Yoga for Beginners – A Comprehensive Guide

Yoga is an ancient practice that has become the need of the hour in today’s busy world. If you’re a beginner and want to start with this practice, ask any yoga practitioners or teachers, and you’re likely to receive a myriad of answers for that! For some, yoga is a way to stay fit and healthy. For others, it’s a spiritual practice, and for many, yoga is a way of life. But, regardless of your approach, yoga can help you shift your unhealthy focus and unravel your unconscious patterns.

Practicing yoga on a regular basis is a great platform to build good and healthy habits, such as self-consciousness, self-discipline, and the practice of non-attachment. Yoga, if incorporated into daily life can benefit you both mentally and physically. And, if you are undergoing any treatment, or living with a chronic illness such as constipation, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), etc, yoga benefits you behind the mat.

Yoga benefits you in a number of ways such as:

  • It improves your strength, balance, and mobility.
  • It eases back pain.
  • It helps with the problem of Arthritis.
  • It benefits your heart health.
  • It cures the problem of Insomnia.
  • It boosts your energy levels and brightens up your mood.
  • It fastens your metabolism.
  • It helps you manage daily stress and anxiety.
  • It helps you connect with the yogic world.
  • It teaches you a better self-care routine.

What are the 8 Limbs of Yoga?

With a sustained practice of 8 limbs of yoga, impurities are destroyed, and the light of wisdom shines from within. Have a look and know about the 8 limbs of yoga:

  1. Yamas – It means moral restrictions, happiness, and truthfulness  
  2. Niyamas – It means moral practices, orderliness, and generosity
  3. Asana – It means the physical postures
  4. Pranayama – It means holding a proper hold of your breath
  5. Pratyahara – It means withdrawal of senses
  6. Dharana – It means concentration
  7. Dhyana – It means Meditation
  8. Samadhi – It means enlightenment

Read Next: Role of 8 Limbs in the yoga practice

What are the Different Types of Yoga?

If you are new to the world of Yoga, you must be aware of the different types of Yoga. The different types of Yoga are given as follows:

  1. Iyengar Yoga
  • It is a combination of standing and seated postures with the help of certain props.
  • It is best for the people who want to focus on alignment and focus.
  • It increases the muscles’ strength and motion.

2. Ashtanga Yoga

  • It is a combination of yoga poses that are practiced in the same order along with a great emphasis on the breath.  
  • It is best for people who are looking for a fast-paced and challenging class.  
  • It decreases your stress and rewards you with stronger muscles.

3. Vini Yoga

  • It is a type of yoga that focuses on breathing and meditation.
  • It is best for the people who have limited movement.
  • It promotes relaxation and gives you a better body posture.

4. Jivamukti Yoga

  • It is a perfect combination of meditation, chanting, and deep listening.
  • It is best for the people who want to dive deep into the spiritual elements and ancient practice of yoga.
  • It makes you more aware of your body.

5. Hatha Yoga

  • It is done on a low pace and contains physically demanding yoga asanas.
  • It is the best for the people who are looking forward to focusing on standing yoga postures and developing deep awareness.
  • It calms your mind, body, and soul.

6. Vinyasa Yoga

  • It involves more freedom than Ashtanga, and in this type, poses are determined by the yoga instructor.
  • It is best for the athletes who want to become flexible.
  • It is a type of light cardio that helps you build lean muscles.

7. Bikram Yoga

  • In this type of yoga, there are a total of 26 yoga poses and 2 breathing techniques. It is practiced in a room heated  
  • It is best for people who don’t mind heat and extreme exertion.
  • It improves blood circulation and flushes out toxins from your body.

8. Kundalini Yoga

  • It is a physical form of yoga that includes repeated movements, dynamic breathing, mantras, chanting, and meditation.
  • It is best for the people who are looking for spiritual and physical practice.
  • It awakens Kundalini energy which is situated at the back of your spine that will cure your back pain.

9. Yin Yoga

  • It is a slow-paced style of yoga in which you need to hold the pose for 3-5 minutes.
  • It is best for people who are suffering from chronic illness and experience tight muscles.
  • It releases tension and helps you regenerate and rejuvenate.

10. Restorative Yoga

  • It includes gentle yoga poses that you need to hold for 10 minutes or more.
  • It is best for people who are stressed and are living in chronic pain.
  • It calms your nervous system and alleviates all the stress and anxiety.

Read Next: Yoga Poses for Beginners