[GTO]

Team-BHP has many discussions on wellness & taking care of yourself. There's fat to fit, the weight loss thread, taking care of your heart, the sleep guide, respecting your exercise limits, quit smoking advice (due to which I kicked the habit) and many more.

Please share tips, learnings & Yoga advice here. I started meditating 3 years ago, during Covid, and it changed my life. Am a complete Yoga newbie, but after hearing of its benefits from so many people, I'm going to dip my toes and start off on this journey soon.

P.S. Our existing Yoga thread was almost 20 years old, so I just closed it.

P.P.S. If you know of any really good yoga instructors or classes in Bombay, please do share their details here.

Yoga practice @ Honda's 2-Wheeler factory:

[Piyush_DT]

I do Dhyan (meditation) regularly and started during Covid. I can say from my experience that it helps and one should definitely do atleast for 15 mins daily. I prefer doing meditation my own however there are many guided meditations which makes it easy for newbies who find difficult to sit and focus.

Attaching list of guided meditations by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with YouTube links.

[PGA]

Thanks for restarting the discussion on yoga, I was completely sceptical to the idea till a couple of months ago. Last November I picked up some load off a shelf and my spine just buckled, though I recovered quickly, it got me thinking and trying to understand as to why and how it happened. My own diagnosis was minor shifting of a vertebra due to weakened muscle which probably happened due to my lifestyle, subsequently corroborated by an X-ray. Yoga happened to be the only solution to stretch and exercise those muscles and I started following a very basic protocol after downloading an app and it has done wonders to my back and general flexibility.

[subraiyr]

I had been running for about 10 years now, quite a late start. Last year, I was diagnosed with ankle arthritis and my orthopaedic asked me to stop running. And then I turned to Yoga. I started doing Yoga through an app - Down Dog. I did it for a year plus now and it has helped me with improving my mobility. Secondly, it has such a calming effect on me now. I no longer am bothered about the issues and challenges at my work. A month ago, I decided that I need a physical coach and I managed to snare a very good coach in Bangalore. She specialises in Vinayasa form of Yoga and to me has been a god send. One of the things she called out in the first few sessions is that whenever you feel that you are not able to hold a pose, stop. Don't force yourself to do it. The second advice she gave me is that no two days are the same. One day, you could be absolutely flexible and on the next day, you might be as stiff as a piece of wood. Don't beat yourself up. Go through the flow and work within your limits

it is a great practice to inculcate in your life and it becomes a life habit. The best part is you can do it anywhere, anytime

Looking forward to the experts to give us wisdom on best practices

[rajesh1868]

I have been following this channel for the last couple of years or more to learn Yoga. This was as good as live coaching for me as he goes very deep and also describes how different people with various problems can approach each asanas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlmF...z_rLlA4QAhxB3c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNmM...dvUsaezAg1y9Qs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZzb...xkOe9RWHqsR49b

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmbL...SkM_eTI3i5hKG8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWOY...zm_Vh-vPYR2ccj

There are other playlists with the theory aspects as well (Yoga sutras and related).

[prasi55]

I've been doing yoga sessions 3 days a week for the past 2 years or so and it has been a great supplement to my fitness and lifestyle. I used to get back pain quite frequently, but thanks to the yoga sessions, I have hardly experienced an episode in the time that I've been doing Yoga.

To be honest, while not against Yoga, I did have a preference for weight training or other "fast moving" sports or physical activities and kept away from Yoga for years. But as I got older, I began to appreciate the evergreen nature of activities such as yoga, swimming, and even the humble walking (hence my other thread on swimming). The mental rejuvenation that these activities provide is a nice bonus.

For reference, the sessions are conducted by my spiritual teacher -- the yoga sessions can be booked online at mangeshda.org. I can personally attest to the vast knowledge of the teacher and extremely well designed yet personalized nature of the sessions. (Coincidentally, the sessions were actually held in Juhu in Bombay but shifted to online during the pandemic, allowing outsiders such as me to benefit.) Please reach out if you have questions or require more information.

My tips, learnings and advice for Yoga can be summed up in one word: Yes.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by GTO

... Am a complete Yoga newbie, but after hearing of its benefits from so many people, I'm going to dip my toes and start off on this journey soon...

Suryanamaskars (Sun Salutations) are highly recommended, it's practically a full-body workout.

Take it slow (esp. if you have any mobility restrictions or chronic injuries), learn to do the 12 poses right (body form + breathing), and you'll be amazed what a simple workout can do for your body.

Been doing it since I was a little boy. Can't recommend it highly enough.

[JoshMachine]

My tryst with yoga, and beyond

I was quite active and into sports during school days. Played cricket, football, athletics. Represented and Captained High School & Jr College regularly at different tournaments.
This active mode continued into graduation where I took up gymming with my close friends and developed a robust (not bulky) structural body framework, trying to follow the Arnolds and Ronnie Colemans of the world (yes, of the likes of daily 6 raw eggs' consumption + 100 kg bench press + 14 incher bicep curls + squats / quads + lats & trapezius etc., you get the picture!). A multiplier effect of this - got to participate and represent college at some modelling events too
Next was MBA, where I continued playing cricket and picked up badminton and cardio rhythms. The health mode was operating at its optimally peak zone.

But then, corporate culture kicked in and somehow the super-active health flame started ebbing. I tried to hang onto my sports mode but wasn't regular. So, took up brisk walking as a substitute and was decently successful at it. But the travails of climbing the corporate ladder came in the way and this interrupted my rituals.

Circa, covid. FY 2020. Whatever active health lines & patterns I was able to draw till then, even those started to look blurred. Tried to hold on to brisk walking and some basic stretching exercises at home, but I knew that was not enough to "satiate" me.

Mid-2021. Came across an advertisement in our society about online yoga. The instructor was doing yoga for the past 45-odd years and came across as no-nonsense teacher. Don't know what exactly triggered but I suddenly felt like I had an opportunity to reignite the (dying) active health flame in me and I signed up for the online yoga course then & there. And my tryst with yoga started thus.

The "I need to get this right" part of me looked forward to this new phase of active healthy life and I immediately gathered all the right kit, and read a great deal about it. And have tried to be an ardent student of this beautiful ritual.

Its been now almost 2 years and I have managed to clock 108 surayanamaskars on 2 Rathsaptami days (http://dhrti.com/global-surya-namaskar-day/) in 2022 and 2023 within reasonable time limits, but I know I am still far, far away from realizing the true essence of what "yoga" is.
As some of us know, the meaning of the word yoga is derived from the philosophy of the "union" - union of the mind and the body. When I started back in 2021, I will admit that I focused only the latter, while being ignorant about the importance of the former.

I am (with all humility) starting to understand that yoga is not just about asanas or the physical fitness, it is about your entire well-being.

Infact, as per experts and my yoga guru, there are 8 limbs of yoga which make up this entirety:-



Over the last 2 years, I have been generally trying to stick to a 5 days-a-week routine comprising the below details:-
* 50-60 min rituals
* start at 5.45 - 6 am (per batch timings)
* some common rituals daily
* some rituals on specific days
* starting with warm-up, reaching a crescendo and then winding down with prayer + meditation
* all under the guidance of the instructor, albeit online
* Using a smartwatch while doing yoga (pleasantly surprised at the amount of active calories getting burnt)

Common rituals done on daily basis:-
* basic yoga for neck + hands + scapula + shoulders/trapezius + pelvic
* basic yoga for general stability - https://www.healthline.com/health/ex...ck-flexibility
* 12 surya namaskars - https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yo...sun-salutation
* breathing, meditation & prayer

On specific days, there is combination of the below in addition to the daily common rituals:-
* yoga for legs - https://www.healthline.com/health/yoga-for-legs#14
* yoga for back - https://beyogi.com/yoga-poses-strengthen-spine/
* yoga for neck and shoulder - https://www.healthline.com/health/yo...eck-pain#poses
* yoga for relaxation - https://www.thezoereport.com/wellnes...for-relaxation
* yoga for dhyana and/or meditation - https://www.goodhomes.co.in/lifestyl...eing-7520.html

Please note, the above links are meant only for general representation and not to indicate that I do each and every asana from these sets. Its usually a combination of legs + back or neck & shoulder + back or arms + legs etc. that is carried out on specific days alongwith the daily common asanas.
And every day ends with some form of winding down or meditation or prayer that helps in bringing the heightened state of activity to a controlled state of senses, where you understand all the bio-rhythms and how they are connected to each other.

Ofcourse, sometimes there are days at a stretch where I have to travel for work (excuse of leading a global consulting team based in India) or attend some early morning client meetings/calls (to cater S.E Asia/ANZ) or a hangover from last night's client calls (US/LATAM/Eur), and on these days I do miss my rituals. Since my work/office schedule is time bound, I do not get to compensate for these lost times by doing the yoga asanas during the day time for example, at home. I do try to find out alternate schedules but there is an eventuality about such days that I cannot avoid. So I have come to the realization that as long as I ensure the positives of attending yoga sessions are more than the negatives of missing them, I am good.

Finally, any discussion about pursuing an active healthy regimen is incomplete without mentioning the benefits:-
* much better realization about how your states of mind and body are interrelated
* understanding that it is not only about the physical fitness, but the general well-being that is more important
* a multiplier benefit of adopting a conscious, positive lifestyle in general

Quite a long opening post on this thread, but wanted to pen down all that I could think of.

On a concluding note - as I mentioned earlier, in 2022 & 2023, on the auspicious days of Rathsaptami, I have managed to clock 108 suryanamaskars within 40-45 mins. I intend to better this next year, lets see if I can do it either in terms or reducing time to do the same sets or doing more in the same time.

My journey with yoga has only just started, hope I can continue it and also continue to share my learnings with all of you.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Suryanamaskars (Sun Salutations) are highly recommended, it's practically a full-body workout.

When I talk to friends and colleagues about my back issue, many of them blindly suggest surya namaskar. But guess what, for people having a herniated disc, Surya Namaskar is one of the worst exercises. So, my advice to everyone is to consult a good physician before commencing any yoga/exercise program. And always train under the guidance of a good trainer. Youtube videos and all are good to get an understanding but you can never self-evaluate your posture and technique.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

... my advice to everyone is to consult a good physician before commencing any yoga/exercise program...

That advice is solid for anything to do with one's body: exercise, nutrition, medication etc.

Only you and your physician know your body, and what it can/can't handle. Always best to make informed and well-advised choices.

I did add a cautionary note to my post.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

...(esp. if you have any mobility restrictions or chronic injuries)...

[1LR-GUE]

As an ophthalmologist, I feel compelled to give my 2 cents about yoga and the eye.

Before anybody starts practising yoga, kindly check your eyes for glaucoma or any retinal problems (especially those above 40 years).

Sirasana (and other head-down yogic postures) can actually worsen Glaucoma (the condition in which your eye pressures are raised) in some patients.

Also, some yoga postures can sometimes worsen certain retinal conditions.

If you or your parents have undergone any intraocular surgery, kindly get clearance from your ophthalmologist before starting yoga or any exercise for that matter.

Hope this helps!

[RGK]

I was using homoeopathic medications for kidney stones. Visited my yoga center in Chennai (renowned kym.org) for a review, and they inquired about my current illnesses and was instructed to perform a few asanas, and the kidney stones passed within a week, and also with little discomfort.

I believe that the stone should have diluted as a result of routine internal treatment, and with the new yoga poses that were suggested, it should have come out.

Daily meditation and yoga are extremely beneficial to humanity.

[Sober_Motorhead]

We take pride and effort in keeping our cars and bikes in top condition. Hope this thread and its contents, help the most critical component cocooned in the car - ourselves – improve shape.

We demand longevity from our machines. Our loved ones also demand longevity from us. Yoga can help.

Why Yoga? (skipping what is well known)
- You do not require specialized equipment. A mat will do.
- Can be done at home. Drag along your partner. (It’s my wife that encouraged me to try; I’m now hooked. It is also great bonding time &#128522
- For the anglophiles and sceptics – there is more than enough content to get you convinced and get you going on the Cleveland Clinic, NY Times websites.
- Yoga teaching and information is highly democratized and easily available.
- Some of the most interesting conversations with Indian and particularly global who’s who at forums like WEF etc. has been on Yoga. Their interest and deep commitment to incorporating Yoga and anything that improves their overall quality of life – is revalidation that you can’t thrive in the long run, if you are not fit – mentally, emotionally and physically.

Investing in a good teacher helps. It is like learning math in school – the teacher makes a big difference – both to let you improve your practice and critically avoid UNNECESSARY injuries (e.g. Dr. 1LR-GUE’s note. For context – I’m highly myopic and my wife had a retinal detachment. We now practice 6 days a week after taking medical opinion)

Kudos for restarting this thread. Best wishes to all for good mind and body health.

[splitinfinitive]

I have been practising Yoga with the Sivananda online classes - details at yogashowstheway dot com - since January '23. What I love about it is:

1. its the same 12 exercises in the 60 minute class - constant repetition makes one keep getting better at the asana slowly - today, I am almost able to do the shirsasana
2. there are in person classes in Gurgaon & Hyderabad and online classes as well - you can quite easily fit this around your schedule, especially online - there are 12 slots in the week and you can do any slot on the day
3. I had the fear "how can you teach yoga online" - but these folks have figured this out - they also make new joiners undergo a mandatory beginner's course online that shows how to correctly and safely do each asana.
4. most importantly, there is a lot of focus on relaxation and breathing correctly. It is not about exerting yourself, but building flexibility over time, with practice and only doing as much as you can, not competing with yourself.

(I am in the midst of a radical lifestyle change and weight loss program - inspired by graaja with great thanks - will post on this in detail hopefully.)

[CarML]

Great thread. Thanks for starting this, GTO.
I have done Yoga of different kinds on and off mainly to relieve my back pain.
But no yogic institute or person has captivated me with such clarity, incision, logic and perfection as Sadhguru.
As I watch more of his videos, I am awestruck while he reveals how our fundamental understanding of life is flawed and provides practical insight into what a human being can do. I hope to start learning some practices offered by Isha Foundation.
Providing link to one such video about Inner Engineering, which is Isha's flagship program.

https://youtu.be/S2uINxm_wbc