What Is Yoga? A Beginners Guide

Posted by Gbfr on October 14th, 2021

What is Yoga? Sometimes, it is hard to tell what is Yoga. I will attempt to answer that question with some definitions. Yoga is a collection of spiritual, mental, psychological, and physical practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India, aiming at unifying and balancing the mind, promoting a sense of spiritual awareness, and acknowledging the non-ego existence of the physical self.

Yoga is not a rigid system, but rather a series of gentle exercises and postures, designed to strengthen the body and promote healthy flexibility. Yoga practitioners believe that the practices will improve our mind, body, and spirit. A Yogi (man or woman) will perform these practices to acquire self-awareness, improve concentration, reach enlightenment, attain nirvana, or just simply to enhance his or her well-being. A more physical Yoga practice might be Hatha Yoga where you perform physical poses and breathing techniques to relax the muscles, stretch the spine, increase strength, improve muscle tone and flexibility, release anxiety, improve circulation, or ease stiffness and pain.

Hatha yoga consists of seven asanas or positions, each linked to the study of one of the seven chakras. These centers of energy correspond to each chakra; hence the name \\\"chakra\\\" (which means \\\"wheel\\\"). A Hatha Yoga practice often starts with pranayama (breathing); however, in more advanced practices, meditation may be added. Pranayama involves controlled breathing through the nose and mouth. Mastering this skill is an important step on the path to obtaining nirvana. In Hatha yoga, one\\\'s mind is free to wander but the body must stay rigid as the focus is on the breath.

The primary focus of Hatha Yoga is to achieve a deep state of relaxation through controlled breathing. The primary asanas are kapalbhati (concentration), pratyahara (restorative yoga), niyama (observances), and dharana (contemplation). These practices enable the individual to obtain a state of mental stillness through deep breathing. As the breathing matures, the nervous system, including the brain, becomes relaxed. This enables the person to channel vast amounts of energy for the development of his mind, body, and spirit.

Apart from the calming effect of pranayama or breathing control, many people who have been practicing yoga for years find that it helps them achieve a state of serenity by means of meditation. There are basically two types of meditation - physical and mental. Both types require performing the asanas, but the former requires complete control while the latter is the result of chance circumstances or thoughts. Hatha yoga is a great source of information on the different types of meditation, both for the beginner and experienced yogi.

Yoga postures can also be used to enhance and improve the functioning of other health conditions. It has long been known that certain yoga postures improve blood circulation as well-being, making the heart healthier. Another example is that practicing yoga can improve the condition of the lung tissues, such as the lung capacity and the function of the lymph nodes. Yoga postures also increase the range of motion of the joints and stretch the muscles, strengthening them.

Apart from health benefits, yoga is also widely known for improving one\\\'s well-being in the spiritual sense. The mind is believed to be capable of affecting one\\\'s life, the material world, as well as one\\\'s very existence itself. Yoga helps the individual to connect his or her personality to their individual truth. Connecting the human personality to the inner truth is the basis of Chakra yoga. Through chakra, the individual experiences a sense of being selfless, thus improving his or her sense of compassion for others.

There are many options available for ashtanga yoga practice. One can opt for a class, a workshop, a yoga video or download an online yoga course. All these options allow one to learn ashtanga yoga properly and efficiently. Once you get a hang of it, you will find that your yoga practice has never been this easy!