SPEAKING TREE
Historically yoga was more than dedicating an hour or
more everyday with the sole purpose of staying healthy - it was a way of life.
You dedicated yourself to a lifestyle and culture that surpassed meditation
techniques and included healthy eating habits, bathing habits, social interaction
and work.
The positive effects of
Yoga Postures
Historically yoga was more than dedicating an hour or
more everyday with the sole purpose of staying healthy - it was a way of life.
You dedicated yourself to a lifestyle and culture that surpassed meditation
techniques and included healthy eating habits, bathing habits, social
interaction and work.
Very Beneficial
The philosophy of Yoga is rooted in the physical culture
of health and well-being that is still emphasised today and explains why over
15 million people in the world now practise this ancient tradition. Every yoga
asana (pose) has a different name and includes standing postures, seated
twists, backbends, arm balances, inversions and core holds.
Different Asanas
The downward facing dog for example, is in itself said to
calm the brain, energise the body, improve digestion, strengthen arms and legs
and be therapeutic for high blood pressure. Whilst these benefits come as a
given with most postures, the practise of yoga as a whole gives many more
benefits than you might think. Let’s discover reasons why yoga is so good for
you:
Lowers stress and
improves your mood
Some yoga methods use specific meditation techniques to
focus the mind on your breathing that quietens the constant 'mind chatter',
relieves stress and allows you to feel relaxed. Practising yoga can also boost
oxygen levels to the brain, leaving you feeling happier and more content with
everyday life.
Boosts confidence
Aside from the uplifting spiritual values, the act of
meditation can actually boost your confidence. The process works by releasing
tension from your mind so you can feel confident about your physical body.
Without any forms of anxiety, you are able to establish an internal connection
with yourself. This is consequently reflected in your perception of others and
will help to better your relationships by improving compassion and awareness.
Lowers the risk of
injury
Exercise, such as running, is usually a series of rapid,
forceful movements, which means that effort is at a maximum and there is a
higher risk of injury and increased muscle tension. Often, strenuous exercise
also engages an imbalance of opposing muscle groups whereas yoga concentrates
on balancing this activity. Yoga unites your body and mind and therefore allows
you to move in a way that results in an injury free, healthier you.
Helps you lose weight
Being overweight is a sign that there are imbalances in
your everyday life and one major contributor to weight gain is excess stress.
Practising yoga enables you to bring a deep sense of relaxation to your body
and your mind, helping you de-stress and allowing you to lose weight naturally.
Increases flexibility
People often say that they are not flexible enough to do
yoga. The truth is it doesn't matter how tight your muscles are as yoga asanas
works by safely stretching your muscles and help you to practise it further.
Moreover yoga also stretches other soft tissue in the body such as ligaments
and tendons, increasing the range of motion in the joints and allowing you to
move around more freely.
Improves muscle tone and
strength
Many yoga asanas have a profound effect on your upper
body strength, such as the downward and upward dog and the plank focuses on
your core. Likewise standing poses strengthen your upper leg muscles and lower
back. Essentially any pose will strengthen an area of the body if it is
practised in the right way, without putting too much stress on specific muscle
groups.
Benefits breathing and
lowers blood pressure
If you are to practise yoga consistently, your lung
capacity will increase as a result of the deep breathing process. This will
then have a positive effect on more intense sports that you might be a part of,
increasing your stamina and endurance. Furthermore, meditation and calming yoga
asanas slow down your heart rate which in turn lowers blood pressure and have
also been linked with improving the immune system and lowering cholesterol.
Improves your posture
By practising yoga you maintain a healthier weight,
become more flexible and improve your muscle tone and strength. You will find
that your posture will greatly improve because of this. Your abdominals and
back muscles can now fully support your weight and you will be able to sit and
stand tall, preventing niggling injuries, aches and pains.
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