There are several reasons why you may like to hop onto the Yoga bandwagon. The reasons are many; the goal ultimately the same (with or without your conscious knowing).

Whether you are looking at Yoga as a tool for physical fitness, or as an aid to disease management or even for mental peace and ultimate bliss, you should adopt a blueprint for long-lasting effects.
 

The maximum benefits of any Yoga practice can be had when the mind is ‘purified’ and the attitude is correct.

Yoga lays down clear pointers that the aspirant should adopt towards himself and the society. These are laid out as Yamas and Niyamas.

The Yamas are the social code of conduct which are 5 in number. They are Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (Truth), Asteya (Non-stealing), Brahmacharya (self-restraint), and Aparigraha (non-possession)

The Niyamas are the internal moral code. The 5 Niyamas are: Shauch (cleanliness), Santosh (contentment), Swadhyaya (self-study), Tapas (austerity), and Ishwar Pranidhana (surrender to God).

These Yamas and Niyamas are to be understood, imbibed and practiced in everyday life, 24x7. This adherence brings about a remarkable purification process that makes the body most receptive to gain the maximum out of yoga practices.

Today, even modern medicine has inextricably linked the mind-body complex as a whole for personal health maintenance which only underlines the necessity of this purification process.
 

While working constantly at step 1, one should commence the practices. It is important (though not easy) to find the right Yoga teacher.

In Yoga, the paths are many but the goal is one. Accordingly, there are several schools which adhere to different paths as a focus. Examine your inclination and find the teacher from the path you are inclined. For example, if your primary reason for Yoga is physical fitness, then research yoga schools with an extensive emphasis on Asanas of the Hatha Yoga kind. Contact them to locate a suitable teacher in your area.

At HealthAndYoga, we are constantly building an exhaustive teacher directory that helps connect aspirants to teachers. You can also search this exhaustive database by clicking here.

Remember, finding a suitable teacher is not easy and you may have to resort to several trials before you find someone whom you intuitively connect to. Also, as you grow in practice, you may find the need to move on to find more accomplished teachers.
 

Regular study of Yoga books and Scriptures are an important aspect of your personal development through Yoga.

Besides acting as motivational tools when your spirit is flagging, they provide important subtle insights which almost always spur you onto the next level.

Indeed, regular study is the only real way to grow in the absence of Guru, of whom most of us are sadly deprived in our modern lifestyle.

Making this 3-step process as your personal blueprint will undoubtedly help you get the most out of Yoga.