Can I do yoga when I have period?

by Alicia King

Of course you can! Yoga is a great way to prevent menstrual cramps, stop cramping, and relax and rejuvenate the mind to take the edge off any mood swings you may experience. Centering and breathing exercises as well as practicing grounding poses are recommended.

Part of the joy of yoga is the reality-check it provides. On the mat, we land squarely in our bodies – whatever they are doing – and we begin to participate in our own internal processes.The dissociation women suffer from their sexuality and reproductive system happens in part because of Western culture’s social response to menstruation. Culturally speaking, this natural cleansing process is considered a disease, “unclean” or, at best, a grim fact of life.

Perhaps next month, you can try to allow your yoga practice bring you into a greater sense of harmony with yourself and your entire body.

Home Practice 101

If you can't afford to take a class, what is the best path to take in beginning a practice at home?

—Janet from Lawrence, Kansas

Read Natasha's reply:

Dear Janet,

Establishing a home practice is a wonderful way to create a very direct and personal connection to your yoga. The downside is that, without a teacher who can make hands-on adjustments, you are in danger of developing habits that may not be beneficial. This is why I think it is crucial to find a tape, DVD, or CD that provides a wealth of information, and to be sure that the information is delivered in a variety of forms that complement each other.

The good news is that there is a wealth of fine products to choose from when developing a home practice. Go to your local library or video store and check out a handful of videos by different instructors. Shop around until you find someone with whom you connect, the way you would if you were trying to find the teachers that you liked at a new studio. As you try different tapes or DVDs, try to find a teacher who instructs in a way that makes sense to you. This may sound self-evident, but what I mean is that he or she communicates information in a way that helps you understand the form, structure, and spirit of the practice, and that provides additional material to support your understanding of his or her explanations and directions. Sometimes we can hear an instruction over and over again and it doesn't register, but if we see a picture or read something that emphasizes the same instruction, it suddenly clicks.

Finally, I recommend that you do periodically try to take a class, just because it is always useful to be around a live person who can give feedback about alignment and make specific suggestions about ways to enhance your practice.

Yoga basics - FAQ

By Cyndi Lee

1. What is yoga?

The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as "union" or a method of discipline. A male who practices yoga is called a yogi, a female practitioner, a yogini.

The Indian sage Patanjali is believed to have collated the practice of yoga into the Yoga Sutra an estimated 2,000 years ago. The Sutra is a collection of 195 statements that serves as a philosophical guidebook for most of the yoga that is practiced today. It also outlines eight limbs of yoga: the yamas (restraints), niyamas (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyani (meditation), and samadhi (absorption). As we explore these eight limbs, we begin by refining our behavior in the outer world, and then we focus inwardly until we reach samadhi (liberation, enlightenment).

Today most people practicing yoga are engaged in the third limb, asana, which is a program of physical postures designed to purify the body and provide the physical strength and stamina required for long periods of meditation.

2. What does Hatha mean?

The word hatha means willful or forceful. Hatha yoga refers to a set of physical exercises (known as asanas or postures), and sequences of asanas, designed to align your skin, muscles, and bones. The postures are also designed to open the many channels of the body—especially the main channel, the spine—so that energy can flow freely.

Hatha is also translated as ha meaning "sun" and tha meaning "moon." This refers to the balance of masculine aspects—active, hot, sun—and feminine aspects—receptive, cool, moon—within all of us. Hatha yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites. In our physical bodies we develop a balance of strength and flexibility. We also learn to balance our effort and surrender in each pose.

Hatha yoga is a powerful tool for self-transformation. It asks us to bring our attention to our breath, which helps us to still the fluctuations of the mind and be more present in the unfolding of each moment.

3. What does Om mean?

Om is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. It is said to be the sound of the universe. What does that mean?

Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us—that the entire universe is moving. Nothing is ever solid or still. Everything that exists pulsates, creating a rhythmic vibration that the ancient yogis acknowledged with the sound of Om. We may not always be aware of this sound in our daily lives, but we can hear it in the rustling of the autumn leaves, the waves on the shore, the inside of a seashell.

Chanting Om allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe moves—the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. As we chant Om, it takes us for a ride on this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.

4. Do I have to be vegetarian to practice yoga?

The first principle of yoga philosophy is ahimsa, which means nonharming to self and others. Some people interpret this to include not eating animal products. There is debate about this in the yoga community—I believe that it is a personal decision that everyone has to make for themselves. If you are considering becoming a vegetarian, be sure to take into account your personal health issues as well how your choices will affect those with whom you live. Being a vegetarian should not be something that you impose on others—that kind of aggressive action in itself is not an expression of ahimsa.

5. How many times per week should I practice?

Yoga is amazing—even if you only practice for one hour a week, you will experience the benefits of the practice. If you can do more than that, you will certainly experience more benefits. I suggest starting with two or three times a week, for an hour or an hour and a half each time. If you can only do 20 minutes per session, that's fine too. Don't let time constraints or unrealistic goals be an obstacle—do what you can and don't worry about it. You will likely find that after awhile your desire to practice expands naturally and you will find yourself doing more and more.

6. How is yoga different from stretching or other kinds of fitness?

Unlike stretching or fitness, yoga is more than just physical postures. Patanjali's eight-fold path illustrates how the physical practice is just one aspect of yoga. Even within the physical practice, yoga is unique because we connect the movement of the body and the fluctuations of the mind to the rhythm of our breath. Connecting the mind, body, and breath helps us to direct our attention inward. Through this process of inward attention, we learn to recognize our habitual thought patterns without labeling them, judging them, or trying to change them. We become more aware of our experiences from moment to moment. The awareness that we cultivate is what makes yoga a practice, rather than a task or a goal to be completed. Your body will most likely become much more flexible by doing yoga, and so will your mind.

7. Is yoga a religion?

Yoga is not a religion. It is a philosophy that began in India an estimated 5,000 years ago. The father of classical ashtanga yoga (the eight-limbed path, not to be confused with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' Ashtanga yoga) is said to be Patanjali, who wrote the Yoga Sutra. These scriptures provide a framework for spiritual growth and mastery over the physical and mental body. Yoga sometimes interweaves other philosophies such as Hinduism or Buddhism, but it is not necessary to study those paths in order to practice or study yoga.

It is also not necessary to surrender your own religious beliefs to practice yoga.

8. I'm not flexible—can I do yoga?

Yes! You are a perfect candidate for yoga. Many people think that they need to be flexible to begin yoga, but that's a little bit like thinking that you need to be able to play tennis in order to take tennis lessons. Come as you are and you will find that yoga practice will help you become more flexible.

This newfound agility will be balanced by strength, coordination, and enhanced cardiovascular health, as well as a sense of physical confidence and overall well-being.

9. What do I need to begin?

All you really need to begin practicing yoga is your body, your mind, and a bit of curiosity. But it is also helpful to have a pair of sweat pants, leggings, or shorts, and a t-shirt that's not too baggy. No special footgear is required because you will be barefoot. It's nice to bring a towel to class with you. As your practice develops you might want to buy your own yoga mat, but most studios will have mats and other props available for you.

10. Why are you supposed to refrain from eating two to three hours before class?

In yoga practice we twist from side to side, turn upside down, and bend forward and backward. If you have not fully digested your last meal, it will make itself known to you in ways that are not comfortable. If you are a person with a fast-acting digestive system and are afraid you might get hungry or feel weak during yoga class, experiment with a light snack such as yogurt, a few nuts, or juice about 30 minutes to an hour before class.

Working on Standing Forward Bend

am working on standing forward bend. I can place my hand flat on the floor, but I cannot get my head and legs to meet. It feels as if my legs hyperextend.

—Victoria D. Malone

Roger Cole's reply:

Forward bends teach patience. It takes a long time to enter them deeply. Enlightenment does not necessarily occur when the head reaches the legs, so there is no need to get it there soon, if ever. The realization of yoga is to be fully conscious, present, and content at whatever stage of the practice you have attained. Paradoxically, when you are truly satisfied right where you are, your pose often opens up and you can easily move forward.

The physiological explanation for this may lie partly in the stretch reflex. This reflex causes a stretched muscle to automatically contract in opposition to the stretch. If you try too hard to bend forward, you trigger stretch reflexes in your hamstring muscles. You feel stretching pain and cannot bend further into the pose. Pushing yourself deeper into the pose just makes matters worse. The more pain you feel, the stronger the stretch reflex.

One way around this is to stop moving deeper into the pose as soon as you feel a slight challenge, long before you reach the point of pain. At this point, hold your position constant for a long time, without pushing into or backing out of the pose. Keep your knees straight and don't lose your pelvic tilt. You will find that, without moving, you get more and more comfortable right where you are. This most likely means that the stretch sensors (muscle spindles) in your muscles are getting reset, so that what formerly felt like a stretch to them now feels neutral. At this point, you feel comfortable in a position that previously felt like a challenge, so it's easy to feel satisfied where you are. The paradox is that by maintaining this sense of neutrality, your stretch sensors will most likely become ready to allow you to move deeper into the pose (without causing pain or a strong muscle contraction). You are ready to move to a new point of challenge and wait there, repeating the cycle.

The most important alignment points in Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) are to fold as much as possible at the hip joints (tilt the top rim of the pelvis forward) and to lengthen the front of the body as much as you can, so the spine only rounds over a little. If you pull the head toward the legs without tilting the pelvis or lengthening the spine enough, the spine rounds too much and you can injure your lower back or sacroiliac joints. Even folding at the hip joints has its dangers-if you push too hard, you can tear a hamstring muscle or tendon.

Regarding hyperextension, if your knees straighten past 90°, you don't want to force them any further. However, forward bends pull on the hamstring muscles, and this tends to bend the knees, providing some protection against hyperextension.

If you are in good physical condition and your alignment is good, one way to progress in forward bends is to vigorously practice standing postures, with a strong Uttanasana between each posture. Standing postures like Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose), Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose), and Virabhadrasana I, II, and III (Warrior 1, 2, and 3) work well. Do each standing posture twice on each side. Hold each pose (including Uttanasana) for 30 seconds to one minute. But don't do this practice six days a week-three or four is plenty.

Again, don't be in a hurry. I know one yoga teacher who struggled with forward bends for about 20 years with little progress. Past age 60, she eased up substantially on her practice and her forward bends suddenly progressed dramatically. She still cannot put her head on her legs, but she is happy. Which is more important?

Yoga Options

by Jenni Fleming

Yoga is often used to promote relaxation and improve fitness, strength and balance. There are many different types of yoga, so it’s important to find a teacher and style that are a good fit for you.
Yoga Use
Yoga is an ancient practice that aims to achieve and maintain mental, physical and spiritual well-being through the use of breathing exercises (called Pranayama), postures (Asana) and meditation. Health experts consider it to be a form of complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM therapy. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, more than 13 million adults and 1.5 million children have practiced yoga.

Many people use yoga techniques to promote relaxation and improve fitness, strength and balance. Research suggests yoga may also be beneficial for reducing heart rate and blood pressure, increasing lung capacity and reducing levels of anxiety, depression and insomnia. Investigators are also looking at the effects of yoga on treatment for many types of health problems, like chronic low-back pain, arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Yoga Types
There are many different types of yoga and combinations of styles. Here is a brief overview of some:

Hatha yoga is the most common type of yoga practiced in the U.S. Followers use breathing exercises and a series of slow-paced, gently postures to achieve a balance between internal and external forces.

Vinyasa yoga focuses on breath control while moving through a series of postures. Each pose emphasizes stretching and is quickly followed by a counter pose to achieve balance. It’s good for improving tone and flexibility.

Ashtanga yoga is an intense, physically demanding workout. It involves the quick progression through a series of six increasingly difficult postures. This type of yoga builds strength and is ideal for athletes.

Bikram yoga is often called “hot yoga.” It’s performed in a heated room with temperatures ranging between 95 and 105 degrees F. The style emphasizes a series of 26 postures designed to stretch the muscles, ligaments and tendons. The heated room enables a person to stretch further and promotes sweating to remove toxins from the body. Bikram yoga is very intense and not for everyone, especially pregnant women.

Iyengar yoga emphasizes longer-held postures to improve alignment of the skeleton and muscles. Unlike other forms of yoga, it incorporates use of props, like chairs, belts, blocks, pillows and blankets, to promote balance safety and maintain comfort throughout the poses. This type of yoga is often preferred by seniors and those who have problems with flexibility and balance.

One-legged balancing poses are difficult for me. Any hints outside of "just doing it"?

By Sudha Carolyn Lundeen

Since it sounds like you have been "just doing it" and are still having difficulty, let's use Tree Pose to address how to develop your one-legged balancing pose in gradual steps.

Begin by standing solidly on both feet. Press the crown of your head up towards the ceiling and pull your abdominal muscles in towards your spine. Draw your shoulders down and away from your ears. Anchor your gaze (drishti) softly on one spot on the floor or wall in front of you. Experiment to find the focal point that makes you feel most stable. Establish a smooth flowing Ujjayi breath.

Next, focus on grounding and steadying the body. Shift your weight onto the left leg and into the left foot. Then, lift the crown of your head up towards the ceiling. Gently draw the abdominal muscles in towards the spine, pointing the coccyx (tailbone) straight down toward the left heel. Lift the sternum.

When you are ready to take it up a notch, place the sole of your right foot next to your left ankle, keeping just a hint of weight on the right big toe and opening the bent right knee out to the side. Practice this until you feel confident here. Then draw the sole of your right foot up as high as possible on your inner left thigh. Press your foot and thigh into each other.

You can hold the raised foot in position with your right hand, extending the left arm out to the side at shoulder height. Or you can bring your hands directly into prayer position (Namaste) in front of your heart. Steady the eyes, breathe, and relax the mind. If you fall out, don't judge yourself. Invoke the "so what" attitude, refocus your gaze, ground yourself, and simply do it again.

If weak ankles, legs, or abdominal muscles are keeping you from balancing, building muscle tone will be very helpful in the long run. Standing postures such as Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose) and Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) develop leg strength.

You can also work on core strength, stability, and spinal extension, in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), standing on the toes or on one foot. The key here, as in all basic balancing poses, is to be grounded in your feet and legs, steady and soft in your eye gaze and breath, engaged in your abdominals, and extended through the spine and neck.

Breathing in, rise up on your toes; breathing out, lower down. Gradually increase the time it takes you to breathe in and out so that you increase the time you are balancing up on your toes. When you are strong in this exercise, add single, alternate arm raises coordinated with your inhalation and exhalation and rising up and lowering down. Finally, do the exercise raising both arms at the same time.

To practice balancing on one foot in Tadasana, start by engaging the same alignment and focusing principles already described for balancing on two feet. Shift your weight over onto the right leg. Imagine the weight of your body melting down into your foot, going deep into the floor. Imagine your foot growing much much longer and wider, the force of gravity anchoring your stance. When you are ready, inhale and lift your left foot one inch off the floor. Pause. Exhaling, set it down. Repeat until that feels easy.

Then continue, lifting your foot a little higher, developing confidence and skill in small increments. When you wobble, check in and reestablish the alignment and focusing directions. If you fall out, so what! Take a full inhalation and a long exhalation, then start again. Be persistent. You'll get there and the world of balancing poses will open up to you. Don't be surprized if greater focus, concentration, and balance show up in other areas of your life we well.

Working on Standing Forward Bend

I am working on standing forward bend. I can place my hand flat on the floor, but I cannot get my head and legs to meet. It feels as if my legs hyperextend.

—Victoria D. Malone

Roger Cole's reply:

Forward bends teach patience. It takes a long time to enter them deeply. Enlightenment does not necessarily occur when the head reaches the legs, so there is no need to get it there soon, if ever. The realization of yoga is to be fully conscious, present, and content at whatever stage of the practice you have attained. Paradoxically, when you are truly satisfied right where you are, your pose often opens up and you can easily move forward.

The physiological explanation for this may lie partly in the stretch reflex. This reflex causes a stretched muscle to automatically contract in opposition to the stretch. If you try too hard to bend forward, you trigger stretch reflexes in your hamstring muscles. You feel stretching pain and cannot bend further into the pose. Pushing yourself deeper into the pose just makes matters worse. The more pain you feel, the stronger the stretch reflex.

One way around this is to stop moving deeper into the pose as soon as you feel a slight challenge, long before you reach the point of pain. At this point, hold your position constant for a long time, without pushing into or backing out of the pose. Keep your knees straight and don't lose your pelvic tilt. You will find that, without moving, you get more and more comfortable right where you are. This most likely means that the stretch sensors (muscle spindles) in your muscles are getting reset, so that what formerly felt like a stretch to them now feels neutral. At this point, you feel comfortable in a position that previously felt like a challenge, so it's easy to feel satisfied where you are. The paradox is that by maintaining this sense of neutrality, your stretch sensors will most likely become ready to allow you to move deeper into the pose (without causing pain or a strong muscle contraction). You are ready to move to a new point of challenge and wait there, repeating the cycle.

The most important alignment points in Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) are to fold as much as possible at the hip joints (tilt the top rim of the pelvis forward) and to lengthen the front of the body as much as you can, so the spine only rounds over a little. If you pull the head toward the legs without tilting the pelvis or lengthening the spine enough, the spine rounds too much and you can injure your lower back or sacroiliac joints. Even folding at the hip joints has its dangers-if you push too hard, you can tear a hamstring muscle or tendon.

Regarding hyperextension, if your knees straighten past 90°, you don't want to force them any further. However, forward bends pull on the hamstring muscles, and this tends to bend the knees, providing some protection against hyperextension.

If you are in good physical condition and your alignment is good, one way to progress in forward bends is to vigorously practice standing postures, with a strong Uttanasana between each posture. Standing postures like Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose), Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose), and Virabhadrasana I, II, and III (Warrior 1, 2, and 3) work well. Do each standing posture twice on each side. Hold each pose (including Uttanasana) for 30 seconds to one minute. But don't do this practice six days a week-three or four is plenty.

Again, don't be in a hurry. I know one yoga teacher who struggled with forward bends for about 20 years with little progress. Past age 60, she eased up substantially on her practice and her forward bends suddenly progressed dramatically. She still cannot put her head on her legs, but she is happy. Which is more important?

How can I ensure that my students don't injure their backs in forward bends?

by Aadil Palkhivala

Forward bends are as soothing to the mind as they are injurious to the lower back.

Backward bending is an extension of the spine, and forward bending is a flexion of the spine. Extension increases space between the vertebrae, while flexion decreases the space. The only way you can ensure that your students don't injure their backs in forward bending is to make sure that they are extending their spine while they are bending forward. This requires opening the hamstrings and lifting the bottom of the belly.

Therefore, for students with stiff hamstrings, it is definitely dangerous to do forward bending. While doing forward bends in class, make sure these students in particular hold a belt wrapped around the foot of the extended leg, and tell them to pull on the belt to keep their spine erect while the rest of the class folds forward. If you have a wall rope, have your stiff student do forward bends with feet on the wall, using a belt around the middle rung to pull on, thereby creating traction in the spine and increasing space between the vertebrae.

When you look from the side at a student doing a forward bend, the sacrum should be tipped forward, or else the lower back will suffer strain. The lower back should never be rounded but should remain straight or, ideally, concave. To repeat, the two critical actions in forward bends are the lengthening of the hamstrings, created by moving the sitting bones away from the heels, and the lifting of the bottom of the belly to bring a concavity into the lower back.

When should I do inversions during a basic yoga sequence—in the beginning, middle, or at the end?

by Natasha

Dear Jose,

Inversions are a tremendously valuable part of hatha yoga, and they can generally be modified so that they are appropriate for beginners. That said, they can also be very challenging for beginners who are still developing the necessary strength and flexibility to practice them safely. It is important to have a good understanding of correct alignment in these postures, so that you can practice them with integrity and without injury. It is also helpful to use props and/or a wall to modify many inversions. I want to emphasize that using props or a wall is not "cheating" but is instead a terrific teaching tool that can protect and support your body as it learns these important postures.

In terms of when to practice inversions, it really depends upon the type, level, and structure of the class you are taking. In most of my classes (generally hatha "flow" or vinyasa-style classes), I tend to introduce inversions toward the middle and end rather than at the beginning. This is because students who are tighter in their shoulders—a fairly common obstacle in inversions such as Handstand and Shoulderstand—can benefit from the heat and flexibility they have developed during Sun Salutes and standing or seated postures. I can also lay a foundation by teaching specific poses and actions that will make inversions more accessible and comprehensible, both physically and mentally.

The type of inversion also affects when it is taught. A pose like Handstand, for example, is heat-building and energizing, and therefore it is more likely to occur earlier in a class (in an Iyengar class, it is often used at the very beginning to create heat). A pose like Shoulderstand, on the other hand, is usually considered to be more of a cooling or "finishing" pose.

The small vertebrae in the neck are easily injured. Should I be concerned about headstand?

By Tony Sanchez

The vertebrae in the neck are fragile. Although Sirsasana (Headstand) can be beneficial, you need to approach it with caution—preferably with an experienced teacher who can guide you to prevent injury. Women who are in any stage of osteoporosis can be especially vulnerable to injury in Headstand if they don't perform it correctly or don't have the necessary muscular strength.

If you aren't steady on your way into or out of Headstand, consider working toward it in stages. Your instructor can help assess your ability and guide you until you're ready to do it on your own. For additional instruction, take a look at Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, by H. David Coulter (Body and Breath, 2001).

Have someone spot you until you can move into, hold, and come out of the pose with control. If you're misaligned or your weight is poorly distributed, you'll not only have an imperfect Headstand, you'll also put excess strain on your upper body or overcompress or overstretch the vertebrae, ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the neck, which can lead to serious injury.

Keep your neck in alignment and distribute your weight evenly between your head, elbows, and forearms to prevent yourself from falling. Place your weight on the crown of the head. To ensure a solid foundation, grasp opposite elbows on the floor to measure the distance apart before bringing your hands forward and together. Once you're up in Headstand, focus on one point in front of you, breathe, keep your head centered, and don't turn your face to either side.

What is proper yoga breathing?

Read Natasha's reply:

Dear Marion,

The kind of breathing generally practiced in most hatha yoga classes is called Ujjayi breathing, which loosely translates as "victory" breathing. This is not to say that the quality of the breath should be aggressive, but rather that there is a steadiness, resonance, and depth to it.

To find your way into this form of breathing, begin by closing your eyes and observing your breath in its natural state. Tune into the rhythm, pace, and sound. Compare the length of your inhales to the length of your exhales. Notice the location of the breath. Focusing on the breath this way is one of the most basic and important tools of yoga, for it is by observing the breath that we come into the present moment, and it is this pattern of observation, linking mind and body, that we want to re-create throughout our practice.

Once you have taken note of the details of your natural breath, start to make subtle adjustments. Begin by matching the length of your inhales to the length of your exhales. Once the breath is even, elongate and deepen the breath just slightly, not to the point where it feels forced or strained, but just enough so that there is a consciousness about it. Continue to breathe in and out through the nose, and then shift your intention. Imagine that instead of breathing through your nostrils, you are instead breathing through the soft spot right between your collarbones, at the base of your throat. Notice how this shift in intention changes the sound and quality of your breath. It is less nasal, throatier, and has a more hollow sound to it. Ujjayi breathing is sometimes compared to the sound of the sea in a shell, or to the purring of a contented cat. The breath should be audible to you, but not to anyone standing more than a couple of feet from you. Sometimes people create a breath that sounds like Darth Vader, thinking that louder is better, but in fact the breath should have a soothing, quieting quality to it.

Practicing Ujjayi breathing is a way of harnessing the mind, using the breath as a vehicle for taking our attention off of our normal thought patterns and re-focusing it on the physical details of the practice. The breath has a function on the physical level as well, for as we begin to move more and the practice becomes more rigorous, it becomes more challenging to maintain a steady, even Ujjayi breath. The tendency is to start breathing through the mouth and for the breath to become shallower and more ragged. Maintaining a steady Ujjayi breath is hard work and thus has a very positive effect upon the lungs and heart. The breath will naturally become deeper and faster with increased effort, but when it becomes impossible to keep breathing through the nose and when the quality of the breath becomes compromised, it is usually a sign to back off and rest until you can resume with an even Ujjayi breath.

Pranayama is a quite advanced form of breath control that is usually practiced separately from asana practice, under the close guidance and supervision of a teacher. In Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga, asana is the fourth limb and pranayama the fifth. Many people take this ordering as an indication that one should have a fair amount of asana experience before taking on pranayama, so I would recommend that you focus your attention on Ujjayi breathing, as this element of the breath is most appropriate and relevant for beginning practitioners.

Can you tell me how yoga can help me to eat well?

Aadil Palkhivala's reply:

As an Ayurvedic practitioner, I believe that a yogic lifestyle and proper eating habits go absolutely hand-in-hand. I recommend that my students eat food that creates balance in their system, for balance and harmony are essential elements of yoga.

There is no perfect diet, and no ideal food. I encourage you to monitor your food intake to determine what works for you and what doesn't—diet has to be adjusted individually. There are, however, rules to go by. First, you should not feel sluggish or tired after a meal. If you do, change what you are eating until meals do not make you tired. Second, there should be no pain, bloating, or gas production after you eat. Third, your bowel movement should be easy and effortless, come out with minimal gas, and when examined, should be light in color, should have a minimal smell, should be smooth and well formed, and should float. The bowel will tell you whether the food you are eating is good for you or not.

General rules for eating include: Eat clean, organically grown food. Avoid all pesticides and artificial fertilizers as well as chemicals of any kind. Avoid tamasic and overly rajasic foods such as sweets, coffee, and alcohol. (In the Ayurvedic system the word "rajasic" refers to foods that are active or turbulent, and that may cause agitation, anger, or fear. "Tamasic" refers to foods that make one feel heavy, dull, dark, or lethargic.) Reduce meat and animal products intake to a minimum. Usually cow's milk is very difficult to digest unless it is organic and unprocessed; it should usually be drunk within 30 minutes of milking, while it is still warm. On a final note, there are certain body types that need a little animal product to feel balanced. Test your diet through the intuition that develops from the practice of yoga, and not what anyone believes is a yogic diet.

Eating right involves the process of eating as well as what is eaten. The yogi eats when he is calm and relaxed, and not when stressed or in a hurry. The yogini chews her food well and eats as slowly as possible, finding gratitude and joy while savoring each morsel. Eating should be done in a calm atmosphere in silence or with slow soft music. This aids digestion, since digestion is a parasympathetic activity, and loud, quick-beat music, tension, and hurry, all lead to a sympathetic nervous response.

In summary, trust your instincts as to what to eat. Eat slowly and peacefully, enjoying whatever is presented on your plate or banana leaf!

What does "Ashtanga" mean?

Richard Rosen's reply:

The term "ashtanga" comes from the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, where it refers to classical yoga's eight (ashta)-limb (anga) practice. (Some yoga scholars such as Georg Feuerstein maintain that Patanjali's real contribution to yoga was kriya yoga, the "yoga of ritual action," and that the eight-limb practice was borrowed from another source.) The eight limbs are restraint, observance, posture, breath control, sense withdrawal, concentration, meditative absorption, and "enstasy." This last word, which means "standing inside of," is Mircea Eliade's translation of samadhi, which literally means to "put together" or "bring into harmony." In samadhi, we "stand inside of" our true Self in preparation for the ultimate state of classical yoga, the eternal "aloneness" (kaivalya) of that Self in the purity and joy of its being.

While Patanjali's underlying dualism between Self and nature has long been out of favor, his eight-limb method still influences many modern schools of yoga. One of those schools is the currently popular Ashtanga Yoga developed by K. Pattabhi Jois from the teachings of T. Krishnamacharya (father of T.K.V. Desikachar, brother-in-law of B.K.S. Iyengar, and mentor to both).

Since I'm not an authority on this practice, I asked Ashtanga teacher Richard Freeman to explain. He replied that the Krishnamacharya-Pattabhi Jois system is indeed modeled on the eight limbs of Patanjali; the emphasis, however, is on the correct performance of the third limb (posture) as a means of realizing all the limbs, including, of course, samadhi. Since we in the West sometimes focus exclusively on posture and overlook the other limbs, Richard believes that Pattabhi Jois calls his system "Ashtanga" in part "to encourage his students to look into the whole practice more deeply" and integrate all the limbs.

Richard Rosen, who teaches in Oakland and Berkeley, California, has been writing for Yoga Journal since the 1970s.

Home Practice 101

If you can't afford to take a class, what is the best path to take in beginning a practice at home? —Janet from Lawrence, Kansas

Read Natasha's reply:

Establishing a home practice is a wonderful way to create a very direct and personal connection to your yoga. The downside is that, without a teacher who can make hands-on adjustments, you are in danger of developing habits that may not be beneficial. This is why I think it is crucial to find a tape, DVD, or CD that provides a wealth of information, and to be sure that the information is delivered in a variety of forms that complement each other.

The good news is that there is a wealth of fine products to choose from when developing a home practice. Go to your local library or video store and check out a handful of videos by different instructors. Shop around until you find someone with whom you connect, the way you would if you were trying to find the teachers that you liked at a new studio. As you try different tapes or DVDs, try to find a teacher who instructs in a way that makes sense to you. This may sound self-evident, but what I mean is that he or she communicates information in a way that helps you understand the form, structure, and spirit of the practice, and that provides additional material to support your understanding of his or her explanations and directions. Sometimes we can hear an instruction over and over again and it doesn't register, but if we see a picture or read something that emphasizes the same instruction, it suddenly clicks.

Finally, I recommend that you do periodically try to take a class, just because it is always useful to be around a live person who can give feedback about alignment and make specific suggestions about ways to enhance your practice.

How to Deal With Soreness

I practice the Ashtanga primary series regularly. Lately, I've been ending up with sore and tender hamstrings afterward, making it impossible for me to practice six days a week. Should I practice through the pain or rest until the soreness subsides?
By Maty Ezraty

In the classical eightfold path of yoga, it is no accident that ahimsa (nonviolence) is the first yama (restraint) to observe—ahimsa is the heart and essence of yoga. When we sustain an injury, we have distanced ourselves from this concept. However, an injury offers a chance to return to the place of compassion, sweetness, and patience that ahimsa encourages. It is crucial to avoid reinjuring yourself. This does not mean you must stop practicing, but you should modify your practice.

Try to assess the origin of your injury—maybe your hamstrings are weak and your quadriceps are not working to support them. Or maybe your knees hyperextend or you've been lifting and spreading the sitting bones too much. Hamstring pulls respond well to strengthening work, so you might want to work with bent-leg standing poses, like Utkatasana (Chair Pose) and Virabhadrasana I and II (Warrior Pose I and II); increase the amount of time you normally hold them for. Also do backbending poses, like Salabhasana (Locust Pose) and Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), which more specifically teach you how to contract and lift the hamstrings. If your knees hyperextend (or to find out if they do), come into Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) with your heels and the backs of your legs against a wall. Press down through the four corners of the feet evenly and lift the inner and outer ankles.

Work to lift and engage both the fronts and the backs of your legs. If your calves touch the wall first, learn to move the tops of the thighs to the wall faster then the calves. This will teach you to correctly stack the upper and lower legs. If the pain is close to where the hamstring attaches to the sitting bone, you may be lifting or spreading your sitting bones too far apart. Tie a belt around the injured area.

In Uttanasana, keep the hips directly over your heels and firm the sides of your thighs toward the centerline of your body. Avoid overextending the muscle by drawing the fronts and backs of the thighs up evenly. In seated asanas, place a folded sticky mat under your knee. This will alleviate the pain and prevent reinjury. Spread your calves to widen the backs of the knees and learn to ground your femurs.

And remember: Injuries are best healed under the guidance of a qualified teacher.

Finding Comfort in Supta Baddha Konasana

By Lisa Walford

As I yield to the pose Supta Baddha Konasana, I feel a wonderful release in my inner thighs and my legs want to sink into the floor. But as they do, my outer hip joints scream out and I have to raise my legs. It almost feels as if my thighbones are not lined up in my hip sockets and bone is pushing against bone. What causes this and what can I do so my hips will feel more comfortable?

—Leigh Scott

Lisa Walford's reply:

You are very astute Leigh! While this pose can feel delicious and is a panacea for many problems, when the body is not properly supported it can be distasteful. If your hips are tight or very loose, the head of the femur (greater trochanter), will press toward either the back or the front of the pelvis, respectively. In addition, if your hips are tight, the outer shinbones may bow toward the floor and distort the alignment of the knee. The good news is that with a few more blankets, the wonderful release you relish can be yours every day.

Supported Supta Baddha Konasana frees congested energy in the abdominal organs and thus encourages good pranic flow, health, and vitality to the digestive tract and the organs of elimination. By elevating the spine with blankets or bolsters, the rib cage gently expands. This encourages a restful state for the lungs and heart. It can be a wonderful cocktail for pregnant women or for anyone honoring that quiet transition from day to dusk, a time to let go of the day's events and settle inward.

Because we often stay in this pose for an extended amount of time, any contortion in the joints will flag the connective tissue with undue pressure. First perform the pose without props for support. If your knees are much higher than your hips, then your hips are tight and you should support both the thigh and shinbones. Blocks are inappropriate aids in this instance because they immobilize the legs. However, blankets allow the weight of the bones to gradually release toward the floor as tendons and ligaments soften.

Place a smoothly folded blanket perpendicular to your thighbone high enough underneath the leg to fully support the outer thigh and the shin. Support both legs, even if your discomfort is only on one side-if you only support one side you may torque the body and disturb the sacroiliac joint or lower back. This set up works if your hips are hyper-mobile as well; that is, if your knees touch the floor and you experience pain in the hip sockets.

If it's the knees that trouble you, often the outer shin weighs heavily toward the floor and sinks the inner knee toward the outer knee. In this case, support the shin with a rolled blanket to lift the sagging weight off the knee.

Once the legs are properly supported, the inner groins will soften and widen while the inner thighs lengthen toward the knees. Relax deeply and completely. Soften the eyes in toward the sockets, the cheeks in toward the hollow of the mouth, the hollow of the throat in toward the heart. Rest assured that with the proper support, your body will naturally migrate toward health, composure, and vitality.