What 

does Yoga mean?

 

Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice that

originated in ancient India. It became popular in the
West in the 20th century. The word, yoga, comes from
the Sanskrit yuj, which means “to yoke” and "samadhi"
or "concentration." Thus, yoga is the practice that aims
to join the mind, body and spirit. The ultimate goal of
yoga is to achieve liberation.
 History

Pre-Classical Yoga

The beginnings of Yoga were developed by the Indus-

Sarasvati civilization in Northern India over 5,000
years ago. The word yoga was first mentioned in the
oldest sacred texts, the Rig Veda. The Vedas were a
collection of texts containing songs, mantras and
rituals to be used by Brahmans, the Vedic priests.
Classical Yoga

In the pre-classical stage, yoga was a mishmash of various ideas,
beliefs and techniques that often conflicted and contradicted each
other. The Classical period is defined by Patanjali’s Yoga-Sûtras,
the first systematic presentation of yoga. Written some time in
the second century, this text describes the path of Raja Yoga,
often called "classical yoga". Patanjali organized the practice of
yoga into an "eight limbed path" containing the steps and stages
towards obtaining Samadhi or enlightenment. Patanjali is often
considered the father of yoga and his Yoga-Sûtras still strongly
influence most styles of modern yoga.
 
Post-Classical Yoga

A few centuries after Patanjali, yoga masters created

a system of practices designed to rejuvenate the
body and prolong life. They rejected the teachings of
the ancient Vedas and embraced the physical body
as the means to achieve enlightenment. They
developed Tantra Yoga, with radical techniques to
cleanse the body and mind to break the knots that
bind us to our physical existence.
  Modern Period
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, yoga masters
began to travel to the West, attracting attention and
followers. This began at the 1893 Parliament of
Religions in Chicago, when Swami Vivekananda
wowed the attendees with his lectures on yoga and
the universality of the world’s religions. In the 1920s
and 30s, Hatha Yoga was strongly promoted in
India with the work of T. Krishnamacharya, Swami
Sivananda and other yogis practicing Hatha Yoga.
 In the West, yoga is most often associated with the
physical practice of asanas, particularly stretching exercises to
build flexibility and relax the body. Yoga asanas can also build
strength, coordination, balance and stamina. However, this is

only one aspect of yoga as asana practice is just one of the
"eight limbs" of yoga as listed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, a key
sacred text on the philosophy of yoga. These eight limbs are:

Yama - Five abstentions (or outer observances)

Niyama - Five inner observances
Asana - Meaning “seat” and referring to the physical posture
needed for meditation
Pranayama - Controlled or suspended breath
Pratyahara - Withdrawal of the senses
Dharana - Single pointed concentration
Dhyana - Meditation
Samadhi - Liberation
 10 YOGA
 Poses
1. Mountain Pose


Mountain Pose is the base for all standing poses; it
gives you a sense of how to ground in to your feet and
feel the earth below you. Mountain pose may seem like
"simply standing," but there is a ton going on.

How to do it: Start standing with your feet together.

Press down through all ten toes as you spread them
open. Engage your quadriceps to lift your kneecaps and
lift up through the inner thighs. Draw your abdominals in
and up as you lift your chest and press the tops of the
shoulders down.

Feel your shoulder blades coming towards each other

and open your chest; but keep your palms facing
inwards towards the body. Imagine a string drawing the
crown of the head up to the ceiling and breathe deeply
in to the torso. Hold for 5-8 breaths.
2. Downward Facing Dog
Downward Dog is used in most yoga practices
and yoga classes and it stretches and strengthens
the entire body. I always say, “a down dog a day
keeps the doctor away.”

How to do it: Come on to all fours with your wrists
under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
Tuck under your toes and lift your hips up off the
floor as you draw them up at back towards your
heels.
Keep your knees slightly bent if your hamstrings
are tight, otherwise try and straighten out your legs
while keeping your hips back. Walk your hands
forward to give yourself more length if you need to.
Press firmly through your palms and rotate the
inner elbows towards each other. Hollow out the
abdominals and keep engaging your legs to keep
the torso moving back towards the thighs. Hold for
5-8 breaths before dropping back to hands and
knees to rest.
3. Plank
Plank teaches us how to balance on our


hands while using the entire body to support
us. It is a great way to strengthen the
abdominals, and learn to use the breath to
help us stay in a challenging pose.
How to do it: From all fours, tuck under your
toes and lift your legs up off the mat. Slide
your heels back enough until you feel you are
one straight line of energy from your head to
your feet.
Engage the lower abdominals, draw the
shoulders down and away from the ears, pull
your ribs together and breathe deeply for 8-10
breaths.
4. Triangle
Triangle is a wonderful standing posture to
stretch the sides of the waist, open up the
lungs, strengthen the legs and tone the entire
body.

How to do it: Start standing with your feet one
leg's-length apart. Open and stretch your arms
to the sides at shoulder height. Turn your right
foot out 90 degrees and your left toes in about
45 degrees.
Engage your quadriceps and abdominals as
you hinge to the side over your right leg. Place
your right hand down on your ankle, shin or
knee (or a block if you have one) and lift your
left arm up to the ceiling.
Turn your gaze up to the top hand and hold for
5-8 breaths. Lift up to stand and repeat on the
opposite side. Tip: I like to imagine I’m stuck
between two narrow walls when I’m in triangle
pose.
5. Tree
Tree is an awesome standing balance for

beginners to work on to gain focus and
clarity, and learn to breathe while standing
and keeping the body balanced on one
foot.
How to do it: Start with your feet together
and place your right foot on your inner left
upper thigh. Press your hands in prayer
and find a spot in front of you that you can
hold in a steady gaze.
Hold and breathe for 8-10 breaths then
switch sides. Make sure you don’t lean in to
the standing leg and keep your abdominals
engaged and shoulders relaxed.
6. Warrior 1
Warrior poses are essential for building
strength and stamina in a yoga practice. They


give us confidence and stretch the hips and
thighs while building strength in the entire lower
body and core.
Warrior 1 is a gentle backbend; and a great
pose for stretching open the front body (quads,
hip flexors, psoas) while strengthening the legs,
hips, buttocks, core and upper body.

How to do it: For warrior one, you can take a

giant step back with your left foot coming
towards a lunge, then turn your left heel down
and angle your left toes forward 75 degrees.
Lift your chest and press your palms up
overhead. Step forward and repeat on the
opposite leg.
7. Warrior 2
Warrior 2 is an external hip opener and


opens up the inner thighs and groin. It's a
good starting point for many side postures
including triangle, extended angle and half
moon balance.
How to do it: Stand with your feet one leg’s-
length apart. Turn your right toes out 90
degrees and your left toes in 45 degrees.
Bend your right knee until it is directly over
your right ankle while keeping the torso even
between the hips.
Stretch your arms out to your sides and gaze
over your right hand. Hold for 8-10 breaths
before straightening the right leg and turning
your feet to the other side to repeat on left
side.
8. Seated Forward Bend
It’s important to incorporate a forward bend in yoga
practice to stretch the hamstrings, lower and upper


back and sides. Seated forward bend is the perfect
fold for everyone to start to open up the body and
learn to breathe through uncomfortable positions.
If you feel any sharp pain, you need to back off; but if
you feel the tension when you fold forward and you
can continue to breathe, you will slowly start to
loosen up and let go. You can also keep your knees
bent in the pose as long as the feet stay flexed and
together.
How to do it: Start seated with your legs together,
feet firmly flexed and not turning in or out, and your
hands by your hips. Lift your chest and start to hinge
forward from your waist. Engage your lower
abdominals and imagine your belly button moving
towards the top of your thighs.
Once you hit your maximum, stop and breathe for 8-
10 breaths. Make sure your shoulders, head and
neck are all released.
9. Bridge Pose
A counter pose to a forward bend is a back


bend. Bridge is a good beginner’s back bend
that stretches the front body and strengthens
the back body.
How to do it: Lie down on your back and
place your feet hip width apart. Press firmly on
to your feet and lift your butt up off the mat.
Interlace your hands together and press the
fists down to the floor as you open up your
chest even more.
Imagine dragging your heels on the mat
towards your shoulders to engage your
hamstrings. Hold for 8-10 breaths then lower
your hips down and repeat two more times.
10. Child’s Pose
Every one needs a good resting pose and
Child’s pose is an awesome one not just for


beginners but for yoga practitioners of all levels.
It’s good to learn child’s pose to use when you’re
fatigued in Down Dog, before bed at night to work
out the kinks, or anytime you need a mental
break and stress/tension relief.

How to do it: Start on all fours then bring your

knees and feet together as you sit your butt back
to your heels and stretch your arms forward.
Lower your forehead to the floor (or block or
pillow or blanket) and let your entire body
release. Hold for as long as you wish!
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