by LESLIE SPEAS
Yoga has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. It is a science that consists of observations, principles, and theories regarding the connection between the mind, body, and soul. The practice of yoga involves stretching the body and forming different poses while keeping your breath slow and controlled. This helps the body become both relaxed and energized at the same time. Yoga can be physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging but you don’t already need to be flexible or in good shape to practice it.
Yoga is more than just a form of exercise. It has a number of benefits for your mind, body, and soul as indicated below:
- Benefits for Your Mind – Any kind of physical activity contributes to relieving stress and anxiety, but this is particularly true with yoga. Due to yoga’s quiet and precise movements, it can help to pull your focus away from busy daily responsibilities and toward a calmer state by moving your body through sets of poses with balance and concentration. It forces you to focus your attention more on the present moment, slowing down your racing mind and increasing the ability to manage your stressors and emotions more effectively.
- Benefits for Your Body – Yoga will help you become more aware of your body’s patterns of movement, posture, and alignment resulting in increased flexibility and fitness level. It also helps you to become more flexible by using a greater range of motion of your muscles and joints. This releases lactic acid build-up that causes stiffness, tension, and fatigue. Yoga also helps to build muscle tone and strength. In addition, it has also been tied to other physical benefits such as lower blood pressure, better sleep, and improved mobility and balance.
- Benefits for Your Soul – Yoga helps you to cultivate gratitude in your life and appreciate what you have. Moving your body while counting your blessings will help clear mental, physical, and emotional blockages that may be holding you back. Further, yoga cultivates mindfulness and self-awareness, creating inner peace that helps you to be more resilient in handling life’s challenges.
There are many different styles of yoga which include Hatha, vinyasa, ashtanga, and hot yoga such as Bikram. But if you’re new to the practice, a Hatha class may be a good start, since it’s gentle and teaches you basic poses that are the foundation for other types of yoga.
Interested in getting started with yoga but not sure what to do? Going to beginner’s classes at a yoga studio or working one-on-one with a yoga instructor are ideal methods of getting started. But there are also a number of online options available. You could start with a simple online search like “yoga for beginners,” This will introduce you to lots of different options, some just a few minutes long and others as long as an hour. As with any new exercise program, you may want to check with your doctor before you begin.
In conclusion, yoga can be extremely beneficial and can help elevate the well-being of your mind, body, and soul. If you aren’t currently practicing yoga, it is certainly something to consider!
