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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Yoga?
#8127949 - 03/10/08 03:28 PM (16 years, 21 days ago) |
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Ive got a basic knowledge of tibetan buddhism & taoist philosophy, i meditate everyday, sending energy from the base of my spine up to my head and back down, im doing this quite sucessfully and my mind is very clear, my life is full of much more love than it was before.
After meditating in the morning i do some exercise, im now thinking of adding some yoga exercises to stretch out first and to relax, i already do my own kind of tai chi thing after meditating, it just comes naturally there no instruction needed, but i want to really use my body and im sure yogas good for this but im not sure where to start!
Any suggestions....
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ChiefGreenLeaf
Registered: 01/11/07
Posts: 1,596
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Anatomy of yoga by David Coulter
If you have the money get lessons, many gyms give free lessons with membership
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flangenips
Batshitinsanse
Registered: 01/20/08
Posts: 1,520
Loc: aotearoa
Last seen: 8 years, 7 months
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Yoga makes my body feel good. Do it!
-------------------- All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher. - Ambrose Bierce
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Lion
Decadent Flower Magnate
Registered: 09/20/05
Posts: 8,775
Last seen: 15 days, 18 hours
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Maybe you could try the Hatha Yoga asanas in the third section (after the brown pages) of Be Here Now. He gives a working explanation of how to do each position, how to breathe and how to hold the position properly, and the general mindset to bring to your practice. I've been doing them for more than two years without a teacher, and the effects have only been positive (when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, and when not rushing to become super-flexible).
-------------------- “Strengthened by contemplation and study, I will not fear my passions like a coward. My body I will give to pleasures, to diversions that I’ve dreamed of, to the most daring erotic desires, to the lustful impulses of my blood, without any fear at all, for whenever I will— and I will have the will, strengthened as I’ll be with contemplation and study— at the crucial moments I’ll recover my spirit as was before: ascetic.”
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Re: Yoga? [Re: Lion]
#8130752 - 03/11/08 07:01 AM (16 years, 21 days ago) |
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I practiced some of Ramana Maharshi's teachings and they are great, breath retention is awesomely powerfull!!!
Check out his official website and the free ebooks...
The breathe control, controls the mind, then you add in self enquiry. i was in ecstacy last night, i felt like i wanted to explode and become one with it all!!!
Incredibly simple yet so profound, just breathing & concentration on your heart with self enquiry whenever the mind wanders is all it takes
I feel like i need to learn and read more, yet listening to your own body you learn more than anyone else could teach you.
Breathe in the love into your heart chakra and hold the breathe and focus there, this is the best advice i could give anyone on the path! So easy...
Im gonna check out my gym to see if they got sum free lessons...
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gluke bastid
Stinky Bum
Registered: 12/20/00
Posts: 3,322
Loc: Charm City
Last seen: 5 years, 5 months
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Quote:
Chronic777 said: After meditating in the morning i do some exercise, im now thinking of adding some yoga exercises to stretch out first and to relax, i already do my own kind of tai chi thing after meditating, it just comes naturally there no instruction needed,
You're already primed then, dude. Yogis will tell you that your own body and breath are the teacher. There is no question though that learning from an experienced teacher or taking a class will help you go to places that would take you a long time to discover on your own. It sounds like you really want to practice yoga to calm the senses and aid in meditation (what the practice was designed for originally) so I would recommend finding a small class that incorporates a lot of breath work and meditation as oppossed to a large one at a gym that stresses the physical gains of practice.
-------------------- Society in every form is a blessing, but government at its best is but a necessary evil - Thomas Paine
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ChiefGreenLeaf
Registered: 01/11/07
Posts: 1,596
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After physical comes mental then spiritual. thats just how i see it
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Lion
Decadent Flower Magnate
Registered: 09/20/05
Posts: 8,775
Last seen: 15 days, 18 hours
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Quote:
gluke bastid said:
Quote:
Chronic777 said: After meditating in the morning i do some exercise, im now thinking of adding some yoga exercises to stretch out first and to relax, i already do my own kind of tai chi thing after meditating, it just comes naturally there no instruction needed,
You're already primed then, dude. Yogis will tell you that your own body and breath are the teacher. There is no question though that learning from an experienced teacher or taking a class will help you go to places that would take you a long time to discover on your own. It sounds like you really want to practice yoga to calm the senses and aid in meditation (what the practice was designed for originally) so I would recommend finding a small class that incorporates a lot of breath work and meditation as oppossed to a large one at a gym that stresses the physical gains of practice.
Excellent post, man.
-------------------- “Strengthened by contemplation and study, I will not fear my passions like a coward. My body I will give to pleasures, to diversions that I’ve dreamed of, to the most daring erotic desires, to the lustful impulses of my blood, without any fear at all, for whenever I will— and I will have the will, strengthened as I’ll be with contemplation and study— at the crucial moments I’ll recover my spirit as was before: ascetic.”
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koppie
astral projectile
Registered: 07/23/04
Posts: 2,653
Loc: cloud hidden
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Re: Yoga? [Re: Lion]
#8135516 - 03/12/08 03:34 AM (16 years, 20 days ago) |
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I'd recommend light on yoga which is a step by step description of some 300 asana. One appendix lists a training schedule.
It's by this guy, here filmed in 1938:
He's still practicing today. The video below is about ten years old, but last december a friend of mine visited his school in Pune and she reports that while he doesn't teach anymore he still practices and meets with the students.
I wish I were half as athletic at 36 as he is in at 79
Edited by koppie (03/12/08 03:37 AM)
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gluke bastid
Stinky Bum
Registered: 12/20/00
Posts: 3,322
Loc: Charm City
Last seen: 5 years, 5 months
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Quote:
ChiefGreenLeaf said: After physical comes mental then spiritual. thats just how i see it
For sure, they are definitely linked and I wasn't saying they weren't. Its just that some yoga classes treat yoga as a new fitness fad, like it is just like Tai Bo or step arobics. A bad instructor will show you how to do the poses so you can have tight abs at the end of the day. A good instructor will begin the class with meditation and breathing exercises, and will pace the class so that the students can retain their focus on the breath and on the mind while bringing the senses of body into balance and harmony. The original poster sounded like he was interested in a sprirtual yoga practice so I was just warning him to steer clear of the "arobics class" approach to yoga.
-------------------- Society in every form is a blessing, but government at its best is but a necessary evil - Thomas Paine
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ChiefGreenLeaf
Registered: 01/11/07
Posts: 1,596
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Quote:
gluke bastid said:
Quote:
ChiefGreenLeaf said: After physical comes mental then spiritual. thats just how i see it
For sure, they are definitely linked and I wasn't saying they weren't. Its just that some yoga classes treat yoga as a new fitness fad, like it is just like Tai Bo or step arobics. A bad instructor will show you how to do the poses so you can have tight abs at the end of the day. A good instructor will begin the class with meditation and breathing exercises, and will pace the class so that the students can retain their focus on the breath and on the mind while bringing the senses of body into balance and harmony. The original poster sounded like he was interested in a sprirtual yoga practice so I was just warning him to steer clear of the "arobics class" approach to yoga.
I know what you mean. I just never think of classes like that. Mine were with three other people at most and the instructor had us meditate at the end of class. He also told to do the asanas with intent and to really feel them out. You will be able to tell if your in the right class. Just get an instructor that you like.
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phi1618
old hand
Registered: 02/14/04
Posts: 4,102
Last seen: 13 years, 10 months
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A good book is Vinyasa Yoga by Srivasta Ramaswami.
It focuses on sequence and breath rather than just postures, and has both easy and hard sequences.
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