What is Yoga?

Outside India, the term yoga is typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures), or as a form of exercise. Most people practicing yoga are engaged in a program of physical postures designed to purify the body and provide physical strength.

The term "yoga" comes from a Sanskrit word that means "to control", "to yoke" or "to unite." Translations include "joining", "uniting", "union", "conjunction", and "means".

Fortunately for us this Eastern tradition has found its way into mainstream Western society. Chances are you already have some ideas about what yoga is, or have even sat in on a class or two. Maybe you have seen yoga poses in various media and simply been curious. Let us help you satisfy your curiosity with a gentle push of encouragement.

More Than Stretching and Spandex

Yoga works to tone your body from the inside out and strengthens on deeper, more nuanced levels than most physical exercises. There is a focus on your breath, energy locks, and body positioning. It will help you breathe better, sleep better, and feel better about yourself.

For many, yoga offers a spiritual outlet in a world where our spirit is often ignored. Equally important, you can practice yoga with or without any religious background.

Five GOOD Reasons for Practicing Yoga

Research and science has shown that yoga can benefit many aspects of your life because, like meditation and strength training, it helps you dissolve stress.

• Yoga helps to decrease physical, mental, and emotional stress. Stress is one of the leading causes of countless diseases. Stress is also one of the leading factors for low productivity in businesses today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

• It has been estimated by various media such as USA today and Fox news that 1/5 Americans suffer from chronic pain. A yoga practice helps to alleviate physical pain in areas ranging from back pain and joint pain to migraines and stomach aches.

• If you are an athlete there are various reasons to take up yoga. It will help increase your flexibility. In all sports flexibility is important but yoga especially helps the golfer achieve the perfect rotation with the waist. Yoga will help a ball player reach and jump and land without jarring the body. Yoga can help master agility, strength, and stamina. This is achieved through maintaining balance through many poses that help one to find their edge and push their body, respectfully.

• Yoga is for all ages and all sizes. The inviting part of yoga is that it is based on respecting ones body and limits. Many of the exercises are cultivated with the mind and many people are surprised by the strength through utilizing their breathing and concentration. In addition there are various types and variations to accommodate all.

• Yoga encourages healthy emotions and mental well being. It does so by impacting chemicals in our body such as cortisol and serotonin. These chemicals give our body energy and a mood boost. Yoga can help to balance hormones, energy and to clear out toxins.
  

8 Principles

Below are eight principles to be followed in the system of yoga that typically underlie all forms of yoga practice:

• Yama: The external moral compass. These are the fundamental truths and values that are fundamental to self growth. Anyone practicing yoga should adhere to these values which include of non-violence, truth, honesty, restraint, and sexual purity.
• Niyama: The internal moral truths. These are the observances and exploration of a practitioners own truths. These are observed by contemplation, contentment, penance, and study.
• Asanas: These physical exercises help in concentration of the mind. Asana refers to the yoga postures and flows that unite the mind and body, through breath, movement, and concentration.
• Pranayama: It involves breathing exercises that help the individual to gain control of prana or life energy. In yoga classes, pranayama is practiced as a commencement to the class; it is used to calm the mind, find one’s center, and to detach one’s mind from the stresses and activities of the day.
• Pratyahara: It is a stage of feeling a sense withdrawal. The individual’s mind is focused on the internal object of concentration and has a feeling of detachment from the outside world. This can be attained through practicing pranayama, meditation, or certain forms of yoga.
• Dharana: In this stage, the individual is able to concentrate on one subject or an idea. Depending on the instructor and the type of yoga class (although you may absolutely do this in one’s own personal practice), the instructor may ask the group to reflect on one event, feeling, tension, and so on, in one’s life to concentrate on and to dedicate their practice to. This process aids in healing, letting go of stress, as well as anxious feelings.
• Dhyana: It is the stage of contemplation on one subject or an idea. This state of contemplation is the next step up from dharana, which was focused on finding one object or idea to concentrate on. In dhyana one uses the concentration from dharana to think about and meditate on that one object or idea.
• Samadhi: This is the stage where the individual’s consciousness merges with the divine consciousness.

Where did yoga originate?

Coming soon...

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