Yoga is a Medicine
What is Yoga or Yogasanas?
The word “yoga” means union or joining together, which refers to the practice of bringing body, mind, and spirit into harmony with each other through physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques. Since ancient times, yoga has been practiced in India as an alternative way of life that promotes health and well-being. Anyone can use it regardless of age, gender, race, religion, culture, nationality, ability level, or economic status.
History of Yoga
Hindu Samkhya school 15th century CE “There are eight kinds of yoga; they are: the yoga of the body, the yoga of speech, the yoga of wisdom, the yoga of devotion, the yoga of renunciation, the yoga of concentration, the yoga of dispassion, the yoga of emancipation.”
How can one practice it at home?
The Yoga Step Method is a simple, easy-to-follow system that will help you achieve your goals. The method consists of three steps:
1) the yoga step
2) the breathing exercise
3) the visualization technique.
Several types of Yogas are practiced to focus on particular muscles or joints, or they are taken with other Ayurvedic medicines.
What are the Types of Yoga that are widely practiced?
1. Ashtanga yoga
The most popular form of yoga in America today is Ashtanga Yoga. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois developed it at his school in Mysore, India, where he taught for more than 50 years. The name means eight limbs; each limb has its own set of postures practiced sequentially. Each pose builds upon the previous one.
2. Hatha yoga
The word “Hatha” means sun or light; many people believe that hatha yoga is gentle and easy to do. Hatha yoga focuses on physical postures, and controlled movements called mudras. The goal is to achieve balance through the proper alignment of body parts.
3. Iyengar yoga
The Iyengar method emphasizes precision with each pose. The teacher will guide you through the movements slowly until they are mastered. This style was developed by Indra Devi, who taught her students how to align their bodies correctly while performing postures.
4. Kripalu yoga
The Kripalu Center offers an eight-week program called “Yoga & Ayurveda,” which combines traditional hatha yoga practices with ayurvedic medicine. The course includes daily meditation sessions, experts from various fields, group discussions, and individual consultations.
5. Lifestyle Yoga
A lifestyle class combines traditional postures with mindfulness techniques. These classes focus more on mental awareness than physical strength.
6. Power yoga
In this style of yoga, students perform various postures while holding weights or other objects. This helps build strength and endurance.
7. Restorative yoga
This form of yoga emphasizes stretching and relaxing muscles after strenuous activity. The goal is to restore balance and calmness within the mind and body.
What are the health benefits of yoga?
The evidence for some specific health benefits of yoga comes mainly from small clinical trials or case reports. However, several large randomized controlled trials have shown promising results. These findings need further confirmation before they can be considered proven.
Some yoga people report feeling better about themselves after practicing it regularly. They feel more relaxed, less stressed out, calmer, happier, stronger, healthier, and more energetic. Yoga helps them cope with stress by reducing muscle tension and improving posture.
1. Burn Calories: Yes. Research shows that doing yoga burns an average of 300 extra calories per week compared to sitting still. That adds up over time!
2. Improve Flexibility: Yes. Studies show that practicing yoga regularly improves flexibility, and you might notice this improvement after only two weeks of daily practice.
3. Strengthen Muscles: Yes. In addition to burning fat, studies have found that yoga strengthens many of the same muscles used during aerobics classes.
4. Good for Your Heart: If you have heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or other conditions, talk with your doctor before starting yoga. You should always check with your health care provider first when trying something new. In general, though, yoga is safe for most adults. Some studies suggest that yoga might reduce stress levels and anxiety. And there’s evidence that it could benefit those recovering from surgery or illness.
What are the Areas that are targeted by doing Yoga?
Your entire body benefits from yoga because it works every central system—from your cardiovascular system to your nervous system. Yoga also helps improve flexibility, balance, strength, coordination, concentration, posture, and endurance.
Conclusion: Benefits You’ll See & Feel
You can expect to see results after just two weeks of regular practice. But if you stick with it, you may notice improvements within six months.