Yoga - my love and my pains

I love Yoga. My love affair with yoga is more of an On-off sessions. Therefore, I am not an expert of yoga. Yoga is physical, mental and spiritual practice originated from fifth and sixth century in India. Yoga became popular in the 1980s in the West as a form of physical exercise.

Photo taken from Dreamstime.com

There are different Types of yoga such as Hatha yoga, Kundalini yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Ivengar yoga, Prenatal yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Tantra yoga, Hot yoga and others. My friends did Prenatal Yoga when they were pregnant in Australia. It is a form of exercise for pregnant women can help to strengthen muscles and promote easier childbirth.
                                 

Location: Allambie Gums, Kangaroo Valley, NSW

 "Yoga? Teacher do yoga?" My students exclaimed with wide curious eyes about ten years ago when they heard about it. To students in rural areas, yoga was then something new, mystical, awesome and a different kind of sport. I took up yoga class for the physical exercise. Even then, somehow, I have to stop due to either the class closes, or I had to move away or some thing cropped up at that moment. Maybe no discipline? Hmmm, I must do more self reflection....

 I just enrolled into a Yoga center near my house recently. I needed more exercise. Last week, on my first lesson after a year, I experienced pain on my neck. I can't turn my head to the left. Oh dear, I must have somehow twisted my neck wrongly during yoga class. Ouch, now, my toe is in pain! "What? Again?' my daughter exclaimed. "How come other people do not have this problem?". I have sprained my small little toe on my right leg. It's swollen as in the picture below.

See the small toe is redder and swollen bigger compared to the one on the left foot in the picture below.

Hence, I feel for beginners it is important:

1. Not force yourself on some poses as different people have different body structure 

2. Learn from a good Yoga teacher

3. Push yourself but know your limits 

Got to sign off now as I am going for my Yoga class tonight. I still love Yoga despite all the pain and would continue to learn Yoga as it provides a very good form of exercise for me. I love the feel of aches in different parts of my body on the next day after each lesson.

Thank you.