'How-to' of the asana practice.🔗

Before practicing asana.

Once you become familiar with the series of asana (postures) practiced in Nithya Yoga, before performing each asana, develop the habit of taking a moment to visualize yourself in the posture.

When you take a moment to mentally perform the posture, you are awakening the body's muscle intelligence. When the body is prepared mentally, when this visualization is practiced, the body will flow harmoniously into the posture. The entire asana practice will become a lot easier and much more enjoyable.

While practicing Nithya Yoga asana.

While performing the yoga asana, as much as possible, try to consciously do the following:

• 1) Smile softly to yourself. Avoid strain and tension to show on your face. It can change your entire performance and experience of the posture.
• 2) Keep the eyes soft, wide and always steady.
• 3) For all balancing postures, always concentrate the gaze on one point in front of you or on the floor. When the eyes are still, the mind will be still and therefore the entire body will be still.
• 4) Once you are in a posture, do not shift or fidget. If you are uncomfortable, come out of the posture and repeat it with more awareness.
• 5) Remember while performing the postures, that you are an embodiment of relaxed, blissful energy. With each movement, you are moving the bliss. Each time you breathe, you are inhaling bliss energy and exhaling bliss energy.

The breath during the āsana.

The breath is the heart of every posture. Smooth and relaxed breathing will promote a calm mind. The breath will allow you to ease into the posture, maintain the posture and deepen the intensity of the posture.

The breath and the movement must flow in a harmonious togetherness. Generally, unless otherwise specified, all āsana that open the chest are done on inhale and all others that close the chest are done on exhale.

The quality of the breath must be smooth and easy. It is recommended that as far as possible breathing in āsana should be done in Ujjayi prāṇāyāma. Breathing in the movement enhances the effect of the āsana in the specified area. It also increases awareness and naturally leads to meditation in the practice itself.

Explanation of terms in Vinyasa Krama practice.

- 'IN': Inhale

- 'EX': Exhale

The 'IN' and 'EX' is always written on the arrow to signify the breathing has to be done in the movement.

- 'T': Number of times the āsana has to be

• - Sit in vajrasana with your back straight and your eyes preferably closed.

• - Roll your tongue to form a hollow.
• - Start with your chin down. Start to inhale through the hole made by the tongue.
• - As you inhale raise your chin .
• - At the end of the inhalation, fold your tongue backward and close your lips.
• - Then exhale through your nostrils as you lower your chin towards your neck
• - Repeat for 12 breaths (One inhale and one exhale = 1 breath).
• - Relax for a few moments.