Chair Yoga for You: A Practical Guide (2 page)

RELAXING BODY AND MIND

MEDITATION

NAMASTE

APPENDIX

SAMPLE SESSIONS

SANSKRIT NAMES

RESOURCES

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WELCOME

Chair yoga is part of the hatha branch of yoga. Hatha relates to yoga of the body, including poses, breathing, and meditation. Yoga techniques help you create a better harmony between your body, mind, and spirit. They also provide you with a low-impact way to increase strength, flexibility, and balance, while teaching you how relax.

In chair yoga students practice poses while seated in a chair or use the chair for assistance in some standing poses. Anyone can practice it. Those with chronic conditions, weight issues, past injuries, disabilities, or anyone looking for gradual and gentle ways to increase his or her range of motion can all experience benefits from this practice. Chair yoga is also appropriate for students of more traditional yoga classes who want to rediscover poses that they long ago committed to muscle memory. In other words, people of all ages, levels, and physical conditions are able to start a chair yoga practice without hesitation.

In creating this book, we sought to incorporate the needs of students studying on their own, as well as those wishing to design their own chair yoga classes. We are hopeful these pages will express our belief that anyone and everyone can discover the beauty and benefits of yoga, whether using chair yoga as a starting place or as an addition to their mind and body fitness routine. Additionally, we encourage you
to seek out yoga classes in your area so you can enjoy the group setting. It is our goal that all yoga students discover one of the simplest rewards of yoga: being able to function through life’s daily activities and demands with ease of movement and peace of mind.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

We encourage you to read through the following paragraphs, which outline the principles of yoga, precautions, and how to begin your practice.

Additionally, take a little time to read over the breathing exercises and poses before practicing them so your experience is more fluid. Accompanying most poses are photos to help you visualize the written descriptions. We divided the yoga exercises into the following categories:

At the end of this book, we include several sequences, or combinations of poses, for a practice of at least thirty minutes. You can also design your own sequences as you become more comfortable with the poses. Always start with a few poses from the warm-up section and end with a few from the cool-down postures. Because the universal language of yoga is Sanskrit, you will also find an index at the end of this book with English to Sanskrit translations of poses.

PRINCIPLES of YOGA

Although the following five principles encompass ideas from all styles of yoga, they originate from Sivananda, as taught by Swami Vishnu-devananda in
The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga
:

PRECAUTIONS

As much as chair yoga is a gentle, safe road to take toward fitness,
please follow the advice of your physician on exercises that you should or should not do.

Yoga emphasizes “listening to the body.” The exercises and poses are sometimes challenging, but should never be practiced to the point of pain. There are many
ways to achieve the same stretch or the same objective in yoga, so always feel free to skip a pose and move on to the next one. Before doing any endurance exercises or deep stretches, please warm up.

Pay special attention to the following conditions:

Disc issues or spinal degeneration – When bending forward from the waist, go only about 45 degrees (not chest to thighs).

Spinal arthritis/bone spurs and degeneration – When bending backward, keep the head straight rather than allowing the head to fall back.

High or low blood pressure – On postures that move the head and/or chest up or down, move slowly to allow for the body to adjust to the change.

The above is a list of the most common contraindications. Most importantly, listen to your body and your physician.

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BREATHING EXERCISES

Correct breathing is one of yoga’s key principles. The outcome of relaxation can quickly be obtained through basic breathing exercises. It also helps you maintain focus, heat in the body, and good circulation throughout your practice. These exercises are also beneficial for the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems.

Yoga breathing is usually done through the nostrils, which helps keep heat in the body as opposed to most aerobic exercise where you usually exhale through the mouth to help cool the body.

Keep in mind that when one is becoming accustomed to breathing techniques, it is common to become a bit light-headed, dizzy, or tense. Try these techniques a little at a time and with a relaxed and open mind. If you experience anything uncomfortable, then stop and try again another time.

ABDOMINAL BREATHING

Inhale deeply through your nose. Allow the abdomen to expand, which helps lower your diaphragm, and bring oxygen into the base of the lungs. Exhale through your nose. Contract your abdominal muscles, pull your abdomen in, and raise the diaphragm, pushing out air.

If this is new to you it will feel awkward at first. Try the exercise while lying on your back with one hand over your belly button. Feel the rise and fall of your abdomen.

COMPLETE BREATH

Beginning with the abdominal breath, focus on this outward and inward movement of the belly for a few breaths. When this feels comfortable, focus on bringing this expansion upward toward the chest on the inhale as if you were filling up a pitcher with water. On the exhalations, the water is draining out of the pitcher.

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING I

You can experiment with many variations of Alternate Nostril Breathing. Here is one of the simpler versions: Hold up your right hand. Fold down your index and middle fingers. You will use your thumb and fingers to gently seal your nostrils closed. Close off your right nostril with your thumb while you inhale through your left nostril. Close off your left nostril with your fingers. Release the right nostril and exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through the right nostril. Close right, release left, and then exhale through the left nostril. Continue back and forth for a minute or longer. Your breathing should be relaxed and rhythmic.

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING II

Hold up your right hand. Fold down your index and middle fingers. (You will be using your thumb and ring finger to hold down nostrils.) If you find this too uncomfortable, just use your thumb and index fingers. Close off your left nostril with your fingers. Inhale through your right nostril for a count of four. Lift your fingers and close your right nostril with your thumb. Exhale to a count of eight. Try this for about a minute and then switch sides. Close off your right nostril with your thumb, inhaling through your left nostril for a count of four. Lift your thumb and close off your left nostril with your fingers. Exhale to a count of eight.

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING III

This exercise helps to clear and calm the mind. [Note: Pregnant woman should check with their doctor before retaining the breath.] Close off your right nostril with your thumb, and inhale to a count of four. Close off your left nostril with your fingers, holding your breath for a count of sixteen. Lift your thumb, and exhale for a count of eight. Inhale to a count of four. Close and hold for a count of sixteen. With fingers up, exhale for a count of eight. Continue for four or more rounds, and then sit for a few moments, relaxing your body and mind.

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HOW TO BEGIN

It may be helpful to skim through the entire book first before trying to physically do each pose. Getting familiar with the poses first will make your practice smoother and more enjoyable.

Select a sturdy, armless, straight-back chair that allows you to put your feet flat on the floor. Wear comfortable clothing. You may choose to remove your shoes and socks. A quiet area, free from distractions, is ideal. Relaxing music may enhance your practice.

SITTING POSTURES

There are two ways to sit in your chair throughout your yoga practice. The first, Relaxing Posture, is meant for resting the body. The other is a Yogic Posture, from which you start a pose.

RELAXING POSTURE

Sit all the way back in your chair with your feet resting comfortably on the floor. Let your hands rest on your thighs, either palms up or down. Close your eyes or just allow your gaze to drop softly ahead of you.

Use relaxing posture to rest during your practice or in between poses. Relaxing between postures helps you prepare for moving again.

YOGIC POSTURE

Begin each posture by sitting tall with your back away from the back of the chair. Lengthen through the spine with your chest out and abs in. Imagine that you are being lifted from the very top of your head up to the ceiling. Think of this as your working posture.

DRISHTI

Many yoga students wonder where they are supposed to look when they are in a pose. Yogis call the focus of the eyes during a pose or meditation a
drishti
. The famous yogi and founder of Ashtanga Yoga, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, popularized drishti techniques. Think of your drishti as where you should gaze during a pose. In this book, we often suggest that you look upward, straight out over your fingertips or wherever the neck and head is comfortable, depending on the pose. You may also practice many poses with your eyes closed or softly focusing on the floor.

BREATHING AND RELAXING

Using your breath when working in the postures adds to the experience. Keep in mind that relaxed muscles stretch. As you linger in a pose, try relaxing your body. With your exhale, sink deeper into the posture. Typically, you exhale to lower into a pose and inhale to rise out of, or release, a pose. Approach challenging poses with patience and care.

INTENTION

You can set an intention before you start each yoga session. This might be what you wish to accomplish, change, or feel as a result of your practice. It could also be a physical attribute, such as “I am going to feel more flexible after class today,” or a mental or emotional intention, such as “I am going to stop worrying about things
over which I have no control” or “I am going to have a softer heart with those I love.” You might decide to dedicate your workout to someone who is on your mind.

Next, try to clear your mind of all busy thoughts. Leave the past behind, and try not to think ahead to the future. Focus on the present moment.

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WARM-UP POSTURES

The warm-up is intended to move each joint through a comfortable range of motion and increase the blood flow in your muscles, preparing them for longer-held and more challenging postures.

Try to begin each posture with the following:

Sit tall, lengthening through the spine.

Keep shoulders neutral with chest raised.

Keep abdominal muscles engaged.

Plant feet firmly on the floor.

Relax the limbs and face.

Repeat each posture at least three times.

TORSO

1. CAT/COW

Rest your hands on your thighs. Exhale as you look to your navel, rounding your back and dropping your chin to your chest. Inhale and lengthen your spine, bending back slightly and pressing your chest and belly forward.