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Yoga
Yoga is an ancient Indian system of thought, developed about 5,000 years ago,
that helps us achieve greater clarity of the way in which we understand and
experience ourselves. Yoga literally means “to unite.” A common misconception
is that yoga is all about getting a body like a Hollywood movie star. While
physical exercises are a strong component of yoga, the main goal of yoga is
actually to deepen one’s understanding of the soul and its connection to higher
spirits.
Yoga can also be defined as "mindfulness", or the process of directing all
of our attention towards whatever task we are performing at the moment. Thus,
to practice true yoga, one must focus on the process of doing yoga, rather than
on the progress towards physical fitness or spiritual awakening. Through the
practice of various yoga techniques, the yogi (the person who practices yoga)
directs his or her attention only to the yoga exercises he or she is performing
at the present moment, and frees his or her mind of everything else. This focus
is often achieved through the assistance of breathing techniques, which help
unite the mind and the body in the present moment. Many yogi and yoga teachers
see yoga as a method that unites diverse elements and separate entities, such
as the physical, mental, and spiritual realms.
One definition of yoga is "the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind".
The goal of any yoga session is to direct the mind towards one point of focus,
invulnerable to distraction or interruption. Yoga likens our minds to a jungle
and our thoughts to a “wild monkey” swinging from branch to branch; the goal
of yoga is to calm this wild monkey down. It takes many years of yoga practice
to achieve this state of focus and calm, but once in this state, the yogi experiences
great clarity and a deeper understanding of self. Once the mind and the body
join in the present moment, the yogi can experience "divine" consciousness.
Once experienced, this state is recognized as the true nature of "Self", or
"self-realization"; this state liberates the individual, from the illusion of
isolation and segregation from the Infinite, a separation that underlies all
human suffering in the Universe.
Utilizing asanas or physical postures, pranyama or breathing exercises, and
meditation, Yoga has a number of benefits that correspond to both a person’s
physical health and mental health. Much like other ancient disciplines, Yoga
has evolved to the point where it comprises a number of different schools and
styles. However, these different styles can be classified by the four paths
of Yoga that it corresponds to. These paths are:
- Jnana: the path of wisdom or knowledge.
- Bhakti: the path of devotion.
- Karma: the path of action.
- Raja: the path of self-control.
Despite the relaxed atmosphere of it, Yoga actually contains a number of physiological,
psychological, and biochemical benefits. It is a discipline that employs a holistic
view of health and improves a person’s overall health, which includes their
physical, mental, and emotional health. Health benefits of Yoga include:
- Decreased anxiety levels
- Decreased blood pressure
- Decreased glucose and sodium levels
- Decreased total white blood cell count
- Increased cardiovascular activity
- Increased efficiency of respiratory functions
- Increased function of immune system
- Increased musculoskeletal flexibility
- Increased Vitamin C levels
- Improvement in dexterity skills
- Improvement in balance
- Improvement in hand-eye coordination
- Improvement in posture
- Normalization of gastrointestinal function
- Normalization of weight levels
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