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Benefits of Yoga

The benefit of yoga practice goes far beyond the actual time you spend in the poses. One of the most common reasons why people begin practicing yoga is to improve their health and well-being. Yoga means union. It is a union of the mind, body and breath, so all aspects of your life are impacted by your practice.

A major benefit of yoga is physical.

Yoga improves your flexibility. – The stretching that you engage in during every practice helps lengthen and stretch muscles, which helps reduce the risk of injuries.

It helps to improve your balance. – The majority of yoga practices include some type of balancing in the poses. A significant number of people, especially as they began to get older, start to have problems with balance, which can lead to major injuries due to falls. By having a greater sense of balance, you are able to move more easily and safely.

Yoga can help reduce pain. – Tense muscles often contribute to pain. Relaxing muscles helps to minimize muscle tension and the pain that is associated with it. Also, breathing deeply into muscles helps lessen pain by altering your perception of it.

It tones your muscles. – Yoga works all the muscles in your body. It helps strengthen and tone them and also builds endurance and stamina.

It helps to increase your level of energy.. – Carrying tension in your body takes an enormous toll on your energy reserves. By learning how to relax through your yoga practice, you benefit by enjoying higher levels of energy so you can more thoroughly enjoy your daily activities.

Yoga helps promote a sense of relaxation. – Most people breathe high in their chests. This not only does not allow them to get sufficient oxygen, it also triggers the stress response, which contributes to feelings of anxiety. Breathing deeply as practiced in yoga, helps relax your muscles and also brings much needed oxygen to your cells. The deep sense of relaxation also leads to better quality sleep.

Each yoga practice ends with some type of relaxation. Since your body and mind are one, by relaxing your body you also relax your mind. Many yoga experts believe that a relaxation pose is the most beneficial pose in any yoga practice.

Another benefit of yoga is mental.

Yoga clears your mind and helps you focus your attention. – During your practice, you are focusing your attention on your breath and turning inward. This concentration allows you to withdraw from the distractions in your environment. A significant benefit of yoga practice is that you can take this ability to focus your attention into every aspect of your life. You can be fully present with whatever you are doing instead of worrying about tomorrow or regretting yesterday. Not only will your actions be more productive, you can also enjoy them in a greater way.

Yoga helps reduces stress. – Deep breathing helps reduce the hormones that are released when you are feeling overwhelmed, overloaded, and frazzled. The internal focus that accompanies the poses helps create a relaxation response in your body.

Yoga can help release stuck emotions. – Often stuck emotions find their way into our bodies. Remember, your mind and body are one, and if you are suppressing any painful emotions, you will often experience that as pain in some part of your body. A benefit of yoga is that by breathing deeply into places in your body that hold tension, you can help release the emotions that may be buried there. You can then examine these emotions and let go of those that do not serve you.

Also, as you take your body past the limits of where it has been, you start to feel that you can move past other limitations in your life as well.

You gain a sense of peace and tranquility. – Most yoga practices include some time for meditation. Regular meditation helps your mind reach a state of inner calm. It helps you gain control over your thinking instead of being at the mercy of wayward thoughts(Dena Menchella:Ezine). Other benefits of yoga : Increased flexibility,increased strength and vitality,strengthening of the immune system,improving of circulatory system,
stimulating of endocrine system,stretching and toning of muscles,weight loss,balance,management of chronic health conditions such as asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, back pain, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis,improved concentration and focus,reduction of stress and anxiety,encourages the connection of our physical, mental and spiritual selves.

Main Styles of Yoga

There are many different styles of yoga, however there are far too many to list here. An outline of the more popular styles are featured below:

Hatha : Is the most popular yoga style.  Other styles have originated from this yoga, including power yoga, Bikram yoga, Ashtanga yoga, and Kundalini yoga.  The word “Hatha” is Sanskrit, with “ha” meaning “sun”, and “tha” meaning “moon”

Ashtanga : is the “workout” form of yoga. It is a series of poses performed sequentially and beginning with sun salutations. Movements are linked to the breath and the poses move continually. It is an aerobic form of yoga and moves quickly.

Bikram : developed by Bikram Choudhury, this style of yoga is performed in a heated room. 26 poses that are designed to cleanse the body and enhance physical strength and balance. It is good for detoxification.

Kundalini: this form of yoga awakens the kundalini energy at the base of the spine and mixes chanting, breathing and yoga poses. The focus is on chanting and breathing more so than getting the poses absolutely right. This is a powerful form of yoga and should only be taught by an experienced teacher.

Iyengar :  is a precise style of yoga and one of the most popular in the world. It places much focus on attention to detail and getting the alignment of the poses absolutely right.  It is a great style of yoga for the fitness conscious.

Viniyoga: places emphasis on healing and is gentler than other styles. The breath and movement of the spine is carefully integrated and the intensity of the poses is subject to the health of the person practicing the yoga. May also involve meditation and reflection.

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