The world celebrates International Yoga Day on June 21 every year. The UN has accepted the celebration of Yoga Day. International Yoga Day is being observed in 190 countries around the world. Millions of people from one corner of the world to another showcase yoga postures. It shows that they have adopted Yoga to their day-to-day activities to keep themselves mentally and physically fit. Do you have any idea about Yoga? How, why, and where was it first originated? Most importantly, what are the benefits of Yoga?
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a practice that aims for the union of the mind and body. The word “Yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word “Yoke,” which means union. It is also linked to the Sanskrit word “Yuja,” which means to connect or culminate. In simple terms, Yoga is about connecting your body, mind, and spirit with the universal spirit. It is the culmination of opposites, like Purush (Yin) and Prakriti (Yang).
Where Did Yoga Come From?
Yoga is an ancient science that originated in India around 2,500 years ago. Even though it is thousands of years old, it is still practiced worldwide for overall health and well-being. Yoga is a complete science with various disciplines for both the body and the mind.
More Than Just a Workout
There are common misconceptions that Yoga is only about physical fitness, workouts, or difficult body postures (Asanas). However, Yoga is much more than that. It is a way of life, not just a ritual to perform.
Yoga movements and postures are not just for physical fitness. They are a means to a greater end. When integrated into daily life, Yoga becomes a habit that can lead to liberation or Moksha. It can truly make a huge positive difference in your daily experience.
More Than Just a Workout
There are common misconceptions that Yoga is only about physical fitness, workouts, or difficult body postures (Asanas). However, Yoga is much more than that. It is a way of life, not just a ritual to perform.
Yoga movements and postures are not just for physical fitness. They are a means to a greater end. When integrated into daily life, Yoga becomes a habit that can lead to liberation or Moksha. It can truly make a huge positive difference in your daily experience.
Why Practice Yoga?
The goal of Yoga is to achieve holistic health, which is the health of the whole person. It is a combination of physical, psychological, and spiritual practices. Yoga helps you fix your body, which in turn helps you fix your mind. When your body is relaxed and free of pain, your mind can also be peaceful. Yoga provides peace and happiness through a series of physical postures and mental awakening. The physical part involves:
- Body movements or postures (Asanas)
- Focused breathing techniques (Pranayama)
- Concentration and discipline
The traditional foundation of Yoga emphasizes the careful alignment of your body parts during different postures. This practice brings immense refreshment and rejuvenation to the body, brain, and nervous system, supporting greater physical and mental growth.
Types of Yoga
Different types of Yoga focus on various paths to spiritual and physical growth-
- Bhakti Yoga: Focuses on devotion and spirituality.
- Karma Yoga: Relates to balancing thoughts, feelings, and actions.
- Kundalini Yoga: Focuses on controlling and harnessing the inner ‘kundalini’ energy, stemming from Tantra Yoga.
- Hatha Yoga: Balances the body’s two main energy polarities and purifies the body and mind, often focusing on physical exercises.
- Raja Yoga: The path of intuition and psychic perception, aiming for substantial spiritual transformation.
- Jnana Yoga: Means ‘Union through Wisdom.’ It encourages belief in the supreme power through observation and deduction.
Five Principles of Yoga
Traditional Yoga is often broken down into five core principles that guide the practice-
- Proper Exercise: Postures or Āsana.
- Proper Breathing: Techniques called Prāṇāyāma .
- Proper Relaxation: The practice of Śavāsana (Corpse Pose).
- Proper Diet: Following a Vegetarian diet.
- Positive Thinking & Meditation: Practices like Vedānta and Dhyāna.
Benefits Of Yoga
Practicing Yoga regularly offers many enormous benefits for your overall health:
- Mental Well-being: The combination of meditation and breathing leads to mental clarity and serenity. It relieves chronic stress and depression, creates better concentration, and relaxes the mind.
- Physical Strength and Flexibility: It improves muscular and postural strength. It also increases your body’s flexibility, making movements like bending forward easier. It helps tone muscles and prevents muscle strain.
- Health Management: Yoga can help lower blood sugar and control body cholesterol. It aids weight loss and improves the body’s insulin sensitivity. The exercises streamline blood flow throughout the body.
- Immune System Boost: Yoga has a very beneficial effect on the immune system. It helps the body fight diseases and viruses.
- Respiratory Health: Breathing exercises (Prāṇāyāma) improve lung functioning and protect against respiratory problems over time.
- Stress Reduction: Ultimately, Yoga reduces stress and brings a sense of peace and calmness to the mind, helping you maintain a positive mindset.
