Healthiest wishes to everyone on the second International Yoga Day, 2016!

You could be a newbie trying to master the many aasans of yoga making some mistakes that prevent you from getting the best benefits out of your yoga session. You could also be a seasoned practitioner, who over time has started to make some mistakes, which you may not even be aware of. Newbies will want to check those mistakes before they become habit and yoga regulars may want to check if some of these mistakes have crept into their yoga practice over time:

Not being mindful while doing yoga

Concentrating your senses on the here and now is very important in the practice of yoga precisely because it is a mind-body discipline that trains your brain as well as your physical being. Letting your mind wander and doing your aasans mechanically, without being mindful about what you’re doing is to deprive yourself of the full benefits of yoga. By not being mindful, you may not achieve the physical wellbeing and the mental de-stressing that can and should follow yoga.

Incorrect form

Make sure you’re performing the aasan as prescribed. The correct alignment of the limbs, positioning of your hands and feet and the angle of your body will help you get optimal benefit. Incorrect form may also mean risking injury.

Breathing incorrectly, holding your breath

Breathing is of course vitally important in yoga and the incorrect breathing technique will mean that you’re not getting the optimal benefits of your yoga practice. Correct breathing ensures that the body’s organs and extremities are being oxygenated while you do your exercises. If you’re holding your breath, feeling uncomfortable or getting flushed in the face, you’re not doing it right. It is especially important for heart patients not to hold their breath while doing yoga.

Comparing yourself to others

Remember yoga is not a competition. Each of us is utterly unique. Some of us are naturally very flexible and others are less so. Some of us have occupations that require a lot of moving around, some of us are tied to a desk. This doesn’t mean one is better or worse; that one is getting more or less benefit from their yoga sessions. It is important to perform yoga to the best of your ability and not aim for something that may be unattainable and even perhaps undesirable for you.

Not relaxing

Tensing up during your exercises, locking your joints and stiffening up puts undue extra pressure on your joints and doesn’t let you complete the movement as envisaged by the aasan. It is important to use your muscles to create the flow of movement and to prevent strain on your joints.

Wearing incorrect clothing

Ideally, what you wear for yoga should not restrict your movements and should permit the full range of motion. You should also be comfortable in what you wear without being self conscious.  If you’re uncomfortable and tugging and pulling your clothes into place all the time, you’re wearing the wrong things! It doesn’t matter if you bought yourself the most expensive exercise clothing or the latest line of what claims to be ‘yoga clothes’.

To make enquiries for yoga classes in Bandra and Khar, call Sashi at +91 99675 31905