What is Yoga and What are The Benefits of Yoga ?
The world has simply opened up to the idea of yoga. No matter, where you go, there will be someone, discussing the positive side of yoga, and its benefits. For the unversed, yoga has been a part of our lives, since times immemorial. However, most fitness aficionados, who saw the external and visible side of things, normally neglected it, for other health modalities. However, after the onset of the pandemic, we saw that, most seemingly healthy individuals were also falling prey to the virus, without any signs. So, that is when people pondered over the matter, and found out that internal health like immunity, was also important.
Recently, you must have noticed everyone heading to that, Yoga TTC in Rishikesh. Yogis were always omnipresent at such places. However, today many modern millennials are also rushing to such spots, to get healthy inside-out. You may be one of them. Before, you learn in detail, what benefits yoga can provide you with, it is important to know what Yoga is. Join the 200 hour yoga teacher training in rishikesh, for more clarity.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is basically a Sanskrit word, that means ‘union’. It aims at creating a union between the mind, body, and the soul. This method of unification has the ability to send yogis into deep states of peace and self-realization. Yoga is mainly a mental and spiritual practice. You may not yet understand, that all the physical outcomes are the mirror effects of what’s happening inside. If you have a strong focus, you can develop a lean and fit body in days. However, if you are lethargic, you may skip activities and movements altogether. Yoga practices does not mean just asanas, but a lot more. However, most people see it as a physical workout.
You will be engaging in asanas, breathing techniques, meditation, Shatkarma kriyas, bandhas, mudras, and mantra chanting, as a part of the practice. There are different styles of yoga, that focus on different aspects. Yoga goes back to the times of the Upanishads. Yogi Patanjali’s Sutras assume a lot of importance in the study of yoga, as a whole. For now, you should be happy, while reading about the benefits of yoga. Yoga is getting a lot of prominence today.
Benefits Of Yoga
Today, a lot of research has proven, and many are underway, to prove the efficacy of yoga. Let us find out more about the same.
⦁ Get Flexibility – The first thing that comes to mind, when you think about yoga, is flexibility. When you first start doing yoga, you may not be able to touch the feet, with your stretched hands, without bending the knees. However, a few classes later, you can do so. This is due to the fact, that the muscles and tendons start loosening. The impossible ones also become possible after a length of time. The aches also vanish, all of a sudden. If you have tight muscles and fascia, it can hinder your movements. Your posture may also suffer. A few asanas, like Paschimottasana can help you to build flexibility slowly. It acts as a spine elongating pose, as well. As the spine gets lengthier, you can easily reach out to your toes, in seated or standing position, without bending the knees. You will learn about flexibility in complete detail at one of the most renowned and best yoga school in rishikesh, which is Hrishikesh Yoga School.
⦁ Strength Building – Yoga can also help with the building and strengthening of the muscles. You will also be able to guard yourself against back pain and arthritis. Older people must practice yoga, to guard against such ailments. Many of you might feel, that you can leave that for the gym. However, at the gym, you will be building strength minus the flexibility. So, as the end of the day, your body is at a loss. Utkatasana or the Chair pose, is a yoga asana, which you can use to build strength. In this pose, you can build the strength in your leg muscles, like the hamstrings, glutes, and calf muscles.
⦁ Rectify Your Posture – You can also get assistance in perfecting that posture of yours. Most people walk with a hunch today. It is due to the fact that, most lead sedentary lives. You may be one of those, working at a desk all day. Poor posture can affect the spine, neck, back, and the pelvis as well. You might also be a victim of degenerative arthritis. Tadasana or the Mountain pose, is one of the most popular poses, which can help you to perfect your posture. Even beginners can do it. If you do such asanas regularly, your posture will be rectified in no time. Such asanas or poses are also a part of the 300 hour yoga teacher training in rishikesh.
⦁ Improvement In Bone Health – You may already know of many strength-bearing and weight lifting exercises, that can strengthen the bones. However, you may need props and machines, and weights to be exact. In case you choose yoga, you will be lifting the weight of your own body. Adho Mukha Svanasana is one of the asanas, in which you are lifting the body weight or rather exerting pressure on the arms, while keeping your torso and buttocks afloat. The arms are particularly susceptible to fractures due to Osteoporosis. However, with yoga for company, you can be in a better space. Yoga is also known to lower the stress hormone called Cortisol, and that helps to keep the calcium content in the bones intact. You can also head to the yoga to learn about such asanas.
⦁ Increases Blood Flow – When you do yoga regularly, the blood circulation within the body also improves manifold. Your cells also get a steady supply of oxygen. When you perform the twists and turns, science has proved that you actually squeeze out the venous blood from the organs. Thus, allowing space for oxygenated blood to enter the spaces. When you do inverted poses like Sirsasana or Sarvangasana, the venous blood can go back to the heart, and gets pumped into the lungs for oxygenation. Moreover, you should do such asanas under the guidance of a yoga teacher. If you have kidney issues, or heart issues, then such yoga poses can assist you. Yoga also boosts the RBC content in the blood. These cells are mainly responsible for transporting oxygen to all the tissues of the body. It also thins the blood, so that it can flow freely.
⦁ Increases Heart Rate – Yoga is also an aerobic activity. You can decide, whether to take it as a mere static form, or something more than that. It can also increase your heart rate. If practiced regularly, it can also lower the risk of a heart attack, and relieve depression. There are yoga asanas, that are not aerobic, yet they can improve the cardiovascular health. It also leads to an increase in endurance levels. You will be able to take in more oxygen as a result. Pranayama is an important part of yoga, which can help you to inhale more oxygen, with less physical effort. So, that is a win-win situation.
⦁ Activates Adrenal Glands – As already stated, yoga has the power to lower the levels of Cortisol in the blood. Normally, the adrenal glands secrete Cortisol, in response to a crisis. It boosts the body’s immunity on a temporary basis. However, if the Cortisol levels stay high after that also, it can compromise your body’s immunity. Moreover, memory loss is also possible. The excess Cortisol can also lead to food cravings and depression. It also causes obesity, if you binge too much. So, there is a risk of weight gain as well. If you practice yoga, you can guard yourself from the above side effects. A yoga teacher training can help you to learn about the positive effects of yoga practice, with anatomical studies as well.
⦁ Maintains Nervous System – It is also widely proven, that yoga can have positive effects on the nervous system. You can use meditation techniques to change heart rhythms and also impact the brain waves. You can also practice Pranayama for the same benefits. Yoga is not just about asanas, but breathing techniques as well. You will learn about many of the breathing techniques in the 200 hrs yttc.
⦁ Helps With Insomnia – Yoga is also a great sleep therapy. When you sleep, the body relaxes. Moreover, the organs also regenerate their cells and tissues. However, many people have sleep issues. It is better known as Insomnia. You can do many types of restorative asanas, to induce sleep. Then there is another type of guided meditation, called Yoga Nidra. In this practice, your teacher will guide you into conscious sleep. The body relaxes as a whole. Most yoga sessions are followed by savasana, or the Corpse pose. It is another state of complete relaxation. It also helps you to turn inwards, which means less worries and more contentment. You should go for the yoga teacher training, to get the best knowledge and guidance on the same.
⦁ Boosts The Immune System – When you regularly indulge in asana and Pranayama practice, it can lead to an improvement of the immune function of the body. The yogic practices act in the same manner as a vaccine. It raises the antibody levels in the blood. The practice can also lower the immune response, as excess immunity can also lead to autoimmune diseases. Some of the Pranayamas like Bhastrika and Nadi Shodhana also help in boosting the immunity. You must learn about them from the learned teachers at Hrishikesh Yoga School.
⦁ Improvement in Balance – If you practice yoga on a regular basis, you will experience perfect balance in your gait. If you have a bad posture or dysfunctional movement patterns, you are likely to benefit from yoga. Better balance often translates into fewer falls. It can act as a boon for the older generation, as they may experience fewer hospital visits as well. The Tree pose, or Vrikshasana is one of the poses which can make a difference. It will give you a solid foundation as well. The yoga teacher training can provide you with the knowledge of more such asanas or poses. Practice them until you get perfection. After you come back home, you can practice the same alone.
⦁ Cures Digestive Problems – Yoga is a wonder cure for all those digestive issues, like IBS and constipation. If you suffer from Peptic ulcers, then also yoga might help you. It also reduces the risk of colon cancers. When you move the body, during yoga exercises, the food that you ingest travels smoothly through the stomach and intestines. It is also excreted properly. Moreover, when you are doing yoga asanas like Dhanurasana and Naukasana, you will be massaging the abdomen area. Thus, your digestion will improve. You will also lose excess flab from the stomach region. The yoga school will help you to understand all the nuances of the poses. So that, you can practice the same back home.
⦁ Yoga does not just include asanas or physical poses. There is meditation as well. Yoga and meditation together can help you to become more aware of yourself and the environment. You will also be able to free yourself from destructive behaviour. Chronic anger can lead to heart attacks. When you are at peace, everything can be handled well. So, you will remain calm and anxiety-free. You can also step back from all the drama in your life. Do yoga and feel the aura around you.
So, these are a few of the benefits that yoga can offer. You can join the yoga teacher training, and learn about all the yoga kriyas, apart from asanas. It will transform you rom a pupa to a beautiful butterfly, in no time. Furthermore, doing yoga can change the course of your life, as the location is a boon in itself.
