Health Benefits of Practicing Yoga

Tradition of yoga has its origin more than 5000 years ago, in India. Yoga means “to join or spiritual connection” and its objectives are to know oneself spiritually through peace of mind and body. The discipline of yoga try to achieve its objectives by using two elements: body and mind. To achieve this, yoga is based on three fundamental pillars: posture or asanas, breathing and meditation. Asanas or postures are different positions that you use when practice yoga, breathing is considered the source of life and meditation that promotes peace and harmony between mind and body.

Types of Yoga

This tradition has been transmitted from teacher to student for many years. Now, we have many kinds of yoga schools. The most known types of yoga are:

• Hatha Yoga: This as well as its variants are the most practiced form of yoga in the west. It involves physical movements, postures and breathing techniques.

• Raja Yoga: This is the “real yoga.” It includes breathing and meditation. It is the path of meditation. The mind and spirit are more important than the physical.

• Jnana Yoga: The Path of Wisdom. Meditation is a technique which is looking for knowledge of who is one, what is real and what is unreal.

• Bhakti Yoga: The Path of devotion. It is the pursuit of peace and satisfaction through devotion to God.

• Karma Yoga: The Yoga of free action. It is to serve humanity without expecting anything in return.

Health Benefits of Yoga

Everyone can get the benefits of practicing yoga, regardles of their age and physical condition. The yoga exercises can be modified for people with disabilities, or the elderly. The main benefit is that yoga is as follow:

• Reduce stress, anxiety, blood pressure, insomnia, pulse rate and respiratory rate

• Improve circulation, concentration, body flexibility, energy, efficiency of breath, cardiovascular efficiency, gastrointestinal functions and self confident

• Relieve symptoms of chronic back pain, arthritis, headaches and so on.

Practicing Yoga

You can practice yoga in a gym or at home. If you decided to practice in a gym, choose preferably a certified teacher by a school of yoga, or many years of experience teaching yoga. You can choose between private classes or in a group practice classes.

If you do not have time to go to a gym, you can practice yoga at home. Here several tips for practicing yoga at home:

• Specific place with space to do asanas comfortable, without distractions

• Yoga mat and comfortable clothing that allows you to make moves

• Be positive, little by little you can learn the different asanas

• Practice always at the same time. It’s better in the morning

• If you are a beginner, start practicing for 15 or 25 minutes and increase gradually up to 60 minutes

• If you use CD’s or book to practice. See or read complete before begin your practice to have a big picture. Jot down the equipment that you need to practice and buy what you do not have. Practice slowly every posture.