Yoga and Health

Yoga is best for the health. The benefit of yoga practice goes far beyond the actual time you spend in the poses. One of the most common reasons why people begin practicing yoga is to improve their health and well-being. Yoga means union. It is a union of the mind, body and breath, so all aspects of your life are impacted by your practice.

A major benefit of yoga is physical.

Yoga improves your flexibility. - The stretching that you engage in during every practice helps lengthen and stretch muscles, which helps reduce the risk of injuries.

It helps to improve your balance. - The majority of yoga practices include some type of balancing in the poses. A significant number of people, especially as they began to get older, start to have problems with balance, which can lead to major injuries due to falls. By having a greater sense of balance, you are able to move more easily and safely.

Yoga can help reduce pain. - Tense muscles often contribute to pain. Relaxing muscles helps to minimize muscle tension and the pain that is associated with it. Also, breathing deeply into muscles helps lessen pain by altering your perception of it.

It tones your muscles. - Yoga works all the muscles in your body. It helps strengthen and tone them and also builds endurance and stamina.

It helps to increase your level of energy… - Carrying tension in your body takes an enormous toll on your energy reserves. By learning how to relax through your yoga practice, you benefit by enjoying higher levels of energy so you can more thoroughly enjoy your daily activities.

Yoga helps promote a sense of relaxation. - Most people breathe high in their chests. This not only does not allow them to get sufficient oxygen, it also triggers the stress response, which contributes to feelings of anxiety. Breathing deeply as practiced in yoga, helps relax your muscles and also brings much needed oxygen to your cells. The deep sense of relaxation also leads to better quality sleep.

Each yoga practice ends with some type of relaxation. Since your body and mind are one, by relaxing your body you also relax your mind. Many yoga experts believe that a relaxation pose is the most beneficial pose in any yoga practice.

Another benefit of yoga is mental.

Yoga clears your mind and helps you focus your attention. - During your practice, you are focusing your attention on your breath and turning inward. This concentration allows you to withdraw from the distractions in your environment. A significant benefit of yoga practice is that you can take this ability to focus your attention into every aspect of your life. You can be fully present with whatever you are doing instead of worrying about tomorrow or regretting yesterday. Not only will your actions be more productive, you can also enjoy them in a greater way.

Yoga helps reduces stress. - Deep breathing helps reduce the hormones that are released when you are feeling overwhelmed, overloaded, and frazzled. The internal focus that accompanies the poses helps create a relaxation response in your body.

Yoga can help release stuck emotions. - Often stuck emotions find their way into our bodies. Remember, your mind and body are one, and if you are suppressing any painful emotions, you will often experience that as pain in some part of your body. A benefit of yoga is that by breathing deeply into places in your body that hold tension, you can help release the emotions that may be buried there. You can then examine these emotions and let go of those that do not serve you.

Also, as you take your body past the limits of where it has been, you start to feel that you can move past other limitations in your life as well.

You gain a sense of peace and tranquility. - Most yoga practices include some time for meditation. Regular meditation helps your mind reach a state of inner calm. It helps you gain control over your thinking instead of being at the mercy of wayward thoughts.

Its better you maintain a regular schedule for your Yoga session. So, in this way your mind and body will be conditioned regularly and it will take your body to more healthier lifestyle.

This is true.

Definition of Yoga: The first four sutras define Yoga, with that definition being expanded upon in the other sutras. In a systematic process of meditation, you gradually move your attention inward, through all the levels of your being, gaining mastery along the way (1.2). Eventually you come to rest in your true nature, which is beyond all of those levels (1.3). This action and the realization of this center of consciousness, is the meaning of Yoga.

What is “systematic” meditation?: The purpose of this article is to discuss what it means to go inward systematically, through the four dimensions of reality, and how this relates to yoga practices of meditation. If your logical mind understands the process, then it is much easier to do your practices systematically, and to more deeply experience the benefits from that.

Know Yourself at All Levels
To know yourself at all levels means to direct or train your attention to gradually, systematically move inward, going from outer to inner, from gross to subtle.
Here are levels of our being in yoga science and philosophy:
? Senses
? Body
? Breath
? Conscious Mind
? Unconscious Mind
? Subconscious or Latent Mind
? Center of Consciousness

The phrase “Center of Consciousness” simply means that core of our being which we each intuit as being our deepest true nature. This may be thought of this as Soul, Spirit, Self, or any other name which matches one’s personal preference. Two commonly used words are Atman for the true Self, or Purusha for pure consciousness.

1.2 Yoga is the control (nirodhah, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration, coordination, stilling, quieting, setting aside) of the modifications (gross and subtle thought patterns) of the mind field.
(yogash chitta vritti nirodhah)
? yoga = of yoga, union; literally, to yoke, from the root yuj, which means to join; same as the absorption in samadhi
? chitta = of the consciousness of the mind-field
? vritti = operations, activities, fluctuations, modifications, changes, or various forms of the mind-field
? nirodhah = control, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration, coordination, understanding, stilling, quieting, setting aside of

1.3 Then the Seer abides in Itself, resting in its own True Nature, which is called Self-realization.
(tada drashtuh svarupe avasthanam)
? tada = then, at that time; at the time of concentration and meditation
? drashtuh = the seer’s, of the soul, witness, Atman, Self; from the root drsh, which means to see (It is significant to note that Patanjali is not trying to define who is the seer, or the nature of that seer. This is left to be answered or resolved in direct experience.)
? svarupe = in its own nature, own form or essence; (sva = own; rupa = form)
? avasthanam = stability, settling, remaining, being in a state, resting, standing, lying, abiding; the root stha means to stand

Reference: http://www.swamij.com/index-yoga-meditation-yoga.htm

Medical studies clearly show that a long term practice of yoga results in greater health and happiness:

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I find no other posts from you and while everyone is of course entitled to be part of the community in whatever way they please it is a curiosity to me.

Might you illuminate me?

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In a recent conversation with a friend I realized that many people have an idea about yoga being a set of postures, still, instead of an integrated practice of the conditioning of the mind, body and soul. No matter how many times we are reminded, it seems we continue to view yoga as a bunch of pretzel poses instead of a whole tool box full of aids to increase our feelings of peace, quiet and joy. Why do we persist in thinking that we have to stand on our heads or do an intense back bend to find joy when practicing jnana yoga (the yoga of the intellect) or bhakati yoga (the yoga of mantra and song, fostering love and devotion) or kundalini yoga (the practice of bringing dormant shakti energy to rise to higher spiritual centers) can be just as effective as an hour-long, intensely physical asana practice?

Hello I’m Rachel from USA. I’m american but i like to doing yoga everyday, i read blogs related to yoga and i have my own blog in that i write all the information which i know about yoga. I have some additional information about all Asana, Yoga is advised to be another and commutual alleviative convenance for assorted bloom problems back abounding years. It is not a simple exercise but aswell a holistic access to affiliate body, apperception and soul.
There are assorted ‘asana’ in yoga that refers to practicing assorted concrete poses. This agency it helps you to reside a complete satisfactory, blessed and advantageous life.

[B]Savasana:[/B] This type of asana involves lying completely relaxed on the ground but it requires lot of concentration. By doing this asana, blood stimulates and circulates properly and reduces nervousness, fatigue, asthma, indigestion, diabetes, constipation and insomnia.

[B]Sukhasana:[/B] This pose involves sitting on the floor with crossed legs and hands on knees in straight manner. It strengthens the spine, opens the hips and relieves tiredness.

[B]Surya Namaskar:[/B] It involves saluting the sun in 12 steps and helps to strengthen and makes muscles and spinal column flexible. It warms the body and tones the abdominal muscles.

[B]Sirsasana:[/B] In this pose, one has to stand on his head letting the complete weight of the body on it. It increases the blood flow to the brain and improves memory and other functioning of cerebrum.

[B]Sarvangasana:[/B] One has to stand on his shoulders leaving the whole weight of the body on them. It reduces stress in neck and lower back, stimulates thyroid gland and improves blood circulation in heart, shoulders, back and neck. It is an advanced asana which should be learnt properly from experts.

[B]Dhanurasana:[/B] It involves stretching your body in the form of a bow. It is one of the best exercises to strengthen the back muscles and improve posture.