Yoga and Meditation

In the western world to day yoga practice is seen as a way to escape the stress and burden of a society based on materialism. So it’s plain to see a yoga class can easily become a retreat for peace and tranquility, and an escape from the crazy world outside. For those individuals who can’t attend a class, a yoga DVD can give them the possibility to learn.

The DVDs available on the market fall into a wide range of categories addressing the different needs of people, for instance there is yoga for traveling, yoga for beginners, yoga for good health, complete yoga workout, yoga for pregnancy and even yoga for healing.

There are good parts and negative parts on a yoga DVD, and just to make things very clear from the beginning, watching a video recording is not the same thing as getting one-to-one instructions. In direct sessions the instructor can point out and correct what you don’t do right in a posture, and you can ask questions so as to understand one aspect or another, whereas a DVD doesn’t have the benefits that result from direct interaction. A DVD only gives a basic knowledge level such as breathing techniques, meditation, relaxation and other sorts of beginner stuff.

It is not unusual to hear about injuries developed by people while practicing some posture shown in a yoga DVD. This is also the reason why experts do not recommend this kind of product to beginers. On the other hand there is one category of yoga practitioners who really benefit from the use of a yoga DVD, and these are trainers, teachers and yoga interns. They have achieved and reached a certain knowledge, which allows them to use the instructions about new yoga postures in a different way.

It is fair to say some trainers use a yoga DVD in their classes as a teaching tool, but the applications as such depend on the structure of the course and the approach the instructor makes. If you have being doing yoga practice for less than six months, it would be safer not to rely on a yoga DVD to work out exercises alone.

Even after six months to a year you may still have difficulties when trying to apply one technique or another, therefore do not push your self to hard, and remember that yoga gradual natural development.