Choose Yoga For You

Yoga for You

Yoga and Ayurveda are inseparable and connected to each other. Both belong to the ancient Indian tradition and comprehensively illuminate the basic laws and principles governing life on earth.Yoga, clubbed together with Ayurveda, will produce positive effects on health and wellness. The word “Yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word “YUJ” which means “to unite or integrate”.

The exercises we now call simply "yoga" are actually a part of ‘Hatha yoga’, a discipline intended to prepare the body for the pursuit of union with the divine. Through controlled breathing, prescribed postures (called Asanas), and meditation, Hatha yoga seeks to enhance the prana, or life force, that resides in the body and achieve a state of balance and harmony between body and mind.

Each of these three disciplines contributes to the search for union in its own unique way:

1. Breathing

The life force Prana is believed to enter the body through the breath, and much of Hatha yoga is concerned with helping you control your breathing properly. Shallow, hurried breathing is believed to inhibit the life force and affect mind and body adversely. Deep, slow breathing is encouraged for better health.

2. Postures

Some yoga postures are intended to stretch and strengthen muscles, others to improve the skeletal system, while some others aim at compressing and relaxing the organs and nerves.

3.Meditation

Meditation supplements and reinfo rces the disciplines of Hatha yoga, focusing the mind and relaxing the body. Closely linked with focused breathing, it seeks to produce a quiet, calm frame of mind. Many people find that it reduces stress and increases energy. The interplay of this and the other two facets of Hatha yoga are considered as the key for achieving yoga's benefits.

Who can practice Yoga?

Yoga can be practiced by anyone, at any age, with any physical condition, depending on the individual’s needs. For example, athletes and dancer s can practice yoga for the purpose of restoring energy and improving stamina. Housewives can focus on rejuvenating energy to reduce fatigue, executives to give a break to the overworked mind ; children to control the wandering mind, muscle toning, to improve memory and concentration, seniors to feel strong, and to improve memory. Yoga breathing techniques (Pranayama) are very powerful since they work as a tonic to reduce stress, insomnia, emotional imbalance, headache etc. Yoga, therefore, is applicabl e for all ages from 5 years to as long as we live.

Yoga Postures: Yogasanas

These are basic Yogasanas. Best time to practice Yoga is either in the morning or in the evening. It is the best if stomach is empty prior to the practice.