What is Yoga?

Learn the Basics of Yoga

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice dealing with the well being of human mind, bo
dy and spirit.
The principles of yoga, called Yogasutra, were given by Patanjali, a saint philo
sopher and a physician, who lived around 3 centuries before Christ. He is known
as the founder of yoga. These sutras are timeless and hold true even today. They
help you to lead a blissful life by improving your physical, emotional and spir
itual well-being.
Who can practice Yoga?
Yoga is a series of exercises that is performed to improve health and flexibilit
y. People of any age, sex or any fitness level can practice yoga. The beauty of
yoga is that it is highly flexible, so you can modify yoga techniques to meet yo
ur need. If you have mobility problems, use chair to perform yoga. Office-goers
can try the deep-breathing practices to relieve their stress.
Sportsmen and physically active people can use the strengthening techniques to e
nhance their activities. Children can increase their attention span by using yog
a techniques. Seniors can use yoga techniques to improve the body mobility and t
he flexibility of their joints. Doctors recommend yoga practices for the people
with cardiac problems.

What is yoga?
Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj which means to unite or to join. Even though
, people tend to think that yoga is a series of exercises with twisted body pose
s, it is not so. Basically, it helps you to connect with your inner spirit, whic
h is essentially divine and is connected to the universal spirit or God.

Types of yoga s
Although people associate yoga with only exercises or asanas as they are commonl
y called, yoga is of many types. The most popular type is Hatha Yoga.
This type of yoga contains various types of asanas and is beneficial in improvin
g the body strength and flexibility. Karma yoga teaches you the way of right act
ion without expecting the fruits of labour and offering the activity as the serv
ice to almighty. You learn devotion and unconditional love for the divine by Bha
kti Yoga. Answer to your deeper questions like: who am I, Where do I come from,
- come from Jnana Yoga. Control your mind and be free from worldly attachments b
y practicing Raja Yoga. Kundalini Yoga releases the energy present in the chakra
s or energy centers in your body by teaching you deep breathing. Tantric Yoga wo
rships the feminine energy and teaches you to look at your body as a source of d
ivine.

Benefits of yoga
Unlike modern day exercises, which concentrate only on the body or on the mind,
yoga techniques provide a holistic approach towards your welfare. Asanas help yo
u to improve your strength and flexibility, so that you can carry out your daily
activities unhindered. Deep breathing techniques help in removal of toxins in t
he body and aid in relaxation. Yoga can be a great weight loss and toning tool.
It helps in healing and nourishing the body. Meditation calms your mind and give
s you clarity of thought.
The major benefit of yoga is that it doesn t need any special place or equipment o
r clothes. All you need is mat and loose fitting clothes. Thus you can practice
yoga even when you are away from your home.

Creating a yoga environment

Yoga can be practiced at any time of the day. Choosing to practice in the mornin
g energizes you and the relaxed, soothing practice helps to wind up in the eveni
ng. The room should be airy, clean and well lit. Avoid air conditioners. Play so
ft music or yoga cassettes and keep incense sticks in the room to clean the air.
If possible, keep some flowers in the room. Tips for great yoga practice
Yoga can be practiced at any time of the day. Choosing to practice in the mornin
g energizes you and the relaxed, soothing practice helps to wind up in the eveni
ng. The room should be airy, clean and well lit. Avoid air conditioners. Play so
ft music or yoga cassettes and keep incense sticks in the room to clean the air.
If possible, keep some flowers in the room.

Adopt a positive attitude. Set manageable goals. Start with simple exercises and
as you progress, increase your intensity. Record your progress so that you can
note down your experiences, thoughts and anything else. Practice yoga on an empt
y stomach or 3 hours after a meal. Avoid smoking, drinking, drugs, non-veg and f
ried foods. Keep your meals simple. Do your practice at the time convenient to y
ou. But mornings till 9.00 am are preferable since they are neither too hot nor
cold.