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Daniel Paris Guide to Yoga

Thinking Outside the Mat

This guide has been created to help you build a personal practice. Each chapter explains a different element of a session and introduces fundamental scientific concepts behind the Yoga for no Yogi method.

Chapter 1

What are your wellness goals?

Congratulations! You have decided to begin a yoga practice. Firstly, you need to set wellness goals to know the class that you fit-in and the pose sequences you need to practice at home.

Chapter 2

The beginning of any practice

Before getting into poses, you will need a few minutes to prepare your mind and body. It is crucial to increase oxygen levels, stimulate blood circulation, and elevate body temperature. Such conditions are necessary to explore your full physical and mental potential.

Chapter 3

Going with the flow

Most yoga styles include flow in their practice. It creates body heat by stimulating your cardiorespiratory system and the autonomic nervous system, resulting in maximum muscle performance and acute mental focus.

Chapter 4

Take a stand

After finishing your yoga flow, your body will be warm and your mind clear. Now is the moment to get into high-intensity poses. I refer to such as standing poses. They are essential to muscle growth and flexibility.

Chapter 5

Seated poses and muscle toning

As muscles fatigue and body energy decrease, you move to less intense poses. The truly difficult task now is to keep the mind focused. You need to become very sensitive to reset muscle tension.

Chapter 6

Ground your self

When energy levels are low, it is easier to stay in soft poses. As you bring your body closer to the ground, poses are less physically demanding. But be aware, your mind will try to wonder. 

Chapter 7

Restoration

During a deep stay of relaxation, restorative poses can be very powerful. They are a big part of my practice. These poses accelerate muscle recovery cycles, help to regulate your sleep, and are a great gateway to meditation.

Chapter 8

Letting go

Savasana is the ultimate yoga pose. That fact that it is simple does not make it easy. The first part of your practice is a metaphor of all things you can do and control, all "posture" you can adopt in life when facing specific situations. Savasana reflects the exact opposite.

Chapter 9

Placing the pieces together

Now you know the different elements of your practice and how they interact. Let's make a quick review.

Chapter 10

After the practice

Your wellness goals go beyond the mat. It is crucial to develop some healthy habits in your lifestyle.

With this guide, you will have the necessary knowledge to start your home practice. Please remember that this is not a substitute for any medical therapy. Talk to your doctor before starting your practice.
 
I encourage you to not only create your practice but also check what is available in your local yoga studio. You can learn new poses and sequences, or you can also get some corrections and a word of advice from the teachers. Keep your practice open to new ideas. Yoga is constantly evolving.

My hope is for you to get interested in developing a positive connection with your body and your mind. This relationship will impact the way you see yourself and others. The end goal is for you to take better care of your person.
 
I recommend you to start small, only a few minutes every other day. Then increase the duration. Please be disciplined. You would get better results doing 15 minutes of yoga every day than 3 hours once a week. Always notice how you feel before and after a session. That will keep you moving forward.

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