Yoga: A Relaxation Technique
Yoga, the oldest physical discipline in the world, is one of the ways to
meditate or to attain a state of complete well being. Yoga is much older than
the Hindu religion. Yoga is a form of exercise and relaxation technique
where
the mind is used to control the body and the breath. This helps to ease tensions
and attain a state of holistic wellness.
The word ‘yoga’ has its origin from the
ancient Indian language Sanskrit, and it means to ‘unite.’ It is believed that
the various yoga postures, called asanas, help an individual to attain an inner
balance and harmony, thereby uniting the body, mind and the spirit. The
practitioners subscribing to a holistic view for yoga exercise believe that it
helps in an interconnection of the body to the brain and soul, and thus helps in
the attainment of mental, physical and spiritual consciousness.
Yoga is practiced to ease up the tension of muscles, to tone up internal organs
and to develop the body’s strength and flexibility. You can practice yoga alone
at home, but most of the practitioners prefer to do it in groups or conduct
classes. The focus of these yoga classes are more on the physical benefits than
that of spiritual benefits.
The key to yoga is the discipline and balance. Yoga should involve not only the
various postures along with breathing techniques, but also the
most important aspect of yoga is to control every aspect of the mind, body
and soul. The movements involved in the yoga should be slow and controlled
as it allows better control over the muscles and mind. Yoga practitioners
consider that jerky, erratic and speedy movements will cause imbalance and
fatigue to the body and the practitioner may not achieve the desired results.
Types of Yoga
Various types of Yoga are practiced in and around the world. The most popular
one is the HATHA Yoga. It is best known in western world. The word Hatha is the
combination of two words, with HA meaning sun and with THA meaning moon. This
word Hatha suggests the union of opposites.
The ‘pranayama’ (breathing exercise)
in Hatha yoga helps you to master your breathing pattern. Another one is
‘dhyana’ (a meditation technique), which is an attempt to reach a state of
consciousness. Hatha yoga involves a confluence of controlled movements of body,
concentration of mind, flexibility and conscious breathing.
Another type of Yoga is the Vinyasa. This is based on the breath-synchronized
movements. This kind of yoga is more performance-based than the other types. The
Ashtanga, also called Power yoga, is a more fast-paced style of yoga. The word
Ashtanga literally means eight limbs.
This type of yoga is more physically
demanding and involves constant body movements. Another popular Yoga variant is
Iyengar yoga, wherein the concentration is more on body alignment. This form of
yoga helps to attain a perfect body position. You can achieve maximum benefits
from yoga with practice and discipline.
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