Did you know there are some yogic asanas that can be done immediately after a meal? So much so if you feel you have overeaten, doing these asanas can speed up digestion and flush out the extra food? That the mind and the body are closely connected and that the bridge between the two is the breath? That coming out of postures the right way is very important? That stretching one's hands above one's head stimulates many organs and awakens the system? That pranayama or yogic breathing done with a crepe bandage over the eyes helps quieten the mind further?
These were only a few of the many facts about yoga that came to light at the release of the self- published book “Illuminating lives with Yoga” by Geeta Iyer.
The author, a yoga practitioner based in Chennai, with 18 years of experience practising and teaching yoga to individuals and corporates, has come up with a ready reference manual that both the trained and the uninitiated can use. Richly illustrated and peppered with notes and pointers on how to do each asana, with numerous tips relating to diet and lifestyle, the book is a great buy. Only the author's profile and the photographer's credits are missing.
The book was released at The Park by Dr. Priya Selvaraj, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Fertility Research Centre, GG Hospital, and Anuradha Ananth, Head of Features Programming, NDTV-Hindu.
Dr. Priya Selvaraj said, “Yoga has a scientific basis, works on different muscle groups and increases lung capacity.” It had given her a lot of relief from asthma and she was now off inhalers. Describing the book as unfussy, Anuradha Ananth said Indians were lucky to have the ancient system of yoga. If one had doubts about whether yoga could be learnt from a book, Geeta had the answer. “This is a book even a beginner can follow. I have given several postures and easy-to-follow steps for every asana so it wouldn't be difficult,” she said.
The book includes 60 asanas that are therapeutic, nine mudras and three bandhas. It also deals with yogic healing and 11 common health issues such as gastric ulcer, asthma, back pain, diabetes and hypertension, to repetitive stress injuries such as knee pain, cervical spondylosis, carpal tunnel syndrome and frozen shoulder. Appropriate asanas are prescribed for relief.
“Yoga postures should be done with a keen awareness of breath.Breathing in the proper way helps control the mind and look inward. It not only reduces tensions but also helps align the body,” explained Geeta, after making a power point presentation.
