Do you know what’s common between Jennifer Aniston, Cristiano Ronaldo, Barack Obama, Lewis Hatchett? It is the Yoga!
Yes, there are several other celebrities and eminent people from various fields who have made yoga a part of their daily lives!
“Yoga is the means by which a man can achieve his complete development in one birth or in a few months or in a few hours”
– Swami Vivekananda
It was the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who initiated the idea of International Yoga Day during his speech at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014. And this was successfully celebrated on 21st June 2015 across the world. 177 countries including India observed Yoga Day with groups of people coming together to practice yoga.
Yoga is an ancient Indian religious and Vedic science that aims to cultivate a healthy mind within a healthy body. Yoga enhances physical, spiritual, and mental conditions of the human body. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’ which means ‘Concentrate’. An Indian sage named Patanjali Maharshi gifted this phenomenal health science to the world.
- Worldwide yoga statistics revealed that there are 300 million yoga practitioners around the world, with 36 million of them being in the US alone.
- Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), showed that yoga practices improve sleep. And yoga in the workplace can improve productivity.
- The British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that yoga can ease the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a spiritual process that unites the mind with the body. Although there are multiple Vedic and spiritual aspects to yoga, modern yoga is closely related to the physical postures (asanas) or breath control exercises that one performs under the guidance of a Yoga Guru (teacher).
According to Ayurveda, by performing yoga:
- The seven chakras which completely control your body’s activities are highly activated and utilized.
- The Panchendriya – five sense organs too are greatly activated and utilized.
Also, as experienced and quoted by various Indian Sages and Gurus practicing strict yogic disciplines can enlighten the sixth sense in your body.
So what is the difference between Yoga and Exercise?
Exercises are physical postures that strengthen your muscles which are very important for a fit and healthy body.
Yoga not only strengthens your muscles but also stimulates or enhances the metabolic activities specific to every organ system in your body in simple ways. There are different Yoga asanas for different organs of the body. Such as Halasana, etc., for the eyes, Vajrasana, etc., for the heart, Mandukasana, etc., for the kidney, etc.
For example, if lung exercises strengthen only your lung muscles, Pranayama strengthens your lung muscles and stimulates or enhances your lung capacity (function).
Yoga has the exceptional quality of connecting nature and man and unleashing the powerful potential within oneself. Practicing yoga daily brings enormous energy, lightness, newness, and fresh vibes to your mind and body.
It has been observed that systematic and rigorous yoga practice can simply turn miraculous! For example, it has been proved that ‘Ashtanga Yoga’ helps in reverse aging! – reversing the aging cells in the human body!
Let us look into some of the benefits of practicing yoga regularly.
Yoga is Immunity in Itself!
“Yoga is the process of perfect development of a person in all physical, mental, social, and, spiritual aspects”
– Maharshi Sri Aurobindo
Yoga does a great job of preventing diseases from entering your body easily because it:
- Increases the biochemical activity of your body.
- Helps with digestion and absorption of substances needed by your body.
- Eliminates toxins, impurities, etc.
- Cures various gross and subtle diseases of your body easily.
- Strengthens muscles and regulates blood circulation which in turn strengthens your organ systems.
Rejuvenates the Mind!
“Yoga is not a work-out, it is a work-in”
– Rolf Gates
Are you often disturbed by the chaos around you?
Then you should take to Yoga.
Do you know that Yoga keeps the mind calm and happy?
It helps in the development of positive thoughts and dispelling negativity thus bringing mental stability within you. It increases your concentration to a great extent. It is one of the best ways to get rid of your mental stress or duality. It brings firmness to your decisions and life. It is also said that yoga is very effective in developing a strong intellect in man.
Refine’s Oneself!
“Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are”
– Jason Crandell
Yoga is a harmonious system that cleanses your body, mind, and soul. It helps you loosen and mend the rigid emotional structure cultivated within. It helps you expand and enrich your inner and outer personalities raising your consciousness to higher levels. When your spirit is in a higher state, your mind and body work the way you want very easily. It gradually helps you reshape and redefine yourself for a better living.
Weight Controller!
“Yoga is essentially a practice for your soul, working through the medium of your body”
– Tara Fraser
Yoga helps you regulate and lessen your body weight naturally. Especially the ‘Surya Namaskar’ exercise. Regular practice of yoga enhances the process of digestion and metabolism. It increases the ability to convert food into tissues in your body. It acts as a catalyst in burning calories and extra fat. It reduces overeating and brings about fat loss through increased muscle tone and mindfulness.
This Indian spiritual aspect – Yoga has found universal acceptance. It is highly appreciated and practiced worldwide today.
Research and surveys conducted globally have proved that yoga easily helps one gain desired physical, mental, and spiritual qualities naturally and effortlessly. Yoga in daily life certainly helps in achieving your mind-body goals and also enhances your beauty, personality, brilliance in every way!
Everyday yoga is the best natural medicine available today!
