The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. According to yogic texts, practising yoga causes one’s awareness to become one with the Universal Consciousness, signifying complete harmony between the mind and body, as well as between man and nature.
Historical evidences of the existence of Yoga were seen in the pre-Vedic period (2700 B.C.), and thereafter till Patanjali’s period.
In recent decades, yoga has expanded to a global phenomenon. A contemplative technique that originated in the East thousands of years ago has developed into a trendy way of life that brings in billions of dollars today.
This is due to yoga’s adaptability—people from diverse backgrounds can practise it and reap its advantages. Even people who practise yoga don’t seem to be aware of this physical and spiritual discipline, since many celebrities vouch for it.
Practitioners often describe their experiences using terms like peace, calm, balance, strength, flexibility, and relaxation.
GOALS OF YOGA
- Yoga is a method of emancipation and self-discovery via meditation.
- It is an eclectic group of techniques meant to calm the mind, identify an objective witness consciousness, and break free from the cycle of birth and death.
- It teaches us to go inward, recognise the truth of who we are, and let rid of anything that does not benefit us.
- It enables us to become conscious of our feelings, thoughts, and beliefs and to alter them when they are no longer beneficial to us.
- It equips us with the means to lead more fully and to make wiser decisions in life.
- Yoga is a practice that allows us to transform and purify our bodies, minds, and souls. It expands our consciousness to help us connect with nature and the universe around us. It also gives us greater access to inner resources to teach us about self-awareness, acceptance, compassion, patience, gratitude, forgiveness, humility, love, peace, and joy.
Yoga can be practised in as many different ways as there are methods to achieve happiness and enlightenment. However, the fundamental components of modern yoga practise are karma, bhakti, jnana, and raja.
IMPORTANCE OF YOGA:
Yoga is practiced all around the world and has its roots in Hindu scriptures from India. People now recognize the benefits of yoga for physical activity and mental peace. Yoga should not be considered to be merely a workout. It ought to be regarded as a mantra for leading a healthy, joyful, and tranquil existence.
Yoga does more than burning calories and strengthening muscles, it is a workout which involves both body and mind.
In this way, yoga can aid in the healing process and assist the patient in dealing with their symptoms more calmly and comfortably.
- Improves posture
Sitting at a desk for extended periods of time can harm your spine and make you feel worn out at the end of the day. By executing specific yoga asanas, you may be able to enhance your posture and avoid neck and lower back problems. Yoga reduces back pain by energising the mind, as well as by fortifying and adjusting the body.
- Increases flexibility
When was the last time you wished you could easily lean forward and touch your toes? You might benefit there from yoga. Yoga can improve your flexibility and give you the ability to perform difficult asanas. Our bodies become more flexible and overall healthier when we practice yoga regularly.
We perform better, lose weight, have more vigour and vitality, and our metabolism picks up speed. For instance, the many yoga positions that are practiced to lengthen the body and stretch the muscles help us become more flexible. The body adores this aspect of yoga because it reduces stiffness and soreness and serves as a restorative activity after more physically taxing activities.
Yoga helps with back pain relief, can ease the symptoms of arthritis, improves strength, balance, and flexibility, is good for the heart, and can help you fall asleep better.
- Increases muscular strength
Yoga might aid in boosting the body’s weak muscles. It aids in muscle toning, preventing repetitive muscle tension, putting on weights, using resistance bands for work, digging and shovelling are examples of heavy gardening.
- Increasing metabolism
Yoga has a strong endocrine-stimulating and -strengthening effect, which can increase metabolism and increase calorie burn. Yoga poses that are twisted and compressed massage the endocrine and digestive systems, regulating their operation, enhancing local circulation, and purging them of old, stagnant pollutants.
BENEFITS OF YOGA SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON YOGA BENEFITS
It might be a great motivation to lead a healthy lifestyle. The biggest advantage of yoga may be how positively it may affect your general approach to fitness and health if you make it a habit or hobby. There is no denying the positive effects of regular yoga practice. It is low-impact exercise that emphasizes the mind and emotions as well as the physical wellness. It’s a fantastic approach to exercise self-care to get into it.
A lot of your major muscles can be controlled by practicing yoga:
- Core
- Arms
- Legs
- Glutes
- Back
All you may require to develop stronger arms, a tighter butt, a more muscular midsection, and other physical traits, is consistent practice.
Muscle tension can be reduced by employing strategies that lengthen, stretch, and relax the muscles while focusing on the breath. Yoga also has a propensity to reduce stress since it helps to control breathing, relax the body, and nourish it with new blood and oxygen, all of which support the release.
The best activity for keeping strong, healthy bones is weight-bearing exercise. Yoga has been suggested as a potential treatment for osteoporosis because to the fact that certain asanas, such as boat pose and downward-facing dog, call for you to lift your own weight. By utilizing the entire range of motion of the body, it may help enhance joint health. Additionally, because it has a minimal impact, it is less taxing on the joints and muscles than exercises like running and weightlifting.
5-TYPES OF YOGA & THEIR BENEFITS
ANUSARA YOGA:-
Sanskrit for “going with the flow,” “flowing with grace,” and “following your heart” Yoga aids us in finding our centres. These recommendations are tools to assist you in finding equilibrium. The body’s strength and flexibility are increased via the practise of Anusara yoga, and any imbalances that are already present in the body are corrected. It is encouraged for the heart and intellect to join in this evolution and become stronger, wiser, happier, more content, and balanced.
History
John Friend, the creator of Anusara Yoga, was born in Ohio in 1959. His father worked as a marketing executive and former sports caster. His mother graduated from Juilliard. At the age of 13, when his pigeon toe corrective leg braces were no longer required, he started doing Hatha yoga. His mother was the one who originally introduced him to yoga, and he hasn’t stopped since.
Benefits
There are many advantages to practising this style of yoga. The advantages may manifest as improved physical, mental, and emotional health. Here are a few examples:
- It improved capacity for expressing your emotions
- Lung capacity is increased as you engage in deep breathing exercises
- Increased immunity results in immunity to diseases and illnesses.
- less anxiety, irritability, and emotional problems
- Stretching of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, which improves posture and strength
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KUNDALINI YOGA:-
The term “Kundalini” comes from the Sanskrit word “kundal,” which means “circular.” It also refers to a coiled snake. And according to practitioners, Kundalini energy is like that coiled snake: It sits at the base of your spine, sleeping and aroused. This requires a special process, and that process is known as kundalini yoga. A person who practises Yoga is called a Yogin.History
Yogi Bhajan coined, developed, and popularised kundalini yoga in 1968. He stated that his teachings were intended to promote a “healthy, happy, holy” (3HO) way of life. Through mantra chanting, breath practise, and yoga postures, he showed his American students how to awaken their inner spiritual force.Purpose
Its goal is to stir up your shakti, or Kundalini energy. It is believed that this spiritual force is situated at the base of your spine. It is intended that Kundalini yoga will increase your awareness and aid in letting go of your ego as it awakens this energy. The method is often referred to as “consciousness yoga.
Benefits
Alleviation from stress and worry. Kundalini yoga, like other types of yoga, can aid in reducing tension and anxiety.
- Enhances cognitive performance.
- Boosts one’s perception of oneself.
- Spiritual awakening.
VINAYSA YOGA:-
Hatha is in contrast of vinyasa. One position is the main emphasis of a hatha lesson, with breaks in between. 2 Flow classes, on the other hand, combine poses to create a sequence. Vinyasa yoga improves energy levels while promoting relaxation and lowering stress levels. It also offers several other benefits, including:
As in Ashtanga, where the poses are always performed in the same order, the sequence may be set in stone.Vinyasa yoga is a creative form of yoga where poses are linked together with the breath in a flowing sequence.
History
The practise of vinyasa yoga has no recognised originator. The Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga tradition gave rise to the contemporary yoga form known as vinyasa. Sri Krishnamacharya’s teachings serve as the foundation for the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition.
Benefits:
- Strength and endurance exercises.
- Balance and steadiness.
- Cardio exercise.
- Stress reduction and reduces anxiety.
BIKRAM YOGA:-
Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury is credited as the creator of Bikram yoga, which is performed in a hot, humid environment that is heated to between 95 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Regular practise of this form of yoga, sometimes known as “hot yoga,” is good for overall health and works well to relieve chronic or muscular pain.
History
This yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury and based on the teachings of B. C. Ghosh, Bikram Yoga is a style of hot yoga that is used as a form of exercise. It first gained popularity in the early 1970s. In order to simulate the temperature of India, classes consist of a set sequence of 26 postures that are performed in a room that is heated to 105 °F (41 °C) with a humidity level of 40%.
| Sr. No. | Poses | Asanas Name |
| 1. | Deep Breathing | Pranayama |
| 2. | Half Moon with Hands to Feet Pose | Ardha-Chandrasana with Padahastasana |
| 3. | Awkward Pose | Utkatasana |
| 4. | Eagle Pose | Garurasana |
| 5. | Standing Head to Knee Pose | Dandayamana-Janushirasana |
| 6. | Standing Bow Pose | Dandayamana-Dhanurasana |
| 7. | Balancing Stick Pose | Tuladandasana |
| 8. | Standing Separate leg Stretching Pose | Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Paschimotthanasana |
| 9. | Triangle Pose | Trikonasana |
| 10. | Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose | Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Janushirasana |
| 11. | Tree Pose | Tadasana |
| 12. | Toe Stand Pose | Padangustasana |
| 13. | Dead Body Pose | Savasana |
| 14 | Wind Removing Pose | Pavanamuktasa |
| 15. | Sit-up | |
| 16. | Cobra | Bhujangasana |
| 17. | Locust Pose | Salabhasana |
| 18. | Full Locust Pose | Poorna-Salabhasana |
| 19. | Bow Pose | Dhanurasana |
| 20. | Fixed Firm Pose | Supta-Vajrasana |
| 21. | Half Tortoise Pose | Ardha-Kurmasana |
| 22. | Camel Pose | Ustrasana |
| 23. | Rabbit Pose | Sasangasana |
| 24. | Head to Knee with Stretching Pose | Janushirasana met Paschimotthanasana |
| 25. | Spine Twisting Pose | Ardha-Matsyendrasana |
| 26. | Blowing in Firm | Kapalbhati in Vajrasana |
| 27. | Dead Body Pose | Savasana |
Benefits:
- Burning fat and loss of weight.
- Bikram’s Yoga provides an aerobic workout that burns fat while simultaneously building long, lean muscles.
- Increased energy
- stress relief,
- increased flexibility and strength,
- improved clarity and focus, healing of old wounds, and relief from chronic pain
HATHA YOGA:-
Hatha Yoga, also known as “Discipline of Force” in Sanskrit, is a branch of yoga that emphasises physical control as a means of achieving spiritual perfection in which the mind is shut off from the world.
Haha yoga is a subset of yoga that focuses on using physical methods to channel and conserve life force or energy.Hatha yoga emphasises proper breathing and posture in order to channel one’s vital energy.
History
The Divine Life Society, founded by Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh (1887-1963) and his numerous students, including, among others, Swami Vishnu-devananda, the creator of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers, Swami Satyananda, the founder of the Bihar School of Yoga, is a well-known school of Ha-ha yoga from the 20th century.
10 Basic Hatha Yoga Poses for Beginners
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog Pose)
- Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
- Halasana (Plough Pose)
- Sirsasana (Head Stand)
- Salabhasana (Locust Pose)
Benefits:
- Improved sleep
- Reduced tension
- Strengthen your core and your balance.
- Neck and back pain relief
- Lower depression scores.
- Increase your versatility.
- Amplify mindfulness
Conclusion
In conclusion, yoga has drawn many individuals to adopt it in order to help them lead healthy lifestyles because of the health benefits it offers. It is noteworthy that the exercise incorporates physical postures, breathing practices, and relaxation techniques to balance a person’s mind and body. People who practice yoga are therefore likely to experience a variety of advantages for their physical and mental wellbeing.
For instance, the exercise can help people achieve inner calm while lowering their blood sugar and blood pressure. Yoga can therefore have a positive effect on a person’s body as well as psyche when done consistently and mindfully. As a result, people should apply its methods to enhance their lifestyles.
“Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees”
