Which yoga is best?

One just gets started with Yoga. ‘Just do it’ is what fits perfectly well for Yoga. There are no prerequisites, or age or gender biases to get started with Yoga. Anyone and everyone can start Yoga at any time. Yes, what is required is Shraddha, – faith and devotion that Yoga is for my good, and Prayatna or sincerity in effort. And underlying these two is the desire and curiosity to know more about Yoga. And once one gets started with Yoga, one needs to just practise regularly and integrate it completely into one’s life.

A beginner should look for a Yoga school or studio which is well established and having experienced teachers. He or she should meet the teachers, share his/ her health condition and clarify any doubts he or she has and then take trial classes. And then based on his/ her comfort and suitability he/she should join the appropriate class guided by the teachers.

Yoga is a very individualistic practice. No two people are the same and each person’s requirement and present state of body, breath and mind would surely be different. The current starting point will determine the asanas he should be starting with and this will vary from person to person. The Yoga practice will comprise of asanas and breath regulation which would be appropriate for that person based on the flexibility and strength of his body, the length and depth of his breath, and his current state of mind.

The components of the practice would depend on various factors like the place and time of practice including the climate and weather aspects, age of the practitioner, the kind of activity he is engaged in, the activity he would be getting into post the asana practice, the need or desire with which he is come for the Yoga practice and the dynamics of the group of which he is a part.

Where and how one begins Yoga would depend on one’s personal interest. Most of us associate Yoga with physical postures and for many of us that might be the starting point. But it is not necessary that we have to begin at the physical level. One might begin with Pranayama at the breath level or some others by delving into the philosophy of Yoga as given in the scriptures. But over time, each and every aspect of our being gets integrated into Yoga.

A well-qualified and experienced teacher would be very critical as he or she would be able to initiate and guide the beginner in the right way.