How to Benefit from Yoga

Yoga is a very popular from of exercise with many people, there are two main reasons that people practice yoga. First it improves their sense of well-being and it also keeps them fit and in shape. Yoga increases the health of the body by the use of different postures. It is also a good way to relax. For good physical and mental health, yoga is practised regularly by many people.

Yoga is also reputed to be a useful way of fighting illnesses. For example, people suffering from high blood pressure, asthma, anxiety, epilepsy and back pain often use yoga techniques as the primary way of dealing with their malady or in conjunction with medication and other therapies.

Yoga has many advantages. It can reduce stress after a hard day at the office and it is also known to boost self-esteem. The physical benefits of yoga are the development of muscle strength and tone as well as increased stamina and flexibility.

For those with obesity, yoga can supplement a reducing diet by keeping one’s body in shape.

The postures in yoga that strengthen and stretch the body are called “asanas” which are used by some for their physical benefits and by others for their psychological benefits.

It was developed from a Hindu philosophy for spiritual benefits and uses a prescribed set of postures or asanas to achieve this aim.

There are five common schools of thought in the practice of yoga which are summarized as follows:

Hatha

Many postures or asanas, breathing techniques and meditations are used in this type of yoga in which the philosophy is to improve the mind by improving the body. It uses a combination of postures, movements and breathing techniques. It is the most common form of yoga practiced in the Western world.

Asthanga

This is an aerobic type of yoga in which the transition from one pose to another is much faster and is similar to aerobic exercise.

Kundalini

The focus of this type of energy is the release of energy from the body known as kundalini energy or life energy.

Mantra

In this type of yoga, the focus is on creating calmness in the body and mind by using sounds and words.

Tantra

The emphasis in this type of yoga is similar to Kundalini with an emphasis on sexual spirituality.

Conclusion

Yoga is suitable for young and old and is adaptable for those with a physical impairment so they can practice modified forms of the asanas as necessary. It is a good alternative to other forms of exercise that you can get in a gym and the bonus is that it has benefits for the mind as well as the body.

Those who practice yoga strive for improved physical, psychological and emotional health while reaping the many benefits that come from whichever discipline of yoga they use.