Have you ever really observed a baby and the number of times it smiles during the day? Well, come to think of it, babies are born yogis and over the years, people nowadays, have lost the child themselves, somewhere. People are so engrossed in their daily grind and problems that they lose the main essence of life. All around you, you can see the work burdens and personal pressures being carried by people even till the time they probably drop of to sleep in their bed. And some of them have unfortunately forgotten what it means to sleep like a baby owing to all the burdens of life.
All you need to do is to challenge your will power to actually get your life back on track combined with some exercise. If you are really not able to fathom what I am talking about, I am about to give you a personal connection with Yoga. Practiced by millions today, Yoga has literally transformed the lives of people worldwide. If you have developed cold feet about Yoga, then let me tell you one thing, it is not really as difficult as it seems. It is all about strengthening your mind, which in turn strengthens your body and is beneficial for men, women as well as kids.
Benefits of Yoga:
When you practice Yoga, the brain remains peaceful and the senses are stilled. This generates a calm feeling of well-being. The journey of self-improvement starts from the very first step in Yoga. The focus is on improving your strength and power. Unlike other forms of exercise, Yoga can rejuvenate you without leaving you too fatigued at the end of the session. Besides, you don’t really need to visit swanky gyms to practice Yoga. Once you develop your skills in perfecting the asanas (postures), you can practice Yoga right in your own home.
In Yoga the brain is treated as the object; the body being the subject. Yoga teaches one to distribute the energy to the other parts of the body. Yoga is the only form of exercise that completely involves the mind and soul, which in turn results in the complete well-being of the person.
Yoga increases flexibility:
Yoga involves the practice of various asanas (Yoga postures), which act upon the various joints of the body. This is turn helps get rid of common ailments like back aches and head aches and also proves to be beneficial in the long run.
Yoga can help you control:
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate
- Body temperature
- Respiratory function
- Metabolic rate
Yoga tones the muscles:
With Yoga, you can get rid of all the excess flab and tone all your muscles without actually needing to pump iron.
Yoga helps you manage-
- High stress levels
- Efficient heart function
- Blood pressure
- Respiratory problems
- Improving the physical fitness
Types of Yoga:
Yoga techniques are divided into classical Yoga and modern styles of Yoga. Let us take a look at some of the popular and most common ones. One needs to know which type of Yoga would suit him/her in the best possible way.
Bhakti Yoga:
For Bhakti Yoga, the student has to concentrate on one form, which could be a deity he/she worships and believes in or any person or figure that one strongly believes in. Bhakti Yoga makes the person focus on his power of love and devotion.
Karma Yoga:
In Karma Yoga, you are taught to be selfless. This would enable the person to help people around him without really expecting anything in return. In today’s fast paced world, Karma Yoga would help the person to realize those responsibilities, which he/she would have probably overlooked.
Mantra Yoga:
Mantra Yoga makes use of certain word/sentences also known as ‘Japa’. These sentences are required to be repeated by the student sometimes at a particular time of the day. The repeated incantations calm the senses and develop a spiritual connection with God.
Jnana Yoga:
For the intellectually inclined, the Jnana Yoga would really help him/her develop as a person. It helps one to enhance or gain spiritual knowledge.
Raja Yoga:
Patanjali presents a system called Ashtanga Yoga or the Yoga sutras, which are the eight limbs of Yoga. These limbs actually represent our system and all the facets connected to it.
Yamas-It teaches you to deal with the people around you. It also focuses on our own attitudes towards others.
Niyama-This is about self-realization. Focus is to find contentment and be devoted to the divine.
Asanas or postures- Here the person can experience the unison of body and mind. Every posture indicates a mental attitude. It could be to surrender oneself or to strengthen the will power of the person.
Pranayama- Pranayama is about breath control. This is done to restore and maintain one’s health. Pranayama goes along with all the various asanas in Yoga. It also helps in calming the mind.
Pratyahara -This is the fifth limb of Ashtanga Yoga. Here one learns to detach oneself from external stimulants. Pratyahara helps one to achieve inner peace and tranquility. It happens more frequently when we mediate. It helps us to avoid wasting time on negative issues that don’t really require our attention in daily life.
Dharana- It teaches us to hold our focus in one direction. When we focus on one activity instead of letting our minds wander towards other issues, we will realize the benefits only of this asana, only when we see the results. Having the power to reflect upon things that require the right amount of attention will give you more productive results in the long run.
Dhyana-This will make you delve into the focus of your attention and really grasp the real identity. Dhyana means concentration and it requires you to be united with the object. It is the connection with the focus and is a form of religious meditation.
Samadhi-This is the final limb or step. At this stage, we merge with the object of our meditation. This is the feeling, which really needs to be experienced. The person is also known to be free from all emotional attachments.
Hatha Yoga:
This word means the combination of the sun and the moon, which in turn represents the positive and negative energies. Hatha Yoga helps us to balance and master these forces within us.
Apart from these, some of the other common types of Yoga are Tantra/Tantric Yoga, Purna Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Yantra Yoga etc.
Basic Kinds of Yoga Exercises (Asana) and their benefits:
The word asana is a Sanskrit word and means the root (To dwell or to be present). One has to be seated in a particular position in various postures. There are different kinds of Yoga exercises, which will help you attain different levels. A look at some of the common and popular forms of Yoga exercises or asanas-
Adho Mukha Svanasana:
This asana helps you to build you inner strength and keeps you completely alert. It also requires extensive stretching of the spine and also helps to relax the heart.
Sukhasana:
Sukhasana improves your concentration on your breathing and helps to toughen up your lower back areas. It also helps to open up the groin and the hip areas.
Trikonasana:
The most popular and important form of Yoga exercise, Trikonasana involves stretching of the spine and improving flexibility. One also can see a marked difference in the concentration skills and overall internal balance of the body.
Uttanasana:
To perform the Uttanasana, you would also require to know the Tadasana or the mountain pose. Uttasana proves beneficial for the spine, legs, heart and neck. Also a well-known pose amongst all Yoga followers, it also helps in calming the senses.
Virabhadrasana:
This asana increases the strength in the body specially the arms and legs. The overall confidence of the person increases upon regular practice of this asana. Virabhadrasana also improves the balance and concentration of the person.
Vajrasana:
This asana is especially beneficial for people suffering from diabetes and also helps in correcting disorders of the stomach area. It activates and energizes the organs of the abdominal area. It is also useful in maintaining blood pressure levels.
Savasana:
The Savasana is known to completely relax your mind and body. It has to be done lying down and requires you to concentrate on every part of your body and you can actually feel it loosen up. It is very useful in reducing the pressures and worries of the mind. Savasana is used at the end of any exercise session.
Yoga Meditation:
Yoga meditation helps you to develop your concentration skills. There are various exercises in Yoga that help you develop these skills. Through Yoga meditation, you can discover peace and tranquility within you. The Padmasana or the Ardha Padmasana are an example of the poses that can be used for meditation. There are also mudras and exercises that can help you concentrate better when you meditate.
Benefits
- High stress levels
- Efficient heart function
- Blood pressure
- Respiratory problems
- Improving the physical fitness
- Increases the capacity of the lungs
- Reduces stress
- Improves the immune system
- Improves memory
- Completely recharges the nervous system
Most kinds of activities or exercise routines require the body to make forceful actions. But with Yoga, it brings stability to the body and heightens the energy levels and brings about equilibrium between the senses, mind and body. Although a challenging form to the beginners, Yoga can also be fun and exciting once you get the real taste of life. From learning the basics, any student of this extraordinary form would always be tempted to learn further and dive deeply into this rich reserve, to live a happy and fulfilled life.
Benefits of Yoga Meditation and Exercise
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