Many people don't realize that their weekly yoga class is not only helping to
reshape their bodies, but also to reshape their health.
This meditative practice of positioning your body allows for proper alignment,
which can help in a number of ways:
• Reduced anxiety
• Reduced aches and pains
• Improved concentration
• Better complexion
• Healthier weight
• More muscle tone
• Fewer headaches
• Better balance
• Higher bone density
• Quieter mind
Yoga was developed many thousands of years ago around the area of India.
Developed as a spiritual practice, yoga was thought to help the practitioner
become closer to spiritual enlightenment.
In fact, in the Bhagavad Gita, there are three different types of yoga: the
yoga of knowledge, devotion, and action. By balancing these areas of your
life, it was thought that not only would your health be at its highest levels,
but that your mind would be in tune with the energy of the world.
But what does this mean in modern times?
It's no secret that yoga is used to help people stay flexible and in shape, but
it can also help with health related matters.
When you practice yoga, you are learning to first control your mind.
By focusing only on the postures you are doing, you can not think about the
long To Do list that you have or what you're making for dinner. You can only
think about staying in the position and trying to bend deeper and for longer
with each session you attend.
In doing so, yoga becomes an extended type of meditation.
You clear your mind in order to make room for the posture to become a part
of you.
In longer yoga routines, you need to flow in and out of each pose gracefully
and slowly. Your muscles tense and you have to push from one pose to the
next.
Since your mind is focused on the move you are doing as well as
transitioning into the next movement, you are quiet in your mind and
completely focused on the present.
This meditation allows your mind to still as your body becomes the center of
attention. When this happens, the cells in your body can relax and begin to
focus more on cellular repair and healing.
Not only are you engaging your meditative mind, but you are also adding
breathing to your poses as well.
Most yoga types will teach that you need to breathe in and out with certain
movements so that your body can relax and fall into the posture. Not only
does this help with your meditation, but it also helps to oxygenate your blood
cells so that you have more energy.
The breathing helps your body learn to take in more air with each breath,
which helps you in your everyday life.
Instead of keeping your chest tight and your breath shallow – as so many of
us do – you learn to expand your chest and breathe deeply into your belly.
This allows you to maximize each inhalation.
Yoga also helps you with your mental difficulties by constantly challenging
you and asking for more of you.
Each time you learn a new pose, you need to figure out how your body can
handle this pose. It's not just about being the most flexible; it's about
listening to your body and moving in the way that is most natural to it.
While it would be great to learn how to bend yourself into a pretzel – it's not
necessary.
All you need to do is to push yourself a little further with each yoga class or
workout. The only person you need to 'beat' is yourself.
You can find yoga classes at nearly every gym and community center in the
country. There are also many good yoga books and DVDs available for
purchase. Try out a few different kinds of yoga before you settle on the one
that suits your temperament.
Some of the yoga types include:
• Bikram yoga
Also known as hot yoga. This yoga is done in a room that's very hot
with the idea that if your muscles are warmed up more, you will be
able to deepen each pose more as well as sweat out any toxins.
Intermediate levels and Advanced levels only.
• Hatha yoga
This is a slow moving yoga that is perfect for beginners to the yoga
scene. Each pose is slow and deliberate, helping you learn the form
before you speed up.
• Ashtanga yoga
One of the more athletic types of yoga. You will find yourself doing
long series of poses which will get your heart rate up and help you
burn fat. Beginners who are already in shape and Intermediate levels.
• Vinyasa
The focus on the breathing in this type of yoga helps with anxiety and
muscle tension reduction. All levels.
• Iyengar
In this form of yoga, you will need to hold poses for long periods of
time. This requires some muscle stamina and endurance. All levels.
It will help if you take a few different kinds of yoga when you're first testing
out what yoga can do for you. Or you can watch a few classes to see if that
type might be a good match for your fitness level and temperament.
Yoga is something that you can practice on your own, but every practice
should begin with basic instruction. Many poses can be dangerous if you
don't know how to do them properly, so you want to learn the basics before
launching into your own personal yoga plan.
reshape their bodies, but also to reshape their health.
This meditative practice of positioning your body allows for proper alignment,
which can help in a number of ways:
• Reduced anxiety
• Reduced aches and pains
• Improved concentration
• Better complexion
• Healthier weight
• More muscle tone
• Fewer headaches
• Better balance
• Higher bone density
• Quieter mind
Yoga was developed many thousands of years ago around the area of India.
Developed as a spiritual practice, yoga was thought to help the practitioner
become closer to spiritual enlightenment.
In fact, in the Bhagavad Gita, there are three different types of yoga: the
yoga of knowledge, devotion, and action. By balancing these areas of your
life, it was thought that not only would your health be at its highest levels,
but that your mind would be in tune with the energy of the world.
But what does this mean in modern times?
It's no secret that yoga is used to help people stay flexible and in shape, but
it can also help with health related matters.
When you practice yoga, you are learning to first control your mind.
By focusing only on the postures you are doing, you can not think about the
long To Do list that you have or what you're making for dinner. You can only
think about staying in the position and trying to bend deeper and for longer
with each session you attend.
In doing so, yoga becomes an extended type of meditation.
You clear your mind in order to make room for the posture to become a part
of you.
In longer yoga routines, you need to flow in and out of each pose gracefully
and slowly. Your muscles tense and you have to push from one pose to the
next.
Since your mind is focused on the move you are doing as well as
transitioning into the next movement, you are quiet in your mind and
completely focused on the present.
This meditation allows your mind to still as your body becomes the center of
attention. When this happens, the cells in your body can relax and begin to
focus more on cellular repair and healing.
Not only are you engaging your meditative mind, but you are also adding
breathing to your poses as well.
Most yoga types will teach that you need to breathe in and out with certain
movements so that your body can relax and fall into the posture. Not only
does this help with your meditation, but it also helps to oxygenate your blood
cells so that you have more energy.
The breathing helps your body learn to take in more air with each breath,
which helps you in your everyday life.
Instead of keeping your chest tight and your breath shallow – as so many of
us do – you learn to expand your chest and breathe deeply into your belly.
This allows you to maximize each inhalation.
Yoga also helps you with your mental difficulties by constantly challenging
you and asking for more of you.
Each time you learn a new pose, you need to figure out how your body can
handle this pose. It's not just about being the most flexible; it's about
listening to your body and moving in the way that is most natural to it.
While it would be great to learn how to bend yourself into a pretzel – it's not
necessary.
All you need to do is to push yourself a little further with each yoga class or
workout. The only person you need to 'beat' is yourself.
You can find yoga classes at nearly every gym and community center in the
country. There are also many good yoga books and DVDs available for
purchase. Try out a few different kinds of yoga before you settle on the one
that suits your temperament.
Some of the yoga types include:
• Bikram yoga
Also known as hot yoga. This yoga is done in a room that's very hot
with the idea that if your muscles are warmed up more, you will be
able to deepen each pose more as well as sweat out any toxins.
Intermediate levels and Advanced levels only.
• Hatha yoga
This is a slow moving yoga that is perfect for beginners to the yoga
scene. Each pose is slow and deliberate, helping you learn the form
before you speed up.
• Ashtanga yoga
One of the more athletic types of yoga. You will find yourself doing
long series of poses which will get your heart rate up and help you
burn fat. Beginners who are already in shape and Intermediate levels.
• Vinyasa
The focus on the breathing in this type of yoga helps with anxiety and
muscle tension reduction. All levels.
• Iyengar
In this form of yoga, you will need to hold poses for long periods of
time. This requires some muscle stamina and endurance. All levels.
It will help if you take a few different kinds of yoga when you're first testing
out what yoga can do for you. Or you can watch a few classes to see if that
type might be a good match for your fitness level and temperament.
Yoga is something that you can practice on your own, but every practice
should begin with basic instruction. Many poses can be dangerous if you
don't know how to do them properly, so you want to learn the basics before
launching into your own personal yoga plan.
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