3 steps to the figure & fluency of a French woman: yoga in French – Part Two

It’s no secret – the world loves yoga. My own love affair with the practice of yoga began when I was only 17.

So what might happen if you wandered into a French yoga class? Well, for starters, you’d get a great workout for your body and mind. You’d also hear the French versions of the common names for the yogic postures, and you might even get a kick out of listening to Sanskrit mantras chanted with a delightful French accent.

And even better: you’ll be well on your way to achieving the poise, figure and fluency of a French woman. (Because we all know French women don’t get fat!)

So let’s get started, everyone! On y va !

Respiration

Many people think that stretching is the most important part of yoga, but breathing is actually the most essential part of yoga practice. There are many different types of yogic breathing. The two most commonly used breath techniques are as follows:

Respiration du feu – breath of fire. Breath of fire is a very powerful breathing technique. It is a very rapid breath through the nose, somewhat like rapid sniffing.

Respiration longue et profonde – long deep breathing. This type of breathing is just as its description implies – long and deep. The breath goes through the nose and the length of the inhale is equal to the length of the exhale.

Positions

There are literally thousands of positions in yoga, but it all starts with the ‘easy pose’.

La posture du lotus – easy pose, or lotus pose is a basic yoga posture that involves sitting cross-legged. Make sure your spine is straight and you’re ready to start your yoga class!

Discover more yoga in French with Part One of our series.