| Yoga is an ancient art of staying fit, both | | | | and rejuvenating exercises can restore |
| physically and mentally. The yoga benefits | | | | health, force of life, joy and also lengthen |
| are so enormous that they are still being | | | | life span. Certain exercises, such as Laya |
| discovered almost everyday. The benefits of | | | | Yoga practices serve liberation, salvation of |
| this ancient art include physical, mental, | | | | the soul and reinvent our relationship with |
| emotional health, spiritual benefits and | | | | God. Yoga thus provides mental peace and |
| natural healing. | | | | spiritual harmony. The realization of ones |
| | | | spiritual self makes us a better person. |
| The art of Yoga has evolved over many | | | | |
| centuries in ancient India. The earliest | | | | The three main components to the practice of |
| records of this form of art are found in the | | | | Yoga are: breathing, concentration and |
| ancient Hindu texts and mythologies. Yoga | | | | posture also known as asanas. All three |
| keeps the mind and body of a person fit by | | | | components work together for specific |
| slowing down the natural aging process. It | | | | objectives. |
| reduces the amount of toxins absorbed by our | | | | |
| body cell and thus slows down its | | | | One of the most commonly practiced asanas is |
| deterioration. | | | | the Sirsha asana or the Headstand Pose. To do |
| | | | this exercise firstly kneel down and place |
| The physical well being of a person is an | | | | your arms flat on the floor. Interlock |
| obvious benefit of Yoga. There are specific | | | | fingers of both hands. Place your head |
| yoga poses or asanas that are aimed at | | | | between your hands, flat on the floor. Raise |
| increasing height, losing weight from waist | | | | your back from the kneeling position so that |
| or hips, improving blood circulation, solving | | | | you are on the tip of your toes, with your |
| Gastrointestinal problems and respiratory | | | | head still on the floor. Slowly raise your |
| problems, normalizing blood pressure levels | | | | legs off the floor so that it extends |
| and in keeping it under control, improving | | | | upwards, keeping the body aligned and |
| our cardio-vascular efficiency, improving | | | | balanced. Breathing techniques used during |
| physical strength and stamina are to name | | | | the exercise enhance the overall effect. |
| only a few. | | | | |
| | | | Breathing techniques, also known a pranayama, |
| Beyond the more obvious physical benefits, | | | | is aimed at bringing more oxygen into our |
| there are many spiritual benefits of Yoga. At | | | | blood stream thereby improving the efficiency |
| a basic level Yoga helps by improving our | | | | of our system. Breathing techniques go hand |
| level of concentration and mental clarity. At | | | | in hand with the various asanas. |
| an advanced level it improves thought | | | | |
| control, mind control and is also known to | | | | Yoga finds immense use in our present day |
| help in developing psychic powers. On a | | | | lives. From relieving office work tension to |
| higher level Yoga unites ones self with the | | | | keeping de-stressing ourselves on a long |
| environment and the people around us. It | | | | flight to making us a better person in todays |
| helps us realize and experience how we are | | | | outright competitive and religiously divided |
| One with nature. It is a sort of | | | | world. It brings out a harmony in our |
| enlightenment that makes us feel at par with | | | | precariously unbalanced lifestyles and |
| the universe. We become more aware of the | | | | emotional stability to our personal lives. |
| lives of people around us and how they are | | | | It is surprising that sparing only a few |
| intertwined with our own. This makes us feel | | | | minutes a day to practice this art can bring |
| at peace with ourselves. Purifying, healing | | | | us enormous benefits. |