The Fondness of Yoga

You have probably heard so much about Yoga perhaps from your best friend, a colleague, your doctor, or a close relative. They are telling you very nice things about Yoga that it seems to be a remedy for almost anything. And so, you tend to take time to pause and contemplate whether you should buy a Yoga book, get a CD or DVD copy to acquaint yourself or enroll into a Yoga class. More so, as a consequence, the more you repeatedly hear about it, the more perplexed it is for you to understand what Yoga is really all about. It has already been mistakenly associated with religion, but still it remains as one of the oldest fitness routines that existed in the world today.

Yoga has been practiced around thousand of years and its birthplace is in India. It literally means “union”, or “unity”. True to its name, Yoga unifies the body, mind, and spirit in harmony through combined poses, breathing and meditation to achieve enhanced health, mental focus, and intuitive well-being. Contrary to its popular belief, Yoga is more than bending and twisting your body because it is considered meditation in motion. Yoga does not only involve physical but also mental exercise that is why millions of people today are considering Yoga as a stress reliever after a tedious day at work. Without doubt, Yoga is beneficial in balancing your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state.

Modern Yoga is not religious although studies show that it stems from a Hindu religious act. It has been associated with religion due to its relatedness with spirituality. For instance, practicing Yoga techniques improves physical health then directs it through the mind and simultaneously increasing a spiritual understanding. A lot of people from different nationalities and faith now enjoy Yoga. As a matter of fact, several individuals have now come to realize the benefits of Yoga into their lives as well as some of the athletes such as in wrestling and football in which flexibility; coordination and balance can improve their overall performance. With consistent meditation, Yoga is a cool way to lose excess weight, stay toned and supple. It also involves breathing exercises, that is why it is of great help to asthmatics.

So if you are thinking about getting into the realm of practicing Yoga, consider these things to help you extort the optimum benefits from this intense spiritual art:

1. Fitness. Before beginning, consult or visit your doctor if you are 100% fit to do Yoga. There may be certain postures you will need to avoid depending on your condition such as back or neck injuries, heart problem and high blood pressure.

2. Time. The most appropriate time for Yoga is early in the morning usually before breakfast when the mind is still empty, fresh and serene and facilitating of movements can be carried out with ease and vivacity plus the air is also clean. If it is impossible to have this time, Yoga can be done anytime of the day provided that the stomach should be empty, and you should not consume meals at least two to three hours before your planned Yoga time.

3. Place. The chosen place must be quiet, dimly lit, warm, well ventilated, and free from any distractions. You can also play some relaxing music.

4. Preparations. Fifteen minutes before you begin, make sure that you are done with urinating and moving your bowels, tidying your nose and throat and drinking a glass of lukewarm water. Wear comfortable clothing’s too. Make sure you have also done good stretching exercises like the sun salute poses.

5. Postures. Listen to your body and gauge your capacity and limits. Start with postures you can easily execute before proceeding with the difficult ones. Movements should be light and periods of relaxation are advisable. Never over-exert nor overstrain yourself and stop if exhaustion occurs. Just gradually increase the intensity of your capacities to prevent any injuries. After all, Yoga is not a race or a competition. Some basic yoga postures that are recommended are seated twist, mountain, triangle, dog, cobra and forward fold.

6. Sessions. Make your sessions a habit or part of your lifestyle. Be fully aware of every posture and movement you make during your practice and make variations too. Consciously breathe and learn when to inhale, exhale and hold your breath so that poses and exercises are properly done.

Yoga is such a wonderful recreation, so get started now!