Yoga is an activity that is highly beneficial and should be incorporated into everyone's lives. Many people think that it is only for certain people, but it is designed to be inclusive.
Although there are multitudes of benefits, I would like to bring up a couple key benefits that everyone can accomplish in their practice.
Yoga connects the mind, body and soul of the individual. It helps you stop right then and there to be fully involved the moment with the use of strategic breathing and concentration. This breathing manifests stress relief because it puts you in a meditative state, regardless of what type of yoga you are practicing. When one is engrossed in coordinating breath with movement, it helps relax your mind and body.
When your body and mind reach relaxation, this is when the soul comes to surface. Coordinating your breath and movement in a calm temperament gives you an opportunity to listen in on what your body needs to tell you. Your body will talk to you when you clear your mind, which will help you become more in tune with your body. You cannot incorporate your soul into the practice if you are not fully immersed and committed to the moment.
Inner peace is the key to truly understanding yourself and relaxation. Inner peace helps you understand yourself at a deeper level because it turns off the external distractions. It facilitates your mind to think clearly with your true perspective while keeping everything else at bay. It contributes to being happy with yourself because your decisions are exactly what YOU want, not what others want.
Since relaxation is the key to stress relief, it is a grand attribute to have. Not everyone has the pleasure of taking a week long vacation whenever they feel "over the edge" but a solid, hour-long yoga session may do the trick. Imagine having all of your tensions melt away with a positive and clear mindset. It can help you make better decisions, be more personable and make your day a little more enjoyable.
Tension is a large contributor to all types of aches and pains. Yoga will give you the insight to knowing exactly what position will help soothe the tension and reduce any type of physical discomfort you may have.
About a year ago, I got into an accident that involved being hit at 65 miles an hour, causing whiplash. When I realized that I needed to go to physical therapy, I booked an appointment while looking for alternatives. My research lead me to my first yoga class in downtown Pensacola. After doing a couple positions, I felt my back pain gradually melt away and I let the relaxation set in. After the class, I did not feel an ounce of tension and I felt like I was walking on clouds. It prompted me to cancel my physical therapy appointment as soon as I had the opportunity to. Thereafter, I started to go to classes a couple times a week and within two months, I felt better than I ever. As if the accident never happened.
On top of pain relief, yoga is a great for strength training. The people that think yoga cannot replace cardio have not partaken in Power, Bikram or Iyengar yoga before. These are vigorous, endurance-building practices that build muscles and help with weight management, especially when hand weights are incorporated. Not all types of yoga are intensive aerobic workouts, but the right one can replace a cardio session to help rejuvenate and strengthen muscles.
In conclusion, yoga is a wonderful activity that can drastically improve your life with regular practice and eating right. If this article has not prompted you to drop in on a class, you will never get to experience self-inflicted relaxation. I highly recommend everyone to try it, especially in such a high-strung, stressful world!
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