Yoga Will Train Your Body and Relax Your Mind
Posted by
patrick
Yoga increases muscular strength. It reduces tension and stress. It has a low potential for injury, and it doesn't even look like exercise. Why, then, don't more people practice simple yoga?
People think of yoga as being passive and mystical - an otherworldly activity that doesn't relate to their lives. People are experiencing a vacuum because of all the outward directed activity, and they are going to have to go back to the experience of self.
In fact, yoga is an Indian discipline that has been practiced for more than 5000 years. Yet, here, it still boasts few followers. Almost half of the American adult population swims, while about 25% run or jog, but only 2% practice yoga.
The word yoga derives from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to yoke or connect. Through yoga's various techniques, one is said to arrive at mental and physical equilibrium, better health and inner peace. It has been described as providing, in effect, a "work-in" rather than a workout.
There are at least eight main branches of yoga and several offshoots of each, but essentially there are only two concerned with exercise: hatha yoga and kundalini yoga.
Hatha is the most popular type of yoga in the Western world. It is a slow-paced discipline that emphasizes controlled breathing and assuming various physical poses. It is said to aid the nervous system, the glands and the vital organs.
Kundalini yoga, introduced to this country in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan, is more active than hatha yoga, and combines various movements, modes of breathing, and meditation. With kundalini yoga, the idea is that body energy is coiled below the base of the spine and this energy can be tapped so that it will travel upward through the different chakras or energy centers until it reaches the top of the head. When one arrives here, it is said that you have reached your fullest potential.
Classically, there are 84 basic yoga positions, or asanas, which are coordinated with special breathing techniques. The asanas range from simple bends and twists to pretzel-like contortions reserved for the most advanced practitioners. The various poses elongate the muscles and build flexibility. Along with the proper breathing, they help rid the body of tension. Static holds isolate and strengthen particular muscles.
Asanas have evolved over the centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in the body. They secure a fine physique, which is strong and elastic without being muscle-bound, and they keep the body free from disease. They reduce fatigue and soothe the nerves. But their real importance lies in the way they train and discipline the mind.
People think of yoga as being passive and mystical - an otherworldly activity that doesn't relate to their lives. People are experiencing a vacuum because of all the outward directed activity, and they are going to have to go back to the experience of self.
In fact, yoga is an Indian discipline that has been practiced for more than 5000 years. Yet, here, it still boasts few followers. Almost half of the American adult population swims, while about 25% run or jog, but only 2% practice yoga.
The word yoga derives from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to yoke or connect. Through yoga's various techniques, one is said to arrive at mental and physical equilibrium, better health and inner peace. It has been described as providing, in effect, a "work-in" rather than a workout.
There are at least eight main branches of yoga and several offshoots of each, but essentially there are only two concerned with exercise: hatha yoga and kundalini yoga.
Hatha is the most popular type of yoga in the Western world. It is a slow-paced discipline that emphasizes controlled breathing and assuming various physical poses. It is said to aid the nervous system, the glands and the vital organs.
Kundalini yoga, introduced to this country in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan, is more active than hatha yoga, and combines various movements, modes of breathing, and meditation. With kundalini yoga, the idea is that body energy is coiled below the base of the spine and this energy can be tapped so that it will travel upward through the different chakras or energy centers until it reaches the top of the head. When one arrives here, it is said that you have reached your fullest potential.
Classically, there are 84 basic yoga positions, or asanas, which are coordinated with special breathing techniques. The asanas range from simple bends and twists to pretzel-like contortions reserved for the most advanced practitioners. The various poses elongate the muscles and build flexibility. Along with the proper breathing, they help rid the body of tension. Static holds isolate and strengthen particular muscles.
Asanas have evolved over the centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in the body. They secure a fine physique, which is strong and elastic without being muscle-bound, and they keep the body free from disease. They reduce fatigue and soothe the nerves. But their real importance lies in the way they train and discipline the mind.
About the Author:
Learn more about the practice of yoga at Simple Yoga Essentials, a guide to simple yoga exercises that will improve your body, mind and spirit.
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