First time learning yoga

Author: Dai Xinyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Society is like a giant pressure cooker. Modern people living in various urban jungles often face pressure from work, relationships, and daily life. This invisible accumulation of stress is easily overlooked and often becomes a major enemy of health. If one remains in a state of anxiety and depression without proper release or balance, the body may eventually reach a critical point, like a pressure cooker nearing its breaking point, and things could spiral out of control. Therefore, learning to relieve stress appropriately is crucial. For example, conditions such as diabetes, arteriosclerosis, high cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and anemia are caused by nutritional excess or dietary imbalances. Additionally, common modern ailments like anxiety, neurasthenia, tension, palpitations, and insomnia are also warning signs of poor health. How can one maintain physical and mental balance and transform stress into positive motivation? The first step is to learn the art of health preservation. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses the four diagnostic methods—inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, and palpation—and the eight principles of syndrome differentiation (yin-yang, exterior-interior, cold-heat, deficiency-excess) to conduct comprehensive analysis and summary. Simply put, constitution is divided into cold and hot types. Those with a cold constitution often suffer from poor blood circulation and are suitable for warming treatments, such as consuming more lamb and drinking warm water. Conversely, those with a hot constitution should prioritize sufficient sleep, follow a schedule of going to bed early and waking up early, and avoid spicy and fried foods, which are considered hot and drying. Just as constitution is innate, maintenance depends on effort afterward. All health preservation philosophies align with nature. The saying "attaining harmony leads to no illness" reflects the principle of balancing yin and yang, which is the foundation of all life, and this aligns perfectly with the benefits of yoga. This book introduces readers to simple yoga practices and pairs them with health-preserving dietary recommendations from TCM cuisine, offering greater practicality than many other yoga books. It helps more people achieve a strong body function and maintain youthful vitality through gentle yoga exercises. Regardless of age or gender, readers can develop a long-term mindset of health preservation and wellness, embracing a brilliant and fulfilling life.
Dr. Chen Chunfa, the Director of Taipei City Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, has been engaged in beauty education for about 16 years. During the early days of his business, he often experienced physical exhaustion, with his body signaling fatigue. This made him realize he had neglected his health. He then thought that exercise was a great way to balance his body and mind. One day, he saw a well-known yoga teacher, Hua Shujun, on TV. Hua Shujun was not only the founder of the Chinese Yoga Association but also the yoga teacher who deeply influenced him. Hua Shujun herself was an excellent example of practicing yoga. She started at the age of 60 and, despite being in her 80s, appeared youthful in appearance, figure, movement, and posture. She exuded grace and vitality, which was incredibly inspiring to Dr. Chen. This motivated him to choose yoga as a lifelong exercise, especially during periods when his health was poor and he suffered from modern diseases, feeling as if he had hit rock bottom in life. Yoga helped him gradually move out of the dark and low periods of his life. Afterward, he devoted himself to integrating yoga into his existing beauty education field, hoping to benefit more people by promoting holistic health and beauty.
Over the past decade of teaching yoga, Dr. Chen has seen many students injured due to improper breathing or excessive stretching. He firmly believes that practicing yoga must be done within one's limits, especially when attempting advanced poses. It is crucial not to force oneself and to progress gradually based on one's flexibility. This book is designed with simple and easy-to-learn movements, including health-preserving yoga, office yoga, yoga for couples, and parent-child yoga, aiming to promote yoga as a healthy and nurturing activity for the whole family. Combined with key tips, medicinal diet therapy, and acupressure techniques, learning yoga becomes a relaxed and enjoyable experience! Because once you start, you'll find that yoga is actually quite accessible!
Dai Xinyu