Clarification of Yoga - Yoga Deepika - B.K.S. Iyengar

Clarification of Yoga - Yoga Deepika - B.K.S. Iyengar

If I were offered to choose one book for beginners, I would definitely choose this one. Yoga Deepika can rightfully be called one of the most extensive collections of asanas with explanations of how and what to do. Each asana has instructions for execution, effect, valuable comments, and at the end - complexes compiled by the teacher for step-by-step execution. Of course, the stages of yoga, pranayama, shatkarmas are also described in detail.

The great master Iyengar - the creator of the Iyengar yoga direction - wrote more than one useful book, and any of them will be valuable in the library of a practitioner. Among them are "The Art of Yoga", "Clarification of Pranayama", commentaries on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Food

It is better to do asanas on an empty stomach. If this is difficult, you can drink a cup of tea, coffee, cocoa or milk before them. After a very light meal, at least an hour should pass before the classes, after a heavy meal - at least four hours. You can eat half an hour after finishing the practice.

Time of classes

It is best to practice early in the morning or late in the evening. It is more difficult to do asanas in the morning, since the body is still constrained. But the mind is fresh, and as time passes, its liveliness and determination decrease. The stiffness of the body is overcome by regular practice, and it becomes possible to do asanas well. In the evening, the body is more flexible, and asanas are performed better and with greater ease than in the morning. Morning classes contribute to better work during the day.
Evening classes eliminate fatigue from the stresses of the day, refresh and calm. Therefore, difficult asanas should be performed in the morning, when a person has more determination, and stimulating asanas (such as Sirsasana, Sarvangasana and their variations, as well as Paschimottanasana) - in the evening.

Sun

Do not perform asanas after a long (several hours) stay in the hot sun.

Precautions

During the practice, there should be no excessive tension in the facial muscles, ears and eyes, or in the breathing.

Eyes

At the initial stage of practice, keep your eyes open. Then you will know what you are doing and where you are making mistakes. With your eyes closed, you will not be able to follow the necessary movements of the body and even the direction of the pose. Keeping your eyes closed is possible only when you have perfectly mastered some asana, since only then will you be able to regulate the movements of the body and feel the correct stretches.

Breathing

In all asanas you need to breathe only through your nose, not through your mouth.
Do not hold your breath while entering or remaining in the pose. Follow the breathing instructions given when describing the technique of performing the various asanas.
I hope these books will find a place on your shelves and will be useful. There is a lot of valuable literature on yoga, and there are books with answers to different questions. However, do not forget that a book will not replace a teacher, especially if you are just starting out.

There are very few serious materials on Ashtanga Yoga in Russian. By the time the manuscript was submitted to the publisher, only three books had been translated and published - by guru Pattabhi Jois, the founder of this direction, and his Western students - John Scott and Lino Miele. Their works are rightfully recognized as classics, but they were all written more than 10 years ago and have somewhat lost their relevance.

In recent years, the number of people practicing Ashtanga Yoga in Russia* has increased significantly, their level of skill is improving, so new requirements are being placed on sources of information. When starting to study, people, as a rule, want to immediately get a comprehensive understanding of the tradition from one source, and also learn in detail about the methods of mastering various techniques. Experienced students are interested in the smallest details that help them advance in practice quickly and without injury. Petri Räisänen's book will be useful for both.

Beginners will get acquainted with the main milestones in the history of Ashtanga Yoga and its philosophical concepts, will clarify how to prepare for classes, will find detailed instructions on performing asanas along with recommendations for when strength and flexibility are not yet sufficiently developed. If we consider yoga as a way to prevent and treat diseases, a description of the therapeutic effects of each asana and their complex effect on the body will be important. The book contains many excellent photographs that will certainly support the desire of readers to improve themselves.

Good practice!