India's oldest gift to the human species is said to be Yoga. The word Yoga in Sanskrit literally means "to unite", which can be interpreted as meaning the uniting of discipline.
Practitioners of Yoga aim to develop "arogya", which is the cultivation of mental and moral development so as to improve the total wellbeing of the student. The exercise also develops "chirayu", which is longevity. Yoga in its entirety aims to develop inner peace and positive, perennial happiness. As such, Yoga is thought of as being essential for an individual's ultimate goal in life.
Yoga is really a kind of science that not only affects the consciousness of oneself, but also one's subconscious. Yoga's physiological training practice (Kriya Yoga) when done correctly, can lift people to a supra-mundane level.
Yoga teaches people how to live life. It promotes mental control and self-development and brings out the noble in any individual, thus purging the ignoble in any human. Yoga is pertinent to all beings regardless of their belief system, race, religious inclination and sex. There is no doubt that everyone can benefit from Yogic techniques ? the healthy and the sick, the bad and the good, the non-believer and the believer, the ignorant and the educated and the young and the old. Age does not matter; anyone can reap the advantages of Yoga.
Yoga began as wandering Hindu monks sought solitude in the forests to practice meditative techniques. These monks (Yogis) shared their teachings with keen students who resided at ashrams (Hindu hermitages). The Yogis were quite possessive when it came to the practice of Yoga, and they did not think about popularizing the techniques. The postures alongside the different stages of the Yogic techniques were only handed down to students who deserved them, so the practice of Yoga remained in distant caves and forests and was not exposed to anyone apart from the Yogis and their students.
Using Yogic techniques (like the Asana - a sitting posture) helps the circulation of the blood. Other techniques (like Pranayama - breathing exercises) decrease carbon dioxide in the body, and this ensures good health: Yoga provides myriad benefits to people.
Many doctors prescribe steam baths, air baths, sun baths and shower baths to maintain blood purity and toxin elimination. Yogis have developed the "Neti" (nasal cleaning), the "Dhouti" (stomach cleansing) and the "Vajroli" (purging of the sexual organs, bladder and intestines).
Yoga can also have major benefits on the nervous system. Its physiological components are non-tiring and also develop composure of the body and mind. Almost every other style of exercise centers more on muscle activity whereas Yoga focuses on taking care of every part of an individual's anatomy.
Yoga is not a "reach down and touch your feet" exercise: for example, asanas is an all over therapy that impacts one?s physical and spiritual body function.
The effects of Yoga are:
- Physical ? through relaxing, stretching, strengthening and healing the muscular, skeletal, cardiovascular, nervous and digestive systems.
- Spiritual ? the preparation of contemplation.
- Mental ? developing a peaceful and quiet mind, concentration and alertness.
Yoga truly offers something for anyone.
Javier Melendez
Author Bio
Javier Melendez is a writer for various health web sites such as the Muscle and Fitness website. His recent work concerns Omega 3 fatty acids research.
