Yoga
Yoga is a divine science of life, developed in India with roots going
back about 5,000 years. Yoga is a method of training designed to lead
the practitioners to ultimate reality and a greater sense of Self. The
English word "Yoke" is derived from this word, a means of becoming
united with the supreme being, the self and the God.
A system of exercises to attain bodily or mental control and spirit.
There are various forms of Yoga which include physical postures and
movements (asana) which helps in building strength, (pranayama)
breathing exercises for cleansing and meditation, the concentration of
the mind, for relaxation and stress reduction.
These days there is a focus on a specific form of Yoga which is
dedicated to physical exercise to promote health and well-being. Yoga
is beneficial in the treatment of many common physical ailments through
the regular practice of yoga, and it is never too late or too early in
life to take it up. There is no age limit to practice yoga.
Forms
of Yoga
* Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga is an age-old discipline of Yoga which deals with the
physical body. It is popularly called as yoga of the body. The two most
important parts of Hatha Yoga are
Physical positions which are called "Asanas" in Sanskrit.
Breathing Exercises (controlled breathing)
* Raja Yoga
The Royal Path or 'kingly path' of Union with the Supreme through the
right use of the mind. It offers a systematic approach for gaining
control over the mind.The attention is fixed on an object, mantra, or
concept until it becomes completely still. It is suitable for people
who like to apply their willpower in dealing with life's situations and
who wish to learn about all aspects of their minds. It's a case of
sitting in a cross-legged position, does not involve any kind of
exercise,
a focused concentration if mind. It works wonders for stressed out
people.
* Karma Yoga
Yoga of service to others, without any concern for success or
failure.Where you devotee yourself on the path of detached actions. You
do not care about rewards or results. The consequences of our actions
should only bring benefits to others and no harm.
* Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti Yoga is the path of devotion to God. The Yogis act with the
feeling that they are doing verything as an offering to the God, the
surrender.
* Jnana Yoga
The word jnana pronounced as gyan means knowledge, insight and wisdom.
Yoga of knowledge, arrived at through reasoning and discrimination. to
attain knowledge from what you hear from your gurus. Jnana yogi has the
wisdom to discriminate between real and unreal.
Benefits of Yoga
* Increasing
flexibility
Yoga has positions that act upon the whole body, the entire body is
trained together. The different kinds of postures practiced in Yoga
help gently stretch the muscle tissue of the legs. Breathing exercises
can also increase lung capacity and improve your breathing patterns.
Yoga act upon the various joints of the body including those joints
which have not been consciously work upon. eventually a rigid body at
the initial stages of learning yoga experience a remarkable flexibility
in all parts of the body.
* Physical benefits
The regular practice of yoga has been shown to produce physical
benefits including reduced anxiety, reducing weight , stress and blood
pressure levels, and increased relaxation of muscular strains,
strength, enhanced immune system , and energy levels.
* Gold to mind
Meditation focuses and clarifies the mind better than any other
activity. It improves creativity, concentration, mental alertness and
memory. Improves decision-making skills, mood and feeling of well-being.
* Spritiual goodness
Practicing yoga brings in perfection, peace and lasting happiness. It
will infuse you with confidence and self-reliance. Yoga discipline
gives inner peace and tranquillity and new dimension to one's life. It
is the only way to connect you to yourself.
Is yoga different from normal exercise?
Normal exercise routine is focused towards a certain goal, such as
loosing 10 pounds or increasing the number push-ups than what you did
yesterday. Yoga, on the other hand, is a process. Yoga is the only way
to tone the body and calm the mind at the same time. The difference
between the traditional exercise and yogs is philosophical, not
physical.
The physical positions is yoga are really aimed at the mind, to
attaining balance and composure. Whereas the our regular exercise
routine strengthens the muscles and improves the alignment of the body.
Yoga is all about how you feel about the world and the self,to attain
the balance in our lives and lifestyle. On the other hand our
traditional exercises is about the way we look.
If you are aiming on toning your muscles and building strength then
pilates is a better choice. If you want to improve a flexibility a
little more and also looking for a way to reduce stress and the feeling
of peace then try yoga.
What you should know?
1. If you can do yoga everyday - that is great. If you have a busy
schedule then start from 20-30 minutes of yoga a day, two days a week.
Gradually increase it to 60-90 minutes a day, three to four days a
week.
2.Yoga is for everyone. There are many kinds of yoga so there is one
for you. There is no age constrain to do yoga, anybody can do it
whether young or old.
3. Yoga involves stretch positions so do them slowly and carefully.
Make your moves gently and stretch further than is comfortable.
4. Do not do yoga immediately after eating. Always wait for an hour and
half after a meal.
5. It is recommended that you gradually change your eating habits,
including more of fiber and food with nutritious value. Replace your
junk food with tofu, cereals, whole grain, and so on.
6. Yoga can help reduce weight. The regular practice of stretching,
twisting, bending and inverting the body squeezes the internal organs,
cleansing the body of impurities including the build-up of excess fat.
Regular practice of right kind of yoga four to five times a week will
help reduce weight.
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