bikram yoga

The practice of Yoga brings with it many physical and emotional benefits that the majority of people are unaware of. This article is quite long
so we have broken it up into two parts. The first part is an introduction to Yoga and a overview of the major physical and psychological benefits of Yoga
while the second part shows how practicing yoga daily can have a profound effect on your ability to create a healthy lifestyle for yourself.

Yoga is a science; and indeed
in many places in the world (such as India)
it is referred to as a science. This is not merely playing with words; it truly is approached as a science
which means that it is understood in terms of scientific methods.

Yogic science seeks to verify cause and effect
and build principles based upon objective observations. Indeed
in many places in the world
to be a yogic master of any credibility
one must be highly educated in the sciences
including physics and the biological sciences.

This discussion on yoga as science is important for us to include because it allows us to sensibly ask the question: what are the benefits of yoga? After all
if yoga is a faith or a belief
then asking this question isn't fair; because it's one that yoga cannot answer in terms that we can objectively understand.

Yoga is a science; as empirical and pragmatic as kinesiology
or exercise science
which seeks to understand how the body acts and reacts to changes in the internal physical environment. And even more simply than any of this: each of us has a right to ask the basic question
why should I bother practicing yoga and what experience or benefits can I expect?


Indeed
while the experience of yoga cannot be reduced to words – just as reading a book on preparing for a marathon isn't going to actually physically prepare you to run a marathon – the goals and principles of yoga can easily be discussed.

Here's the Mayo Clinic's take on the benefits of meditation:

"Meditation is used by people who are perfectly healthy as a means of stress reduction. But if you have a medical condition that's worsened by stress
you might find the practice valuable in reducing the stress-related effects of allergies
asthma
chronic pain and arthritis
among others."

Yoga involves a series of postures
during which you pay special attention to your breathing — exhaling during certain movements and inhaling with others. You can approach yoga as a way to promote physical flexibility
strength and endurance or as a way to enhance your spirituality.

The Mind-Body Connection

Yoga is centered on the mind-body connection. This mind-body harmony is achieved through three things:

- postures (asanas)

- proper breathing (pranayama)

- meditation

Mind and body draw inspiration and guidance from the combined practices of asanas
breathing
and meditation. As people age (to yogis
ageing is an artificial condition)
our bodies become susceptible to toxins and poisons (caused by environmental and poor dietary factors).

Yoga helps us through a cleaning process
turning our bodies into a well synchronized and well-oiled piece of machinery.

Physical Benefits

By harmonizing these three principles
the benefits of yoga are attained. And just what are these benefits?

- equilibrium in the body’s central nervous system

- decrease in pulse

- respiratory and blood pressure rates

- cardiovascular efficiency

- gastrointestinal system stabilization

- increased breath-holding time

- improved dexterity skills.

- Improved balance

- Improved depth perception

- Improved memory


Psychological Benefits

As noted above
Yoga also delivers an array of psychological benefits; and in fact
this is a very common reason why people begin practicing it in the first place. Perhaps the most frequently mentioned psychological benefit of yoga is an improved ability to manage stress. Yoga diminishes an individual’s levels of anxiety
depression
and lethargy; thus enabling him/her to focus on what’s spiritual and important: achieving balance and happiness.

In part II of the Benefit of Yoga we'll reveal how yoga can help deal with stress
unhealthy habits and pain management. The benefits of Yoga go far beyond meditation and stretching
it is a way to release those toxic emotions that tend to stand in the way of living a healthy life.