Yoga Field

BakasanaBaka means the crane. In this asana the hands are placed on the seat with the fingers pointing forward. The distance between the hands should be about a foot and a half. The knees are placed above the elbows and the hips are raised, balancing the weight of the body on the hands. The head is lowered forward and the pose is maintained for a few seconds. This is a pose involving balance which helps to make the arms stronger.

Kukkutasan

Kukkuta is the Sanskrit name for the cock. Sitting in Padmasana, the hands are passed down through the gap between the calf and thigh on each side. Spreading the fingers, the hands are placed on the seat and the body is raised, balancing its weight on the hands. Like Bakasana this pose also helps to increase the strength of the arms.

Uttanakurmasana

Kurma means the tortoise. In Uttanakurmasana the hands are passed down from below the knees as in kukkutasana (after assuming Padmasana). Then keeping the hips on the seat, the knees are raised, and the hands are brought up to encircle the neck. The pose may be maintained for a few seconds. It requires rather slender limbs and supple joints. Otherwise one finds it difficult to do it.

Parvatasana

Parvata in Sanskrit means a mountain. Padmasana is the starting pose in this asana also. Sitting in Padmasana, the hips are raised, balancing, the body on the knees, and the arms are stretched up over the head, the palms touching each other. This is a balancing pose which makes the knee joints supple.

Dolasana

Dolah means a swing. In this asana, after assuming the Padmasana posture the hands are kept on the seat on the two sides of the hips just behind the knees, and the body is raised, balancing it on the hands. The body is swung back and forth, which gives this pose its name. It exercises the arms and the shoulders and also the abdominal muscles.

Utkatasana

Kala means the hips. Ud means upward. This asana gets its name from the fact that in it the hips are raised. Keeping the feet on the seat at a distance of nine inches or more from each other, with the knees standing up, the hips are raised and placed on the heels,raising the heels at the same time so that the weight of the body is balanced on the toes. This is a pose useful for practising the yogic shiddhikriya called Basti.

Padangusthasana

Sitting in Utkatasana, the right foot is placed on the left thigh and the body is balanced on the toes of the left foot. Pada in Sanskrit means the foot. Padangustha means the big toe. Thus this is a pose in which the body is balanced on the big toe. After practising it on the left side the same procedure is repeated on the right side. The hands may be placed on the knees.

Mayurasana

Mayura is the peacock. Sitting with the legs crossed, the hands are placed on the seat about four inches apart, with the fingers pointing backward. The elbows are set against the abdomen near the navel. Tbe legs are stretched back. Bringing the head as much forward as possible, the feet are raised together and the body is balanced in a horizontal position. The pose may be maintained for ten seconds to one minute, depending on practice.

In Mayurasana the abdominal viscera are pressed.There is a squeezing action on them. This helps to remove congestion and promote blood circulation apart from making the pressed muscles stronger. In the texts of Hathayoga Mayurasana is highly praised for its power to brighten up the abdominal fire (jatharagnt) so that one can digest even poison.

So many people seem to be interested in free online yoga classes. Some may just be curious while others may not be able to afford full yoga classes yet. If you are in search of free classes, there are a couple of things that you should have in mind first.Yoga Benefits

We all have been told that yoga is one of the best sports for just anyone, but what exactly you can benefit by practising yoga? To put it short, it improves your physical strength and flexibility and keeps your organs and systems functioning properly. It also calms and relaxes you and relieves pain and stress. In the end, yoga ultimately leads people to physical, mental and spiritual harmony. In other words, yoga can help you achieve overall health and change the way you respond to life situations and conditions.

Free Online Yoga Instructions

The usual idea we have with yoga is that students have to sit in front of teachers who demonstrate yoga techniques. You can actually enjoy this same kind of instruction for free online. Some yoga websites will let their users or members watch actual demonstration videos online. Users then just have to follow instructions to get the right way of performing a technique. In some cases, some individuals may prefer written and illustrated instructions from web pages or free newsletters.

Different Types of Yoga

You can not just pick and use any free online yoga material. You have to find out first which kind of yoga you are most comfortable with. You may for example prefer Hatha yoga over Ashtanga yoga or Kundalini yoga over Bikram yoga. Different forms or kinds of yoga will teach you different techniques.

Free yoga videos can be for either beginners or more advanced students. Check the level before downloading the material. Otherwise, you might get into techniques that are not good for you to handle on your own. In some cases, a free yoga program may only teach you yoga techniques up to a certain point, and you need to find out for yourself whether free program is fully geared or will leave you hanging.

Yoga Teachers

Just as there are different yoga disciplines, there are also a great number of yoga masters. This is especially true online. Since authenticity is a little difficult to check on the internet, some scam artists may even pose as yoga masters. Do a little research on where exactly your free material comes from. This can protect you from injury and help you achieve the goal of yoga better.

Self-Discipline

You may be looking at a real master execute some great yoga moves but he is not looking at you. This means that you have to monitor yourself to be certain that you are being serious and careful in performing yoga techniques. You also have to be sure that you know how to follow instructions. You might be the type of student who cannot learn well without actual classroom instruction.

Some free online yoga materials can be just as good as the paid ones and can truly change your life. You need to be sure though that you have the right materials and the commitment to practice yoga techniques on your own.