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Lately, yoga becomes a famous body activity to many people. The fact is yoga is really giving may benefits for us. An ancient Indian philosophy, the principles of Yoga are timeless, holding true as much in today’s time as it did centuries ago.

In Sanskrit, Yoga means “to unite“. Primarily an exercise in moral and mental cultivation of poses and practices that aim towards harmonising your mind, body and soul to achieve a state of oneness with the universe. It’s a spiritual practice that does not subscribe nor promote any particular faith; hence it can be practised by all. A lifestyle choice by many, the universally timeless philosophies of yoga can be incorporated into any belief system. Stress, anxiety, ill-health, unhappiness and anger can be transformed into peacefulness, vibrant health, service and love towards all creation. The techniques are important in this process but the goal should be kept firmly in mind.

The three main aspects of yoga are,

Asanas or poses. The various yogic poses that give your body flexibility, strengthen the muscles and even reduce fat build-up. More importantly many asanas or poses are aimed at improving the blood circulation and functioning of specific organs in your body. Keeping in mind your body’s specific needs, you can work out a set of asanas for yourself.

Pranayama or breathing. Pranayama can be called the singular most important aspect of yoga as they are means to purify the subtle energies flowing through the body. Yogic breathing techniques are an effective tool to calm, energize, harmonise and tranquillise the body and mind. All poses are to be properly coordinated with inhalation, exhalation and holding of breath. Breathing patterns if not followed correctly could result in the asana not having its desired effect.

Meditation. Mediation is a means to still the mind’s restlessness. An invaluable tool in managing stress and anxiety. Regular meditation trains the mind to be calm, centred, relaxed and detached. This is extremely helpful while responding to stressful situations. It curbs overreaction, emotional outbursts and losing temper, thus giving the mind the time to rationalise and think about practical solutions.

Pranayama and meditation have amazing capacity to reduce the stress inducing hormones. It restores calm, promotes positivism, and encourages patience and harbours compassion. It will keep you fresh and rejuvenated throughout the year both physically and mentally.

Yoga is much more than sitting in a lotus position and chanting in unison. It is challenging on many levels - physically, emotionally and mentally. Yoga helps us get in touch with our selves in many different facets. There are many different types of yoga, and depending on your personal needs, you will find the right one for you. Some are gentle and some are more strenuous but all are challenging.

Yoga is process oriented activity in which what you experience is much more important than what you achieve. So it is not a goal accomplishing mission.

As well as being fun for children, learning yoga develops self-discipline and can enhance their physical and mental health. Asanas are good for developing coordination and help to improve concentration and memory. Regular practice can enable young people to keep their natural flexibility for many years.

It can help teenagers to keep their youthful flexibility and give them the inner strength to say no to negative influences.

Older people often find that gentle yoga exercises allow them to retain mobility and may relieve problems such as arthritis and poor circulation.

During pregnancy, yoga promotes good health in both mother and unborn child. Yoga asanas lessen the effects of such problems as overweight, backache, and depression. Most women who practice yoga find that it can make labor easier and shorter. Although some asanas have to be modified during pregnancy, their essence is perfectly suited to this time of expanded self-awareness. Pregnancy is also a very good time for meditation.

Everyone can benefit from following a regular yoga routine, as it counteracts many of the problems suffered in modern life. Asanas release the physical tensions caused by hours of sitting, deep breathing gives vitality by increasing the supply of oxygen to the brain and meditation enhances the powers of concentration. Yoga improves strength and flexibility in the mind as well as the body, and aids relaxation. Yoga can enable one to relax fully, and promotes sound sleep; it also improves digestion and stimulates circulation. It frees the practitioner both physically and mentally, often heightening intuition and creativity.

Yoga has both preventive and therapeutic benefits. It has been shown to offer both physical and mental benefits to the body and the mind.

The many physical benefits of hatha yoga are: it improves flexibility and muscle joint mobility; strengthens, tones, and builds muscles; corrects posture; strengthens the spine; eases back pain; improves muscular-skeletal conditions such as bad knees, tight shoulders and neck, swayback and scoliosis; increases stamina; creates balance and grace; stimulates the glands of the endocrine system; improves digestion and elimination; increases circulation; improves heart conditions; improves breathing disorders; boosts immune response; decreases cholesterol and blood sugar levels; and encourages weight loss.

The mental benefits include: it increases body awareness; relieves chronic stress patterns in the body; refreshes the body by relieving muscle strain; relaxes the mind and body; centers attention; sharpens concentration; and frees the spirit.

Western doctors and scientists are discovering additional health benefits of hatha yoga. Studies have shown that it can relieve the symptoms of several common and potentially life-threatening illnesses; such as arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, diabetes, AIDS, asthma and obesity. Many believe it even fends off the ravages of old age.

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