Yogic exercises recharge the body with cosmic energy and facilitate: Attainment of perfect equilibrium and harmony Promotes self-healing Removes negative blocks from the mind and toxins from the body Enhances personal power Increases self-awareness Helps in attention, focus and concentration, especially important for children Reduces stress and tension in the physical body by activating the parasympathetic nervous system The aspirant feels rejuvenated and energized. Thus, yoga bestows upon every aspirant the powers to control body and mind.
The true essence of yoga revolves around elevating the life force or ‘Kundalini’ at the base of the spine. It aims to achieve this through a series of physical and mental exercises. At the physical level, the methods comprise various yoga postures or 'asanas' that aim to keep the body healthy. The mental techniques include breathing exercises or ‘pranayama’ and meditation or ‘dhyana’ to discipline the mind.
Imagine an activity that increases your flexibility, strengthens your muscles, centers your thoughts, and relaxes and calms you. Yoga does all that and more! In this article, I will review a brief history and the philosophy of yoga, the different types of yoga, the benefits, equipment you need to do it, where to do it, how to get started, and a whole lot more. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means ‘to join’ or ‘to unite’. According to Yogic scriptures, practicing yoga results in the union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness, bringing about a perfect harmony between the mind and the body and man and nature. Yoga is now a part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.