: Please Be Seated
Understanding the Philosophy of Sitting
Adding Varity to Your Sitting Postures
Chapter 7: Standing Tall
Standing Strong
Exercising Your Standing Options
Chapter 8: Steady as a Tree: Mastering Balance
Getting to the Roots of the Posture
Balancing Postures for Graceful Strength
Chapter 9: Absolutely Abs
Taking Care of the Abdomen: Your Business Center
Exercising Those Abs
Chapter 10: Looking at the World Upside Down: Safe Inversion Postures
Getting a Leg Up on Leg Inversions
Trying a Trio of Shoulder Stands
Chapter 11: Easy ’round the Bends: Classic Bending Floor Postures
Gaining a Strong Backbone (and Some Insight)
Bending over Backward
Bending from Side to Side
Bending Forward
Chapter 12: Several Twists on the Yoga Twist
Trying Simple Upright Twists
Twisting while Reclining
Chapter 13: Dynamic Posture: The Rejuvenation Sequence and Sun Salutation
Warming up for the Sun: Rejuvenating in 9 Steps
Gliding Through the 7-Step Kneeling Salutation
Advancing to the 12-Step Sun Salutation
Chapter 14: A Recommended Beginners’ Routine for Men and Women
Starting Slowly and Wisely
Trying out a Fun Beginner Routine
Reaching Beyond the Beginning
Part III: Creating and Customizing Your Yoga Routine
Chapter 15: Designing Your Own Yoga Program
Applying the Rules of Sequencing
Getting Started with Warm-ups
Selecting Your Main Postures and Compensation Poses
Including Plenty of Rest and Relaxation
Cooking Up a Creative Yoga Routine with the Classic Formula
Chapter 16: Partnering Up for Yoga
Defining Partner Yoga
Enjoying the Benefits of Partner Yoga
Exploring Twelve Ways to Pose with a Partner
Chapter 17: It’s Never Too Soon: Pre- and Postnatal Yoga
Partnering Yoga with Pregnancy
Finding Perfect Pregnancy Postures
Continuing Yogic Exercise after Pregnancy (Postpartum)
Chapter 18: Yoga for Kids and Teens
Kid Stuff: Making Yoga Fun for Youngsters
Easing the Transition into Adulthood: Yoga for Teens
Developing Yoga Routines for the Young and Restless
Chapter 19: It’s Never Too Late: Yoga for Midlifers and Older Adults
Reaping the Benefits of Yoga through Midlife and Beyond
Approaching Prime of Life Yoga with the Right Mindset
Developing User-Friendly Routines for Midlifers
Staying Active: Yoga for Older Adults
Cherishing the Chair: Safe Routines for Older Adults
Chapter 20: Prop Art: The Why and How of Simple Props
Examining the Pros and Cons of Props
Going Prop Hunting at Home
Seeking Out Props You May Want to Purchase
Chapter 21: Yoga Against the Wall
The World Is Your Yoga Studio
A Wall-Supported Yoga Workout
Part IV: Living Life the Yoga Way
Chapter 22: Yoga throughout the Day
Making Yoga a Habit
Seeking Your Higher Self
Making Inroads into the Eightfold Path with Moral Discipline
Exercising Yogic Self-Discipline
Chapter 23: Meditation and the Higher Reaches of Yoga
Understanding Concentration
Practicing Meditation
Working toward Ecstasy
Reaching toward Enlightenment
Chapter 24: Yoga Therapy: Customizing Your Back and Body Treatments
What You Need to Know about Yoga Therapy
A Five-Step Plan for a Healthy Back
Yoga Rx for Lower Backs
Chapter 25: Using Restorative Postures to Relieve Stress and Chronic Pain
Your Yoga Toolkit for Relieving Chronic Pain
Helpful Postures for Chronic Pain
Part V: The Part of Tens
Chapter 26: Ten Tips for a Safe Yoga Practice
Avoid Seeing Yoga as a Competition — Even with Yourself
Listen to Your Body and Be in the Moment
Challenge Yourself, Don’t Strain Yourself
Forget about What You Used to Do
Don’t Buy into “No Pain, No Gain”
Choose Function over Form
Find the Intersection of Focus and Ease in Your Postures
Seek Out a Yoga Teacher Who Respects Your Limits
Find Your Personal Comfort Zone
Give Yourself the Benefit of Time and Allow Yoga to Unfold
Chapter 27: Ten Ways to Get the Most out of Your Yoga Practice
Understand Yoga
Set Clear and Realistic Goals
Commit Yourself to Growth
Stay for the Long Haul
Start with Good Habits
Vary Your Routine
Breathe to Increase Your Awareness
Do Your Best, Don’t Worry about the Rest
Allow Your Body to Speak Up
Share Yoga
Index
About the Authors