The Yoga Handbook

By Neelanjana Bharadwaj

‘The Yoga Buzz’, a short weekly column in, the popular paper ‘Bahrain this Week, is a result of the author’s passion for the Science of Yoga and love of writing.

The Yoga Handbook is an assimilation of some of her writings over the last five years. It has been conceptualized as ‘an easy read’ which gives relevant yet compact knowledge of Yoga.

The content created in the book is with the aim of going through it as a page a or two a day, almost like ‘thoughts for the day.’ Apart from the philosophy and history of Yoga it covers about 60 cultural asanas, the essential breathing and cleansing techniques with an introduction to mudras, bandhas, shad chakras, meditation and the role of a yogic diet and its importance on one’s physical and mental health.
There is no replacement for getting guidance from a competent teacher as one gets initiated into Yogic practices. This manuscript provides general information and techniques for expanding one’s knowledge and evolution for personal growth.

Neelanjana Bharadwaj

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Oct 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781796008173

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Copyright © 2020 by Neelanjana Bharadwaj. 791984

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Library of Congress Control Number:              2019919791

Rev. date: 11/23/2020

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgements

1.    Introduction

2.    Yoga Philosophy

3.    Asana Practice

4.    Pranayama–Yogic Breathing

5.    Mudras

6.    Bandhas

7.    Shatkarmas

8.    Shadchakras

9.    Yogic Diet

10.  Meditation

Disclaimer

References

About the Author

Preface

It all started as an idea in my head to reach out to more people through print media and spread the message of Yoga, which is clearly a passion of mine. So, I randomly dropped a message to the editor of Bahrain This Week, a popular weekly newspaper in Bahrain, suggesting a column, on yoga, in their paper. She was prompt in her reply and was ready to test the waters, and thus, ‘The Yoga Buzz’ was born! What started as generic talk on yoga became a serious dialogue on the genesis of Yoga, covering every aspect of this beautiful practice.

My intention was to cover the science of Yoga in these short 250–300-word articles, every week, to reach out to more people with my writings. As time progressed, so did my will to share more of the knowledge that I had gained over the years and continue to do so. Hence what started as a one-off column which I hoped would last a month or so has been active for over five years now! Thus, the idea of creating a handbook on Yoga, was born.

In today’s fast-paced world, everyone is looking for quick, instant fixes and audio or visual learning has superseded the traditional ways of reading and writing. Keeping this in mind, I have penned down the essentials of this science in a concise manner, with pictorial references for easy understanding, as my intention is for you to pick my book and enjoy reading it rather than think of it as a task! Yogic knowledge is vast and quite impossible to limit in a single book. I have tried to assimilate the essentials, which can be incorporated easily into one’s lifestyle in terms of the physical, breath work, meditative, or spiritual practices.

Yet, there is no replacement for getting guidance from a competent teacher as one gets initiated into yogic practices. No book can claim to fulfil the knowledge that can be imparted by a teacher directly, as individual attention is recommended for general practices and definitely if one has specific health problems or needs extra care during certain periods such as in pregnancy. This manuscript provides general information and techniques for expanding one’s knowledge and evolution for personal growth.

Neelanjana Bharadwaj

Acknowledgements

There are several people I wish to thank who have been part of my journey, starting with my mentor, Sri Shantaram Bhandarkar, who is an institution in himself and encouraged me to get into yoga when I was at my lowest.

All my teachers, whose contributions have been invaluable towards my growth. Every single student of mine, as without their constant support, I would not be here doing what I love to do.

Mr Srinivasan Konnat, a senior Art of Living teacher who encouraged and facilitated the QCI level 2 exam in Bahrain, which was a great learning experience.

My brother in law, Arvind Sharma, for guiding and supporting me through the publishing of my first book.

My friend Ashish Sharma for his valuable suggestions throughout this journey.

My mother in law Anupama, for her gentle and constant support always.

My mother Vijaylaxmi, from whom I get the love for reading and writing.

My brother Neeraj Roy who inspires me every day. My sister in law, Raunaq Roy, for her wisdom and support.

My brother in law, Vikram Panwar, for his encouragement and actually designing a yearly calendar covering my Yoga travels!

My husband, Dr Salil Bharadwaj, who stands by me through thick and thin. Despite not having ever attended a yoga class in his life, he has supported me through my journey unflinchingly!

My dearest son, Ved, who has been dragged to several yoga classes and events grudgingly but has displayed utmost interest when finally there, even though his words ‘Yoga is not my thing’ is a constant! I thank both these men in my life for clicking innumerable yoga pictures of me literally everywhere, at the oddest hours sometimes at the cost of being supremely embarrassed!

My dear family for always supporting and encouraging me to follow my passion.

Gratitude for the grace of Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji who is instrumental in spreading Yogic knowledge in the universe.

Last but not the least, I thank the entire team of Bahrain This Week for giving my voice a space in their esteemed paper so I could get it across to more people.

Neelanjana Bharadwaj,

15th December 2020, Bahrain

Introduction

Yoga—What the Fuss

Is All About!

Let me come straight to the point: what is yoga?

Is it meditation?

Is it an exercise form?

Is it a religion?

Is it a fad?

What are the images that come to the mind when you think of yoga? Calm, serene, beautiful women in lotus posture or lean, athletic people in impossible postures? Long haired, mystical men standing on their heads or contorted into hideous positions?

These images may give you the impression that yoga is not for you, but they are not what yoga is all about!

Then what is it, and why must one try it at all?

To begin with, Yoga is an almost five-thousand-year-old science originating from India. It’s a spiritual, mental, and physical practice which aims to transform the body and mind. The mind and body practice is frequently promoted for its ability to reduce stress and boost well-being. It also gives a wide range of physical health benefits that rival other forms of exercise.

The physical, or asana, practice requires just a clean space and a mat with you on it! One can literally practice anywhere as no special equipment is required.

As a beginner, it’s best to practice under a qualified teacher who guides one through the postures with the right breathing.

When, where, and how to practice?

Let’s find out as we read along!

Yoga—When to Practice

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj which means ‘to unite or join’. Yoga practice brings stability to the body and the wavering mind.

It is not just a physical activity and deals with a system of mental, spiritual, and physical techniques. Thus we can say that yoga is a way of life, an integrated system of education for the body, mind, and spirit.

When to start practice?

Even before getting initiated into the physical, or asana, practice, it’s important to discipline oneself mentally. Not to scare you off here, but just good thoughts and positive affirmations towards oneself and everything around help to create the right balance in the body for the physical practice. It’s like a positively charged machine can only produce positive results!

Many yoga traditions advocate doing yoga asanas early morning on an empty stomach. For busy, working folks of the world, it may not be possible to kick-start with an a.m. practice.

I would say let yoga fit into your schedule and not vice versa. So choose a time that works the best, either morning or evening, with a gap of two to three hours after the last meal. As you progress in your practice, notice how poses feel different at different times of the day.

Find the time that works best for you, but do find the time!

Yoga—Where

I have a few suggestions on where the best place is for practicing yoga.

Ideally, the most important thing for choosing the spot for your yoga practice is for it to be a clean, airy space. Now this spot could be a corner in your home, outdoors, or at a yoga studio.

As a beginner, I’d recommend doing it in a yoga centre, under a seasoned, considerate teacher who can initiate you into your yoga journey. It’s always advisable to take a few classes at a yoga centre and then go solo from then on!

The right teacher can firm up your technique in the asana and breathing, which lays the foundation for your yoga practice.

Another advantage of joining a yoga centre is the positive reinforcement and aid from the teacher and the other more experienced students. Having a closed group can be helpful in keeping you on schedule and away from losing motivation or cheating on the practice—which, believe me, happens easily!

With focus being a key factor in yoga, oftentimes, that same thing is almost impossible to achieve at home. Thus, find that teacher and hit the mat!

Having said this, I fully advocate a home practice too. You could invest in some videos and books, or else tune in to YouTube for a beginner’s guide to home practice.

Set your schedule, fix a spot, tune in, and just go! Choose an appropriate time free of kids, doorbells, and other distractions, and report to your mat at the same time every day!

Yoga—How

After nailing the when and where, one needs to understand how to do yoga. The asana, or physical, practice goes far beyond just improving flexibility, as it’s a mindful practice.

A typical yoga practice includes a warm-up to loosen the muscles, followed by a series of postures which are essentially done in the standing, seated, prone, and supine positions.

A wholesome, complete practice includes a few postures in either a few or all the above positions. ‘The spine is the face of the body’; hence, warming it up correctly is essential. Bad posture due to a curved back and wrong alignment leads to various issues like back pain, a protruding tummy, etc. Most yoga postures are aimed at correcting the spine alignment, and the phrase ‘lengthen your spine’ is often used by good teachers in a class.

On a lighter note, if you’d like to stand taller and look better, just do yoga!

An ideal practice incorporates pranayama, or breath work, and ends in relaxation in Shavasana, or the Corpse position, which is therapeutic in nature and must not be missed.

A balanced yoga session incorporates warming up through all the muscles and joints, followed by asana practice in standing, seated, supine, and prone positions; and it ends with breath work and relaxant meditation.

Yoga—Which Style

Is Good for You?

If you are new to yoga and confused about which class to go for, then I would recommend asking yourself these three questions:

1. Are you doing yoga for fitness and to get in shape as well as to explore the mind–body connection? Then choose a more vigorous style like Power Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, or Bikram (Hot) Yoga. All these styles combine an athletic series of poses threaded together with the breath, creating a flow of postures into a vigorous total body workout.

2. Do you have an injury or a medical condition or other limitations? Then start with a slower class, with props, that focuses on alignment, such as Iyengar Yoga, Kripalu Yoga, Hatha Yoga, or Yin Yoga.

3. Are the meditative and spiritual aspects of yoga your primary goal? Then try one of the yoga styles which include plenty of meditation, chanting and the philosophic aspects of yoga, e.g. Kundalini Yoga.

Whatever may be the style chosen, you can improve your strength, flexibility, and balance. Any yoga practice releases tension in your body, quiets the mind, and helps you to relax.

Try different styles and teachers, and choose what’s best for you. Having done that, stick with your practice for the wholesome benefits!

Yoga—Most Common Doubts

As a yoga practitioner and teacher, there are various common questions that I’ve been asked over the years. I’d like to address them