5 Yoga Fundamentals That You Shouldn’t Miss

An excitement about learning yoga is inevitable, whether you are learning it at a yoga center in Rishikesh or at a local studio. There is so much to learn and discover in yoga such as back-bends, various breathing patterns etc. However, often amidst this rush of learning so many things at once, we often overlook some fundamentals of yoga practice.

Below are 5 yoga fundamentals that practitioners often fail to follow.

Practice on an empty stomach

Yoga is most beneficial when done empty stomach. And it is easy to understand why. Doing yoga immediately after taking a heavy meal obstructs the digestion. It is best to do yoga in the morning. Where doing yoga in the morning is not possible, it is advised to wait for four hours after taking a meal to practice yoga. Also, you shouldn’t immediately start your yoga practice after taking something light such as an apple or a cup of coffee. Wait for at least one hour after eating something light.

Don’t skip that pose

Each yoga pose is included in your practice for a purpose. Often we come across poses that we feel we are unable to do properly or with finesse. And often enough practitioners do the mistake of skipping that pose. However, one should never think like that, since every yoga sequence has a purpose behind it. Therefore, until you have categorically been advised by your teacher to discontinue doing a pose, you should not skip it.

Yoga is a spiritual exercise first, and everything else afterward

Yoga rejuvenates the mind, body and spirit. It builds awareness about self and the environment. Yoga is more than just a physical workout. Therefore, apart from practicing poses, we must also practice meditation to explore its spiritual aspect. And one must not forget that a happy spirit leads to a healthy body.

Enjoy the pose

We often conclude the sequence of yoga poses in rush. In process, we forget to enjoy the poses we do. We do not relax, or feel the effects of the poses on our blood circulation. Besides, yoga practice is effective only when we contemplate each and every pose. By being aware of the self at physical and spiritual level, we allow the practice to make a positive impact on us.

Follow the sequence

Most practitioners are tempted towards doing more challenging poses. They often go through the easy poses quickly to focus on the difficult ones. Additionally, it increases chances of getting hurt during your practice. This is because a sequence is made with a purpose of adapting the body to all the twisting and turning. So, by trying difficult poses without first going through the simple ones you only increase your chances of getting hurt.

Following these fundamental principles is the easiest way to enhance your overall yoga experience.