Hi,
I have just started exploring yoga…
learn some basics from the web…
can anyone advice me how to go about learning yoga?
what do I need and how?
Solomon
If you can afford it. What area are you in? Do you have any specific injuries. What is your age. In order to give good advice these are important. I might recommnd someone in your area. Also if you are very fit you may try a vigorous style like at yogas.com or the like. If not iyengar.com might be more suited as they cater to specific injuries etcc… Videos are great cause you can pause and rewind but they really are a prep for class.
A great book to read would be Light on Yoga by Iyengar and there is a list of books to read on my training link
The locations of our set is. http://www.earthspoweryoga.com/beginnerset.html
Tree of Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
Anatomy of Hatha Yoga by David Coulter and Timothy McCall… No essay on this book, test only
Power Yoga by Beryl Bender Birch
Sadhus by Dolf Hartsuiker
How To Know God by Christopher Isherwood. Not by Deepok Chopra
Sidhartha by Herman Hesse
Chakra Book - Chakras by Joy Gardner-Gordon
Bhagavad Gita by Swami Prabhupada
I recomend to: If feeling very adventurous.
Take a trip South India for minimum of 2 months in duration to see the roots of this ancient practice. Visit Jamana Giri at Nandi Bull Chamundi Hill Shiva Cave Temple.
Fly into Chennai via Singapore Airlines and take the 1st class Shitabdi Express train into Mysore. The famed Pattabhi Jois also lives in this same town of Mysore. You can write to the Indian Consulate 540 Arguello Blvd. SF CA 94115 to request a six month tourist visa. Write in advance as the process can take up to four months. Purchase the Lonely Planet Guide to India. We also recommend that you travel this journey alone. The best time to travel to South India is November through January.
OTHER AUTHORS AND BOOKS TO READ
I recommend that you browse through and study the titles and content of each author/professor which you feel the most interested in. They are all great:
Tao Te Ching Translation By Jane English
Alan Watts
C.G. Jung
Yogi Bhajan
Abraham Maslow
Emerson Prose on Self Reliance and The Oversoul
Rumi
Kabir
Kayam
"Already equipped
I think privates are the best for beginners. I know a lot of teachers in Los Angeles CA.