What is Yoga?

A lifestyle system; yoga is a practice that provides not only relief to the tired minds but also rejuvenates the whole body of an individual. It’s the time when the body, mind and breathe come in harmony with each other .The time when all the forces of nature work in communion with our body system.

On a physical level, yoga is an exercise – ‘asana’, consisting of stretching, relaxation and controlled breathing ‘pranayama’. It helps in lowering stress and improving functions of heart. Yoga can be fun if it’s taken as way of living and enjoying life.

The aging process, which is largely an artificial condition, caused mainly by auto-intoxication or self-poisoning, can be slowed down by practicing yoga. By keeping the body clean, flexible and well lubricated, we can significantly reduce the catabolic process of cell deterioration. To get the maximum benefits of yoga one has to combine the practices of yoga asanas, pranayama and meditation.

Regular practice of asanas, pranayama and meditation can help diverse ailments, such as diabetes, blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, varicose veins and heart conditions. Even laboratory tests have proved that the yogi’s increased abilities of consciously controlling autonomic or involuntary functions, such as temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure. Research into the effects of yogic practices on HIV is currently underway with promising results.

According to medical scientists, yoga therapy is successful because of the balance created in the nervous and endocrine systems which directly influences all the other systems and organs of the body. Yoga acts both as a curative and preventive therapy. The very essence of yoga lies in attaining mental peace, improved concentration powers, a relaxed state of living and harmony in relationships.

Through the practice of yoga, we become aware of the inter connectedness between our emotional, mental and physical levels. Gradually this awareness leads to an understanding of the more subtle areas of existence. The ultimate goal of yoga is to make it possible for you to be able to fuse together the gross material (annamaya), physical (pranayama), mental (manomaya), intellectual (vijnanamaya) and spiritual (anandamaya) levels within your being.

Along with balancing your breathing, yoga postures, called ‘asana’ done in a specific order, massage the endocrine glands and release energy blockages so that a meditative state is brought about physically rather than through sitting and watching the mind. Daily practise of asanas can turn one into a firm posture. It relaxes mind, increases blood level and helps you to get rid off extra fat and other diseases. With regular practice, yoga postures ‘asana’ and yogabreathing ‘pranayama’ slowly and consciously becomes a mental exercise in concentration and meditation.

Weight loss, a strong and flexible body, glowing beautiful skin, peaceful mind, good health – whatever you may be looking for, yoga has it to offer. However, very often, yoga is only partially understood as being limited to asanas (yoga poses). As such, its benefits are only perceived to be at the body level and we fail to realize the immense benefits yoga offers in uniting the body, mind and breath. When you are in harmony, the journey through life is calmer, happier and more fulfilling.

And the best of all is Yoga’s greatest gift is the vulnerability that fills your tender heart after a deep practice session and the spiritual strength that gives you the benefit of unflappable faith and devotion. It is a good time for people to learn and understand the essense of yoga. Yogic theory and practice lead to increased self-knowledge. This knowledge is not merely that of the practical kind relating to techniques, but especially of a spiritual sort pertaining to grasping something about the nature of the self at rest.

Knowing the self at rest, at peace, as a being rather than merely as an agent or doer, is a genuine kind of knowledge which usually gets lost in the rush of activities and push of desires. The value of discovering one’s self and of enjoying one’s self as it is, rather than as it is going to be, is indeed a value as well as a kind of knowledge.

As quoted by Gregor Maehle “Yoga is always aimed at recognizing us as that which is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable.”

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