Sunday, June 29, 2014

Yoga For Health and an Active Lifestyle

Yoga for health has received extensive coverage in the past few years. Experts Yogis have cropped up almost everywhere with their own unique form of yoga. Apparently there are 6 styles with several sub styles and interpretations of yoga. There is yoga for health, yoga for spirituality, yoga for wisdom, even a yoga that helps you have better sex! In this maze of yoga, how does a yoga beginner find what he is looking for without getting duped? This article talks about the basics of yoga and what a person needs to know to achieve an active lifestyle and better health by applying the principles of yoga.

Yoga for health is different from simple exercise in the fact that it focuses equally on the mind and spirit along with one's physical self. So Yoga for health is not just about weight loss or fitness but a feeling of 'wellnesses. Yoga attempts to achieve a balance between the body, mind and spirit by 'uniting' them through exercise, pranayam and meditation. Exercise is the first part with a range of simple to almost impossible to perform 'asanas' that increase the body's flexibility. Incidentally, many of these asanas or poses combine the best of aerobic exercise with the rigors of strength training making it better than any gym workout. It is best not to attempt all these postures at once and proceed slowly. What might seem difficult at first will become easier with practice. Do not give up any asana however difficult it may seem. Each asana has a unique role to play and skipping it will deprive the body of those benefits. Conversely trying everything at once will only lead to disappointment.

The second part is pranayam or correct breathing techniques. These include various ways of inhaling, holding and exhaling air from one's mouth and nostrils. Pranayam requires focusing on one's breath and helps discipline the mind for the meditation. Pranayam also helps promote the flow of energy which contributes to better overall health and vitality. The third and the hardest is meditation which works to bring the mind and spirit in union with the body. It requires maximum practice and dedication. Though beneficial for the body as well, it is not mandatory to be able to meditate to get the benefits of yoga.

Yoga is practiced all over the world today. It is easy to get basic posture information from books or the internet. Try by doing some simple asanas in the comfort of your home. All you need are some comfortable clothes and a mat. It is important to concentrate while doing yoga to achieve the best benefits unlike aerobic exercises which go well with music. If you can, try and learn yoga in a group. Learning in the environs of an ashram is actually the best way since there are fewer distractions as well as access to greater energies. If you are serious about yoga for your health then find an ashram where you live for a few days and learn yoga under the guidance of a guru.








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