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You are here: Home Health & Fitness Well-Being Yoga — a beginner's guide

26/08/2009Yoga — a beginner's guide

Don't know your asana from your elbow? Here's a short introduction to yoga by Julie Knight, plus a listing of yoga centres in the Netherlands.

To many people, the word yoga conjures up the image of a long-haired, bearded Indian man sitting in the lotus position and chanting. It has been increasingly in the public eye, mainly due to celebrities such as Madonna, Geri Halliwell and Gwyneth Paltrow singing its praises.

Reported improvements such as toned upper arms, trim stomach and firm thighs and bums have encouraged them to take up yoga classes, but for the uninitiated and uninformed, what is it all about? Yoga originated in India around 6000 years ago. The practice sometimes seems to have an air of mystery about it, which perhaps prevents many people from trying a class. It can be seen as new-age, 'alternative' or a bit of a fad in the exercise world. In reality it is a holistic practise that benefits body, mind and spirit.

People take up yoga for a surprisingly wide range of reasons: to gain flexibility, to tone-up or lose weight, to improve their ability to relax or to prepare their body for a physical event such as childbirth. Regular practice of yoga will improve your general fitness and body shape, make you stronger, calmer and more able to cope with the stresses and strains of life. Types of yoga Hatha (or physical) yoga is broken down into eight stages or limbs.

Side twistTraditionally these are followed progressively to reach Samadhi, the last stage, where the spirit is liberated and becomes 'at one' with the universe. Yoga practised in the west mainly encapsulates stages three and four. Stage three (Asana) is the practise of the postures or poses and stage four (Pranayama) is rhythmic control of the breath.

There are many styles of Hatha yoga currently being taught, all of which have slightly different emphases.

 

  • Astanga yoga is the form of yoga currently enjoying the most attention. Also known as power yoga, the moves or transitions between asanas are performed at a higher speed than usual, thus providing an aerobic workout, missing in the alternative yoga forms.
  • Iyengar yoga, based on the teachings of BKS Iyengar from Pune, India, concentrates on the postural alignment of the body and limbs. The practice makes use of ropes, blocks and belts to aid in the attainment of the asanas.
  • Sivananda yoga focuses on the flow of energy in the spine. This style is built around a specific sequence of twelve postures or poses.

What to look for in a yoga class

Yoga includes elements such as stretching, balancing and posturing - the combination of which can seem like a contortionist act to the newcomer. However, a good yoga teacher will tailor the postures to suit the different abilities within a class. Some classes will focus heavily on meditation and visualisation, but for others, meditation simply refers to the period of cool-down or relaxation at the end of the session. Controlled breathing is a hugely important part of the practice.

Yoga is suitable for both men and women and can be enjoyed by the full range of fitness abilities. Even if you have trouble touching your toes, yoga can still be open to you. Classes can be found by looking in the telephone book or by recommendation from friends or work colleagues.

BridgeThere are numerous teachers in the larger cities and a few are listed below. Try out one or two sessions before committing yourself to a lengthy course, as your relationship with your yoga teacher is one of the most important factors in your enjoyment and progress of yoga.

 

6 reactions to this article

JKroese posted: 14-04-2008 | 7:19 PM

Heal with Yoga
Yoga and Yoga Therapy with Juliana Kroese
www.healwithyoga.com
Check the website for ongoing classes

hank lee posted: 08-05-2008 | 3:33 AM

http://www.singingbowlshop.com check for yoga singing bowls

N.L.Schober posted: 04-09-2008 | 7:33 AM

Laren
Yoga Tree
Het Domein 4
1261 JP BLARICUM

[t] 31 35 538 47 12
YogaTree.nl
Yogatree offers classes in all levels of Yoga as well as Pilates, Qigong, Meditation,

lonant posted: 10-09-2008 | 10:59 AM

Bikram Yoga is also a very popular yoga around the world which is growing rapidly due to success in the Netherlands. It is a Hatha yoga performed in a heated room, and is a great physical work out. There is already 1 school in The Hague, 2 in Amsterdam and 1 opening soon in Rotterdam. All classes are in English, or English and Dutch and suitable for all levels.
See www.bikramnl.com

Melinda Roos posted: 04-01-2009 | 8:20 PM

Does anyone know of any pregnancy yoga classes being offered in The Hague area? Thanks.

EditorNL posted: 22-01-2009 | 1:07 PM

Hi Melinda,

I suggest that you post your request on the Expatica Forums. Perhaps under the Healthcare thread?
http://forum.expatica.com/Healthcare-f137.html

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