Yoga frequency

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Permalink Reply by Peter Stodolak on April 24, 2009 at 12:31pm

Welcome.

In my opinion there are two considerations to frequency that apply to most things including yoga. The more time you put into it the further you progress and it takes time to adjust to new activities so you are comfortable with them.

That being said while every day is ideal for advanced practice, when one is just starting out it may be more healthy to practice only two or three times a week until you feel that you can better handle daily practice. Keep in mind that if you practice every day but are not in shape for it you increase the chance of injury pontentially setting you further back than if you had paced yourself.

Another thing to consider is there is a limit to how far books can take you. As some one who also started yoga learning from books I can say that the experience of learning from a good instructor will take you much further than a book will. If you don't have any yoga instructors available close to where you live you may want to consider attending a retreat some time to fine tune your technique.

Some may disagree but I think there isn't really a right answer to your question. A lot of it depends on how far you want to go with yoga, how much time and energy you can spare for it and ultimately what seems right for you.

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Permalink Reply by Mitsa Pepelanova on April 24, 2009 at 3:06pm

Thank you very much Willow . Your words are really helpful and encouraging. :):):)

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Permalink Reply by Mitsa Pepelanova on June 16, 2009 at 1:46am

Hey,
I am glad you are writing...:)
Yes, I am doing pranayama and sometimes meditation. I have a guru, he is advanced in yoga bun since he's living abroad and is coming to Bulgaria 2-3 times a year, i can't benefit much from his lessons. He comes only to chide me. He-he-he... I am doing only hatha so far, I have much to learn anyway.
Regards,
Mitsa

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Permalink Reply by Mitsa Pepelanova on June 10, 2009 at 8:55am

Hey, :)
I know that it is good to reduce the sessions during summer time and increase them in winter... I read that in a book and I think they have a good reason to offer that, because of the high temperatures and the heart activity.
Best regards,
Mitsa

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Permalink Reply by Dr. R. Sinha on July 10, 2009 at 3:56am

Hari Om Mitsa,
Welcome to the yoga community.
Everything that Peter has written in reply to your query is very true.
I would like to add an additional insight though.
Its the regularity of practise that's important and not the esotericity of what you're doing. Decide how often and for how long and then stick to it. This could mean daily, alternate days, weekly and you could also find that its convenient to split your yoga session into two -- asanas and pranayamas in the morning, mental cleansing (trataka), sense withdrawl (pratyahara), yoga nidra or meditation in the evening. Whatever convenient. I've found that once you work out a schedule that dovetails with the other priorities in your life(work, family, hobbies), the more likely you are to stay with yoga.
The ideal time for yoga or any other spiritual practise is during "brahmamurta" time i.e. between 4am and 6am. At this time your biorythm is primed towards introversion and this adds to the depth of your practise. As almost everybody's asleep at this time, there are fewer disturbing mental vibrations around, not to mention the more obvious sounds of traffic etc.
Find a yoga teacher or, as Peter suggests, attend a retreat or camp. Recieving personal instruction is very important as what's being imparted to you is more than instructions for a fitness regime.
And finally, don't try to achieve too much too quickly. Yoga is a slow process, you will move from the physical to the mental to the spiritual dimensions but this takes time. Be patient and have faith in yourself.
Hari Om Tat Sat
Dr. X Sinha

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Permalink Reply by satnat on July 14, 2009 at 11:17am

Hi Mitsa!

I think every day is the best way to go for physical and mental health, but listen to your body. You can always switch workouts or even yoga types to fit your mood or if you're sore or tired. For example, if you're very stressed out, you could do a hardcore hour of ashtanga or kundalini or try some guided relaxation (yoga nidra) depending on your energy levels/how much energy you want to have after the session. If you feel sick, though, I definitely recommend you stay off the mat.

But it's also totally cool if you just wanna do yoga 2-3 times per week. See what feels best for you. Don't worry about becoming advanced. Who cares? Just do what works for your body and move at your own pace to be safe. Besides, feeling pressured kind of ruins it.

I started out with an instructor and then moved on to DVDs and books. I recommend you go to at least a couple of classes or individual sessions to make sure you are doing your poses right so you don't injure yourself, and also so you get the most out of your practice. I do yoga DVDs with friends and a lot of them do the poses wrong--even those who have taken classes before. It always helps to get an expert hand to move you a little to where you need to be. A lot of positions have very subtle aspects.

Good luck ^_^

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Permalink Reply by satnat on July 14, 2009 at 11:18am

And I meant to say, try DVDs!!! They are much, much better than books, especially if you're kind of new at yoga.

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