Book ABC of Yoga - a progressive initiation

Discover Yoga!

Yoga is a discipline of the body and mind that originated in India. It is a very powerful method for deepening self-knowledge, managing stress and strengthening health. This book, written by Marie-Françoise Lemoine, an expert in this field, presents a progressive approach that allows everyone to get the maximum benefit from this ancient practice.

Through a series of postures - or asanas - and meditations, it is possible to regain a healthy body and a serene mind. Yoga is now a relaxation technique recognized by the medical profession for its beneficial effects on health and vitality, and more and more programs of this discipline can be found in certain specialized clinics, as a complement to traditional therapies. Research shows that ten minutes of relaxation exercises can restore the nerve tone necessary to overcome certain states of fatigue. Clinical observations of meditators also show that brain activity during certain meditations is comparable to deep sleep, indicating the regenerative effect that yogic relaxation can have on the nervous system.

The postures themselves are derived from the millennia-old experience of Eastern sages who understood that by constraining the body in a specific way one could obtain a specific effect on certain organs. For example, certain postures have been found to promote digestion or colon cleansing, while others can strengthen the lumbar region and greatly relieve chronic back pain. Breathing is an essential aspect of all forms of yoga: it promotes the oxygenation of all the cells of the body and in particular allows to revitalize areas that have remained inert until now by an additional supply of energy. The movement of the diaphragm as it is taught in yoga favors the flow of lymph, allows to mobilize the internal organs and to eliminate toxins.

The ABCs of Yoga is a progressive approach to this method, presenting the exercises in order of difficulty while describing precisely how to perform each posture. It also shows how to integrate breathing and relaxation into the body movement in order to get the most out of the practice. Finally, the presentation of a complete and evolving program will allow everyone to adapt this teaching to their availability.