Listen to “Yoga. Not Just Fitness.”
The term yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ meaning to unite; the union of the individual self with the supreme self. Yoga was developed as a way to achieve harmony between the heart and soul on the path to divine enlightenment.
The development of yoga can be traced back to over 5,000 years ago, but some researchers think that yoga may be up to 10,000 years old.
The term “yoga” encompasses a huge group of concepts and practices. Despite it finds its origin in the Indian tradition, yoga has crossed India’s geographical and cultural borders, merging with different philosophical doctrines and giving life to the Tibetan, Taoist, and Buddhist yoga, among others. Anyone can practice yoga, from adults to children.
Today, our exposure to yoga is largely restricted to yoga asanas. This is why we associate yoga with flexibility and fitness. While yoga asanas are immensely effective and helpful, yoga is more than the asanas or poses it is known for today. Asanas are the necessary part of the preparatory process to enable the body to enter a meditative state and sustain higher levels of energy.
Yoga has taken off in the West as an answer to helping ailments. Along the way, it was discovered that yoga has a practical benefit of curing many diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, and alleviating physical injuries and chronic pains. And as yoga has become increasingly popular outside of India and in so many widely varying cultures, so has the practice cleaved into many different schools of teaching.
Practicing yoga has lasting physical and psychological benefits.
- Yoga is a spiritual practice that allows your mind to soften and your heart to open
- Yoga brings attention to your breathing, which is the single most important thing that you do every day.
- Yoga can help you stay connected to yourself, so that you can put your own needs first.
- Yoga can help you to gain clarity about things you’re working through each day.
- Yoga is a great way to say, “yes!” to yourself and everything that is important to you.
- Yoga can help you move beyond a negative inner-dialogue.
- Balance poses in yoga invite you to get out of your head and into your body.
Yoga gives you all that a gym can for physical shape, but in a peaceful, safe and more holistic way. It combines aspects of cardio, functional and strength training all in one. Plus you will feel more calm and relaxed, and experience less stress and anxiety. You will experience higher levels of energy and enthusiasm and more self-confidence and self-acceptance. Meditation as the act of focusing your mind is also part of a well-rounded yoga experience. It is an amazing mental technique you can use to increase your focus, concentration, mindfulness, consciousness and feeling of bliss.
