SUCCINCT RESEARCH

Bill White

Your 15Miniute Yoga Regimen

SUCCINCT RESEARCH

Your 15-Minute Yoga Regimen

By Bill White Succinct Research Tucson, Arizona 85715 www.succinctresearch.com www.jobsinayurveda.com Bill@succinctresearch.com jobsinayurveda@yahoo.com

This book contains information intended to improve your health and overall wellbeing. But the information presented is offered as-is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the professional judgment of the health care professional. We strongly recommend that you get professional medical advice before you apply any of the techniques presented in this book. The author makes no warranty or representation whatsoever regarding the services or products recommended in this book. Use your own discretion when performing the following postures. Work at your own level and explore your own limits. The reader of the information presented in this book assumes all risks from using the information provided herein. The author disclaims any and all liability from the information provided herein. Any medical, financial, legal, health, psychological or other information provided in this book is not intended as a replacement for professional consultations with qualified practitioners. Thank you for reading this book. I wish you the best of luck and success in your practice.

Table of Contents
Yoga in 15 minutes a day ......................................................... 2 How to Use This Manual .......................................................... 2 Getting Started ......................................................................... 4
Yoga Breathing ............................................................................... 4 Yoga Equipment ............................................................................. 5 Listen to Nike and Just Do It ......................................................... 5 Why do yoga in the morning? ......................................................... 5

Asana Outline........................................................................... 7
Tips on Breathing and Visualizations .............................................. 8

Asana Descriptions ................................................................ 10

Mountain pose/ Hand-raising Sequence ....................................... 10 Upstretched Arms Pose ................................................................ 11 Standing Forward Bend/ Sun Breath Sequence ........................... 11 Thunderbolt Pose Variation........................................................... 12 Thunderbolt Pose .......................................................................... 12 Childs pose sequence .................................................................. 13 Head-on-knee pose....................................................................... 14 Corpse pose.................................................................................. 15 Doing more than the minimum ...................................................... 16

Conclusion ............................................................................. 18 About Bill White ...................................................................... 20

I N T R O D U C T I O N S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

Yoga in 15 minutes a day

Youre just 15 minutes away from a healthier, more flexible and energetic new you!

e all have busy schedules. It seems like theres never enough time in the day to finish everything on our plates. But we also want to do whats right for our bodies; take care of ourselves the best that we can. You know, try to eat right, squeeze in a little exercise, slow things down a little bit, and maybe relax. Sometimes its hard to do whats right for our mental and physical health while still knocking items off of our to do list.
YOGA GUIDE

Introduction Getting Started Asana Outline Asana Description

Yoga is one of the best ways we can get in a little lowimpact exercise and at the same time relax our bodies and minds. Its the best tool we can use to keep our bodies strong and flexible while also relaxing our minds. But who has the time and money for a yoga class? I didnt when I started doing yoga and you probably dont either. Thats why youre reading this handy manual.

How to Use This Manual

Ive written this short eBook to help you get started doing yoga15 minutes at a time. Its easy to start and you can do it any day, anytime, anywhere. I started with this same routine about 13 years ago and it changed my life! In the beginning, I didnt take any classes and didnt have a yoga mat. I didnt buy any yoga training courses or books until I had been doing this routine for over 3 years. I just started doing some of the stretches I already knew each morning when I got out of bed. After a few weeks, I checked out a book from the public library and added some more poses (which are called asanas in Sanskrit, which is the ancient language yoga was originally written down in).

Using this manual is simple. Just download the PDF and save it to your computer or smartphone. Use the outline on page 6 to guide you through 8 simple asanas. If youre familiar with yoga, you can just use the outline. Dont worry if you havent done yoga before. Ive included an explanation of each asana and some tips to make them more effective.

I N T R O D U C T I O N S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

The key is to use this guide. Start today. Start right now. Just make sure to do it. Youll notice benefits if you try it out for one day, a week, a month, or years. This 15-minute guide will help you whether youre a guru or a beginner. You dont even have to do every single asana, just do some of it. I guarantee it will make you more flexible, relaxed, and ready to start your day. Sincerely,

Bill White Tucson, Arizona

1 El Capitan in Yosemite is an excellent visualization for Mountain Pose in Yoga (Tadasana)

G E T T I N G

S T A R T E D

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

Getting Started
The little decisions we make every day add up. Make yoga an important start to your day, everyday!

ach morning we open our eyes, take a few breaths, and maybe stretch our toes down under the covers. We may even yawn deeply and stretch our arms up over our head. It takes a few seconds, but this feels good and is a great way to start our day. And its a natural form of yoga. Starting a yoga practice Getting started is each morning is simply an extension of this everyday as easy as stretching a little process. Yoga focuses on deep breathing and concentration longer after your morning while doing asanas, which are kinda like formalized stretches. yawn. Yoga mainly involves doing specific physical postures and poses while concentrating on breathing and your mental state. While its great that doing yoga poses help your body maintain its flexibility and core strength, the way it benefits your mental state is just as noteworthy. Yoga has been proven to calm your mind, releave stress, and fight depression. Most people think of yoga as a physical exercise system, but, in fact, yoga actually begins with paying attention to your breath.
Yoga Breathing

Focusing on the breath is really where yoga begins. We all have to breathe in order to be alive and the ancient yoga sages believed that the breath was a manifestation of the life force, called prana in Sanskrit. While we breathe all day and night, one important deep breathing technique used in yoga is called Ujjayi breathing, or Victorious Breath. The basics of this breathing technique are simple. Start by inhaling deeply through the nose (in yoga, you always breathe in through the nose). Imagine the breath traveling deep into your belly and lungs. Allow your belly to expand on inhale. On the exhale, slightly constrict the back of your throat kind of like you were fogging up a pair of glasses (It sounds somewhat like Darth Vaders breath). Let your belly contract naturally on exhale; dont force it. Repeat. Maintain your focus on the in and out breathing while you do each pose.

In yoga, the breath is used to tell you when to transition between poses. Deep, steady breath is also important to relaxing throughout the poses. It gives you something to concentrate on, which helps sooth our minds that are constantly fixated on imaginary scenarios or obsessing about things plan on doing but havent yet done.

G E T T I N G

S T A R T E D

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

Yoga Equipment

What do you need to start practicing yoga? Nothing. Thats right! You dont need any special equipment to start. In fact, you dont even need clothes! There is a multi-million dollar industry in the United States that capitalizes on all the yoga clothes, mats, straps, blocks, shoes.and the list goes on. But, you really dont need any of this to start. All you need is someone or something to show you some basic yoga poses- a good book (like this one!), friend, or teacher will do- and the motivation to start. With that said, there are some things that make yoga a bit easier: A yoga mat- This non-slip mat will help your hands and feet grip without sliding. Youre eventually gonna need one of these if you want to expand on this program. Loose clothing- Soft, loose, light clothing that doesnt restrict your range of motion is best for yoga. Jogging or basketball shorts and a t-shirt work as good as any yoga apparel. An open space- Its great to have a space about 6x6 feet, but a simple 6x3 foot area will do for most poses. Time- Set aside 10 to 15 minutes at first and work up to a longer practice. Right after you wake up is best, but anytime is better than never. Its as easy as hitting the snooze button one less time after your alarm goes off.

Listen to Nike and Just Do It

The best way to start doing yoga is to just wake up one morning and do it. A little more than 13 years ago, I decided to take the advice of a friend and use yoga as a way to help relieve the back pain Id been having. She was into yoga, but I was nave and thought yoga was only for women and hippies. Unfortunately, my back hurt so bad that I decided to give it a try. She showed me a couple of poses, which Ive included in this guide, and my back got better little by little. After a couple of weeks, I was pretty much cured. Needless to say, I havent looked back. The first step I had to take was to just do it. I had to make the decision to carve out 15 minutes from my morning and do some yoga. I realized it wasnt that hard. If I can do it, you can do it, anyone can do it! So, dont wait. Start today.
Why do yoga in the morning?

There are three principal reasons I recommend doing yoga in the morning. The first reason: so you can get it out of the way. It is more likely that you will actually do this routine if you just wake up, jump out of bed, and get started without delay. Its only 15 minutes, but the odds of completing this routine diminish drastically if you procrastinate. The second reasons: because your body and mind are more ready. First thing in the morning, your body is naturally ready to stretch. We all have an inclination to stretch

G E T T I N G

S T A R T E D

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

our toes and arms when we first wake up. Yoga is just an extension of this instinct. Our minds are also clearer in the morning because our active mind has been at rest for a few hours. This clear mind can more easily accept the relaxation and calming techniques that accompany this yoga routine. The third reason: cosmic forces are high in the morning. Ancient yogis believed that cosmic energy was highest during the transitional period between day and night. This is a time when nocturnal animals get ready for rest and diurnal animals start their day. Flowers open. The sun us visibly in motion. The air is calm and pollution levels are low, which is optimal for deep breathing for us city-dwellers. Whether you believe it or not, the transition between night and day is a period of renewal that can be felt all around you if you pay enough attention. Yoga can help you tap into this energy.

2 One of the best times to practice is in the morning right after you've woken up.

A S A N A

O U T L I N E

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

Asana Outline
This is a short and sweet routine that can ease its way into even the busiest of lives.
Everybody has to start somewhere. This routine is a beginning. The following guide is an assemblage of eight yoga asanas that Ive used nearly every day for more than a decade. These ancient yoga poses have been known The asana outline is by humanity for thousands of years and are still valued just a guide to get you started. You can do all of it, today. They can calm your mind, invigorate your body, and some of it, or build off of it. start your day with an energy that will follow you to sleep at Just make sure you do it! night. I invite you to try the following yoga poses every day for just a week. If you can do just that, I guarantee, it will plant a seed that can be cultivated into a fruitful yoga practice. Your 15-minute asana outline
Sanskrit Name Translation Benefits

Tadasana/ Hand-raising sequence

Mountain pose

Helps align the bodys natural standing posture; stretches the torso, arms, and hands Gently improves posture and stretches the spine, arms, and legs Rejuvenates the spinal cord and stretches the neck, back, and hamstrings

Urdhva hastottasana

Upstretched arms pose Standing forward bend/ Sun Breath sequence Variation of thunderbolt pose Thunderbolt pose

Uttanasana/Parvottanasana Pranayama

Vajrasana variation

Stretches the toes and arch of the foot; focused breath calms the mind Tones thighs, knees, and ankles; calms the mind Strengthens the knees, ankles, and spine

Vajrasana

Balasana sequence

Childs pose sequence Head-on-knee pose

Janu Sirsasana

Stretches the front of the spine, hamstrings, and hips Calms and refreshes the mind

Savasana

Corpse pose

Do each pose for about 20 to 40 seconds or from four to eight breaths (in and out equals one breath), especially the Sun breath sequence. For upstretched arms pose and head-on-knee pose, hold each side for at least eight breaths. In order to calm your mind, try to practice visualization techniques during the thunderbolt pose variations and corpse pose.

A S A N A

O U T L I N E

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

There you go. Thats it. Those eight poses usually take me about 15 minutes to complete because I also do a little breath exercise throughout the routine, especially during the sitting poses and at the end.
Tips on Breathing and Visualizations

Proper breathing and positive visualizations are central to getting the most out of this short routine. Most yoga classes are between 30 minutes and one hour, so this routine is pretty brief as far as yoga goes. But its enough to get some results and can easily fit into most lifestyles. Consider this routine a starting point and work your way up into longer sessions. It can also be done anywhere and anytime, which makes it difficult for you to make any excuses. There are many tips on how to breathe while doing yoga, but here are some of my favorites: Dont hold your breath - Holding your breath in the middle of an asana stops air and energy from flowing throughout your body. Its also a sign that youre trying too hard or extending too far in a given pose. Make sure you keep breathing throughout this routine, with only a slight pause at the end of each full inhale and exhale. Breathe deep- Imagine the breath coming in through your nostrils and flowing deep into your lungs and belly. Make believe that clean, fresh, cool air is entering your nostrils on inhale and hot, dirty air is leaving on exhale. Breathe through your nose- For beginners, breathing through your nose makes it easier to control your breath and brings more air into the nasal passages that surround your brain. The cool air helps soothe your mind. Also, the nose was built for breathing and the mouth was made for eating. So, use your nose for what it was designed to do. After youve practiced for a little while you can exhale through your mouth, but keep inhaling through your nose. Keep the breath steady- Slow down if youre inhaling and exhaling rapidly or you keep inhaling through your mouth. This routine is all about relaxation and gently getting your blood and energy flowing. If youre breathing too hard, slow down and relax.

Visualization techniques are also important in yoga, so Ive given you some of the ones I use most often: Rinsing off your brain- Imagine that each inhale is like a stream of cool, clean, clear water that comes in through your nose and washes up over your brain. Each exhale rinses over your brain like a gentle ocean wave and goes back out through your nose. As you keep imagining this, think about how the breath is cleaning out your mind by literally rinsing troubling thoughts away.

A S A N A

O U T L I N E

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

Human light bulb- This one can really get you energized quickly. Imagine that you are inhaling bright, white light that lights up your body. Pretend that each exhale carries away dirty, sooty, exhaust that keeps the light from shining throughout your body. As you keep inhaling and exhaling, imagine that the light is energizing you, starting with the nose and working its way down to each of your fingers and toes. And that the exhales keep getting cleaner and cleaner as your body exhales any bad thoughts or stress. Feel the light energy flow and glow throughout your body just like a light bulb until you are shining bright like a light bulb. Think about the meaning of the asanas- Because yoga was developed by ancient people that studied the world around them, many of the poses are named for animals and objects in the natural world. Imagine that you are literally doing the translation of the pose (ex. standing tall like a mountain in mountain pose).

As I recommend in the table, try to do each pose for at least eight breaths. Make sure you do them on both sides for the poses that require you to switch sides. You can always do more or less, but make sure you do something.

3 Imagine your inhale is as cool as the mountain air above the clouds

A S A N A

D E S C R I P T I O N S

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

Asana Descriptions
Heres a brief description of a few asanas created from the wisdom of the ancients.
Heres a description of the yoga poses in your 15-minute routine. The following words and photos are something to give you an idea of how these simple poses should be done. But dont forget to listen to your body. If something doesnt feel right or starts to hurt, stop doing the pose or gently adjust your posture. If you enjoy these poses, there are many excellent resources out there that can help you learn more. Remember, this routine is designed to relax and get you into the yoga habit. Take it easy. Breathe deeply. Relax and release.
Mountain pose/ Hand-raising Sequence

This short sequence is a combination of a standard, starting yoga pose and the morning stretch we all do while yawning. Its a good way to start off the yoga sequence. 1. Concentrate on your breath, slowly deepening it throughout the pose. 2. Start in Mountain pose- bring the feet close together so the toes and balls of your feet are gently touching together. Keep the heels about to one-inch apart. Lift the toes and spread them wide into the ground. Center your body so that the weight is evenly spread through your two feet.

4 Mountain Pose

10

A S A N A

D E S C R I P T I O N S

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

3. Stand straight. Draw the stomach in and open your chest. Dont slump your shoulders or hollow out your lower back. 4. Place the arms down along your sides with your fingers pointing downward.
Be careful when you raise your arms if you have a history of shoulder or wrist injury.

5. Inhale and raise your arms, palms up, until they are perpendicular to your shoulders. Reach out away from your body. 6. Exhale and rotate your palms downwards while keeping your arms out. 7. As you inhale rotate the palms upwards and raise your arms up over your head until your palms are touching. Interlace your fingers and press your palms up towards the ceiling. 8. As you exhale, release your fingers, turn your palms back down, and begin lowering your arms back down to your side. 9. Return to Mountain pose for a few breaths and then repeat the sequence.
Upstretched Arms Pose

This is another great pose that stretches the muscles along your ribs and hips, improves balance and strengthens the wrists and ankles. 1. Begin in Mountain pose. Inhale and draw your arms upward above the head interlocking the fingers the palms facing upwards. Lift Make sure you dont bend side. your heels up about half an inch and to stand on the too far too thetorso Keep your hips and balls of your feet. Hold for a second or two. centered. Dont let your 2. Exhale and lower your heels. Unlock your fingers, but keep your arms over your head.
pelvis thrust forward. Bend gently and try to increase the stretch with each breath.

3. Inhale and gently bend sideways to the right at your hips while keeping your arms over your head. Hold for 2 to 3 breaths. 4. On an exhale, return back to standing straight. You can lower your arms back to your side when you exhale if they are tired. When youre ready, bend slowly to the other side on an inhale and repeat.
Standing Forward Bend/ Sun Breath Sequence

This sequence is a good way to wake up and get your energy pumping. It stretches out your back and hamstrings. Be careful if youre just beginning and go slowly. Think of how grateful you are for getting to see another day when you raise your arms up to the sky. Dont forget to smile while youre doing this sequence. 1. Start in Mountain pose. On an inhale, raise your arms up over your head and bring your palms together. Keep raising your arms and slowly bend backwards a little bit. Dont thrust your hips forward and keep your shoulders down.
11

A S A N A

D E S C R I P T I O N S

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

2. As you exhale, gently dive forward, bending at the hips. Keep your back as straight as possible as you bend forward and try to keep your arms level with your shoulders until your torso has gone as far forward as it can. Unless you can touch your toes, put your hands on your knees or ankles.

5 Sun Salutation Sequence

3. Let your head hang between your shoulders and pause briefly at the bottom of the bend. 4. On inhale, slowly straighten back up and raise your arms back over your head and do the sequence again. Dont rise up too quickly or you may faint. 5. Repeat for about 4 to 8 breaths.
Thunderbolt Pose Variation

Just get a gentle back bend when you dive forward. Dont worry about how far you can go. Try to keep your legs as straight as you can and dont worry about touching your toes in the beginning. Just do what you can until you can do better.

This variation of the Thunderbolt pose is excellent at stretching the arches of your feet. Its the variation that is designed for folks that cant quite bend their knees or feet enough for the formal version. 1. Come down to a kneeling position. Sit on your heels and bend your toes forward towards your knees. Relax your hands Take it easy on the Thunderbolt poses if you towards your sides. 2. Sit with the back straight and look forward. Place your hands on the top of your thighs or your knees. Avoid hollowing out your lower back and hunching your shoulders.
have a history of knee injury. Rise up off of your heels if you feel any discomfort. If it hurts, dont do it.

3. Breathe evenly. Allow the breath to flow deep into your belly. You can close your eyes. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds or 4 to 8 breaths.
Thunderbolt Pose

This is the formal version of the Thunderbolt pose. Its great at stretching the tops of your feet and giving you a balanced seated position for deep, relaxing breaths.

12

A S A N A

D E S C R I P T I O N S

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

1. From the variation of this pose, sit up off of your heels and flatten the tops of your feet down onto the floor.

Watch your knees. Dont do it too long if this position causes discomfort.

2. Sit down on your heels again. Rest your hands on the top of your thighs or your knees.

6 Thunderbolt Pose

3. Breathe deeply and evenly again. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds or 4 to 8 breaths.

Childs pose sequence

Heres another forward and backward back bending sequence. This sequence stretches the back and helps improve your posture. 1. Start in Thunderbolt pose. 2. Rise to a kneeling position with the toes pointing away. Keep your legs firm and press the tops of your feet into the floor to stabilize your body.
Be careful if you have a history of lower back problems. Dont bend backwards during the inhale if it feels uncomfortable.

3. On an inhale, raise both arms up over your head with the palms facing forward. Keep raising the arms and bend backward a little bit without thrusting your hips forward. Stretch your fingers to the sky. 4. On the exhale, slowly bend forward as you sit back on your heels. Keep your arms raised over your head kind of like youre bowing to a queen. Keep bending until your forehead is resting on the floor and your palms are touching the floor above your head. Release the shoulders and pull your arms back beside your body with the palms turned upward.

13

A S A N A

D E S C R I P T I O N S

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

7 Child's Pose Sequence

5. Inhale and repeat the sequence from step 2 again. Keep doing this sequence for about 4 to 8 breaths.
Head-on-knee pose

This is a good stretch for your back, hips, and hamstrings. Dont worry if you cant touch your toes in the beginning. With a little practice, youll be able to reach beyond your toes in no time. 1. Sit with your back erect and your torso at a 90-degree angle with your legs. 2. Bend the left leg and place the sole of your left foot against your right thigh. Keep your right leg straight and your right foot and toes flexed back towards your body.

8 Head-to-knee Pose

14

A S A N A

D E S C R I P T I O N S

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

3. As you inhale, lift up with both hands, stretching your arms above the head with the hands close together and your palms facing your right foot. Keep your back straight. 4. Exhale. Bend forward from the hips and lower your hands towards your right leg until you can hold your right ankle or toes. Breathe calmly and deeply.
This can be a pretty intense stretch for beginners. Work your way into this pose slowly over time. Keep the back of the knee of your straight leg pressed down on the floor. Again, if it hurts, let up a little or stop doing the pose.

5. Concentrate on gently lowering your forehead towards your right knee with each exhale. Dont push your self too hard or bounce towards the knee. Focus on surrendering any tension in your back or hamstring. Hold for 20 to 40 seconds or 4 to 8 breaths. 6. On an inhale, raise up your torso and return to the starting position. 7. Repeat on the other side.
Corpse pose

Doing corpse pose is pretty easy. You just lay there and relax, releasing any tension left in your body. If you concentrate on the visualization and breathing techniques outlined earlier in this guide, youll feel energized and refreshed when finished. 1. Lay on your back. Make sure your head is positioned along the centerline of your body and your spine feels aligned. Make sure your chin is neutral, not too far up or down, and isnt bent down so far that it partially blocks your windpipe.

9 Corpse Pose

2. Position your arms slightly away from your body with the palms turned upward. Slightly spread your feet apart and let your feet roll outward.

15

A S A N A

D E S C R I P T I O N S

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

3. Close your eyes and focus on the breath. Draw the breath deep into your stomach with each inhale. As you exhale, release any tension left in your body. Imagine yourself floating on a cloud. Let the breath flow effortlessly in and out. You can stay in this position as long as you want.

4. When youre ready, slowly come back to life by opening your eyes. Wiggle your hands and feet then start moving your knees and elbows a little. Bend your knees up towards your torso while keeping the soles of your feet on the ground. Grab the underside of your knees and sit up slowly.
Doing more than the minimum

Youll feel pretty relaxed after doing this pose for a few minutes. The blood will settle throughout your body, so make sure you sit up slowly otherwise you might get light headed. Never stand up quickly after doing this pose for an extended period. You might pass out.

This 15-minute routine was designed to get you in the habit of doing yoga or to give you an excuse-free yoga workout that can be done anywhere. But this workout was also intended to be a building block that you can use to refresh your body and get in the habit. You should start with the routine in this guide, but pretty soon youll outgrow this basic routine if youve been diligently doing yoga every morning. Thats when you should consider grabbing a yoga mat and looking for a good book with lots of pictures or a class with a good teacher. While you dont need any special equipment to do yoga, youll do better under the guidance of a good yoga teacher or excellent yoga program. There are literally hundreds of yoga systems for sale online. Many of them were created by excellent teachers that really care about the progress of their students. Some of these programs were created by folks that were only out to make a quick buck. Youll never know what youre listening to or paying attention to unless you spend a few minutes checking these resources out for yourself. Make sure you always maintain a critical eye and ear for any program that professes outlandish or extraordinary results with pretty much no effort on your part. Thats usually a good sign that a scam is afoot. If you practice every day like I do, youre going to spend most of your time doing yoga on your own in your own way. But it does pay to take classes. I have personally taken hundreds of yoga classes from time to time in the different towns Ive lived in across the United States. Ive had dozens of teachers and, sometimes, paid a handsome sum to attend classes at the better schools. The two best yoga schools that I have personally attended are: The Boise Yoga Center 3113 Rose Hill Boise, Idaho 83705 The Yoga Connection 3929 E. Pima St. Tucson, AZ 85712

16

A S A N A

D E S C R I P T I O N S

S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

These two studios offered excellent classes and the teachers were focused on the well-being of their students. I saw individual students get personal tips, suggestions, and corrections from the teachers every time I went. The teachers were also willing and able to spend time after class to politely and intelligently answer any questions. If youre ever in Boise or Tucson and want to take a yoga class, I think these are the two best in those towns. But what if you dont live in Boise or Tucson? Or, what if you cant afford to attend class at these studios? What do you do if the classes you need dont fit your busy schedule? Your best choice is to find a yoga book, program, or class online because then you can watch it in the comfort of your own home or office whenever you want on a computer or smartphone. Quality online yoga resources can do a pretty good job of giving you the instruction to help you perfect the asanas when you need them. However, not all online yoga instructions are created equal. Some are just not good enough to give you the instruction you deserve. The best online yoga program Ive come across in my 13 years of being a yoga student is the Shapeshifter Yoga program. Its downloadable. Its cheaper than two months of yoga classes. Its down to earth and you can do it on your own time. Plus, you can get your money back AND keep the program if you arent satisfied. This is just my own personal opinion, so feel free to check it out on your own.

10 Saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert doing their own version of yoga

17

C O N C L U S I O N S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

Conclusion
In 2008, I made a summit attempt on Mount Rainer in Washington State. At 14,411 feet high, Rainier is the second tallest peak in the lower 48 states. Some consider it the most difficult peak to climb in the lower 48 because most people go from sea level to 14,000+ feet and back down again in less than 48 hours! The summit bids usually start from Camp Muir base camp at 10,080 feet around midnight in order to beat the sun, which melts the glaciers making it much more hazardous. A midnight strike for the summit usually comes after about 6 to 8 hours of extreme mountaineering that includes about 4,800 feet of elevation climb over glaciers and rock. So, in order to summit Rainer, you climb up 9,000 feet of ice and rock to the top of the mountain and go back down to the parking lot at 5,400 feet in less than 48 hours! I was awakened around 12:15 AM to get my gear together for the summit bid. I didnt sleep well. The altitude made my head throb and I was struggling for a deep breath all night. I think I got about 2 hours of sleep. I was weak. The shelter at base camp was a hive of activity with people scurrying around searching for their gear and trying to choke down a little breakfast. I wasnt hungry. In fact, I was kinda nauseous. I felt like I had to get some air, so I threw on my boots and went outside. Outside, the air was brisk (about 20 degrees F). All I was wearing was a fleece pullover, long johns, and my boots. Despite the fact that my nose hairs were freezing with each inhale, the view was spectacular. I was above the clouds. A midsummers full moon was high in the sky. Stars twinkled brightly on all sides of me. The icy blue of Rainier loomed large over my shoulder. Then, suddenly, I got really anxious and worried. People die on Rainer and I started thinking the unthinkable. Thats when I realized I hadnt done my morning stretches. I climbed up on a nearby boulder, took off my boots and started doing some Sun salutations. Deep inhale, raise arms. Exhale and release, dive down and touch my toes. InhaleI kept going for about 10 breaths, all the while being amazed by the beauty all around me. After about 10 minutes, I realized I needed to get my stuff together. The anxiety was gone. All I felt was energy flowing throughout my body and excitement about the upcoming climb. I started out doing this same routine more than 13 years ago. Im still doing some of these same poses. Because I used the huge number of yoga asanas to fashion something that worked for me, Ive been able to keep doing yoga despite the demands of my life. Ive part of this routine almost everywhere on beaches in Hawaii at sunrise, on an airplane high over the Atlantic, at home the morning after my son was born, and on a glaciated peak above the clouds on Rainer. I truly recommend you start with this routine today. Dont wait. This could lead to something that will change your life for the better.

18

C O N C L U S I O N S U C C I N C T R E S E A R C H WWW.SUCCINCTRESEARCH.COM

11 The trail to Mount Rainers base camp. Yoga is just one step on the path I take every day.

19

About Bill White

Bill White is the CEO and founder of Succinct Research, a company dedicated to conducting quality research and publications for clients and the non-academic public. An enthusiast of holistic healing, he is also the creator of Jobs in Ayurveda, which focuses on helping professionals in holistic healing and alternative medicine find jobs and improve their businesses. He is also a practicing Buddhist and has been doing yoga daily for over a decade. For over eight years, Bill has lead research groups on fieldwork projects in some of the most remote locations in the United States including the temperate rainforests of Washington State, at high altitudes near Great Basin National Park, and in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts in the American Southwest. These projects have allowed him opportunities to gain and test his skills in leadership, decision making, and public relations. As a project director and project manager, Bill has played an integral role in helping others develop their professional skills and use their experiences to find gainful employment. As a mentor, he has helped hundreds of students and co-workers on their career paths. As a business owner, hes dedicated to offering these experiences, talents, and skills to you. An innovative, thorough archival researcher, field scientist, and author, Bill has participated in over 100 historical, archaeological, and anthropological research projects across the United States. He has written or co-authored nearly 50 research reports and given presentations to diverse audiences across the United States, in Canada, and the United Kingdom. A lifelong student of human cultures and practices, Bill graduated from Boise State University with a B.A. in Anthropology, Native American Studies minor and earned his M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Idaho. Learn more about what Bill and Succinct Research can do for you, your business, or organization. Jobs in Ayurveda is helping Ayurvedic professionals, holistic healers, and alternative medicine practitioners get jobs and build their businesses.

20