What is Yoga and Its Excellent Benefits
If you ask someone ‘What is Yoga’? The answers can vary from a set of physical exercises, a spiritual practice, to a perfect body and mind workout, etc. Looking at a few yoga pictures and watching online yoga tutorials is not enough to understand yoga completely. One can not know the true meaning of yoga until they themselves do it. Yoga is not just about twisting or bending the body to achieve flexibility and weight loss. Yoga is much more than you think of.
Derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj’ meaning to join or to unite, it represents the union of the individual consciousness or the divine self with the Universal consciousness and the Spirit. The age old Indian practice enables the practitioner to experience union with the whole universe, making everything one. It brings you into a state where you see and experience reality just the way it is.
We all know that practicing yoga develops strength and flexibility in the body. However, Yoga offers multifaceted benefits when practiced on a regular basis, of which most of us are not aware yet. Practising a few minutes of yoga on everyday basis can do wonders on overall personality of the practitioner. It plays a vital role in the development of a mind-body-soul. The best part about it, be it old or young, man or woman, everyone can avail the benefits of yoga. All you need is the commitment and the will to lead a happier, healthier, and harmonious life.
Let us take a glance at some of the amazing ways yoga can change your life:
Helps you get to your optimum weight: When you start to practise yoga, gradually you will see your weight falling to what is right for the body. This weight will be maintained even if you increase your practise time. Yoga helps keep your body maintained at the right spectrum. By performing Yoga asanas on a regular basis, excess calories are burnt. It stretches and tones the muscles. Yoga practices demands healthy and hygienic food which makes the practitioner sensitive towards their food choices, resulting in effective weight maintenance and good health.
Expands Self-awareness: While performing different asanas on a regular basis, the practitioner gradually becomes aware of their body, its limitations, needs, pace, etc. Yoga helps you become aware of the mechanism of your incredible body. Once this happens, you start making the right adjustments and alignments on your own, without any external guidance. Your body and mind will automatically guide you to do what is right for it.
Self-acceptance: Yoga helps you know your true self better. It makes you aware of your whole personality, including your flaws, strengths, and your uniqueness. Once you do so, you stop giving a damn to other rules, opinions and judgements and, rise from the rat race to build your own identity. Yoga encourages you to create your own life and other’s as well.
Builds Patience: When you begin practising asana, initially you will find it difficult.The art of yoga takes time to master, just like everything else in life. You need to be patient to master each asana and see the rewards. Gradually, you become more flexible, stronger, healthier, and more patient too. Yoga helps you become patient in other key areas of life too.
Teaches Self-control: Yoga is about linking the mind with the body. When you learn to unite them, you culcate disciples in your daily life. When you listen to your mind, you gain the ability to self-control and do what is right and justified.
Increases Mindfulness: Deep Breathing exercises in Yoga calm and bring the mind to a relaxed, still, and peaceful state. The continuous deep inhalation and exhalation increases oxygen supply to the brain and other vital organs of the body, resulting in a calm, peaceful and clear mind. With a calm mind, you can be in the moment and focus better. Yoga helps you realise your hidden potentials by enabling you to focus on yourself.
Helps in healing and repairing: Yoga promotes fast-healing by increasing blood and oxygen supply in the body. It regulates and stimulates proper functioning of the vital organs, resulting in immense health benefits. Prolonged sitting and non-stop working affects our health on both physical and mental level. Yoga helps us become strong, supple and flexible. While performing various Yoga asanas, all the major and minor muscle groups of the body are stretched, resulting in increased flexibility and muscular endurance. A few minutes of yoga instantly boosts the energy levels and provides relaxation, refreshment, and rejuvenation.
Provides a relaxed, less stressful, & happy life: Yoga practices include deep restful breathing techniques that release tension and accumulated stress, and relax the body at cellular level. Yoga includes asanas, Meditation practices, and Pranayama techniques that improve the mood and cure various mental disorders as well. Deep yoga asanas helps reconnect with the soul and find clarity in all aspects of life, be it relationships or work. A few minutes of yoga on a regular basis helps unwind and sleep better after a hectic day. It also promotes the production of hormones that give a sense of happiness and well-being. This is one of the best, easy and cost-effective ways to live a less stressful and happy life.
Get started! Hit your yoga mat from very now to bring health, happiness, and harmony in your life.
