General Guidelines for Yoga Practice

These are guidelines formulated by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. A Yoga practitioner should follow the guiding principles given below while performing Yoga practices:

Before the practice:

• Sauca means cleanliness – an important prerequisite for Yogic practice. It includes cleanliness of surroundings, body and mind.
• Yogic practice should be performed in a calm and quiet atmosphere with a relaxed body and mind.
• Yogic practice should be done on an empty stomach or light stomach. Consume small amount of honey in lukewarm water if you feel weak.
• Bladder and bowels should be empty before starting Yogic practice.
• A mattress, Yoga mat, durrie or folded blanket should be used for the practice.
• Light and comfortable cotton clothes are preferred to facilitate easy movement of the body.
• Yoga should not be performed in a state of exhaustion, illness, in a hurry or in acute stress conditions.
• In case of chronic disease/pain/cardiac problems a physician or a Yoga therapist should be consulted prior to performing Yoga practices.
• Yoga experts should be consulted before doing Yogic practices during pregnancy and menstruation.

During the practice:

• Practice sessions should start with a prayer or invocation as it creates a conducive environment to relax the mind.
• Yogic practices shall be performed slowly, in a relaxed manner, with awareness of the body and breath.
• Do not hold the breath unless it is specially mentioned to do so during the practice.
• Breathing should be always through the nostrils unless instructed otherwise
• Do not hold body tightly, or jerk the body at any point of time.
• Perform the practices at your own capacity
• It takes some time to get good results, so persistent and regular practice is very essential.
• There are contra-indications / limitations for each Yoga practice and such contra-indications should always be kept in mind.
• Yoga session should end with meditation / deep silence / Shanti patha.

After practice:

• Bath maybe taken only after 20 to 30 minutes of practice.
• Food maybe consumed only after 20-30 minutes of practice.