|
No
and...maybe. It depends on how you define "religion"
and how the Yoga practitioner approaches his or her practice.
The physical and psychological benefits of Yoga are real and
don't discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, political
persuasion or any other way people like (or dislike) to categorize
themselve. The benefits also don't depend on chanting Om. On
the spiritual side, most mystical traditions -- East or West
-- draw similar maps of the spiritual path. So in that respect,
Yoga is mainstream. Like Shakespeare said, "A rose by any
name would smell as sweet." For these reasons, many people
feel they can practice Yoga without conflict with their religious
beliefs. |
| What's
the best way to get started, especially if I'm out of
shape? |
|
| Find
a teacher, get a book and/or video. One-on-one interaction with
a teacher is invaluable experence. However, books and videos
have their place, too. Remember, there is a Yoga level for everyone,
regardless of physical condition. |
| How
many times a week should I do Yoga and for how long? |
|
| Most
schools teach a practice session that lasts 60-90 minutes. If
you canc do that everyday -- great. If not, try and do that
much a few days a week, including a class or two, and fill in
with shorter sessions on days when you don't have as much time.
Any Yoga is better than no Yoga, and 20 to 30 minutes a day
is better than 90 minutes once a week. |
| What
are the abc's of meditation? |
|
| There
are a few recommended guidelines for meditation: |
- It
should be done every day, preferably at the same time.
-
It should preferably be done before a meal rather than after
a meal.
- A
spot should be set aside for meditation, which should be
a quiet place and used for nothing but meditation.
- One
should sit with the spine straight and vertical (a chair
is ok to use)
|
faqs@healingtouchindia.com |
|
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