IMPORTANCE OF YOGA

Yoga:

A system of techniques utilised in ancient times to harmonise the mind and body through physical activity, mindfulness meditation, and emotional and breathing regulation.

yoga can be defined in many ways, every one has there own meaning.

Photo by Felipe Borges on Pexels.com

Importance of Yoga in daily life:

People’s minds can be calmed by using the many breathing techniques used in yoga. Also, it increases your capacity for awareness and stillness. Also, you can find inner calm through meditation. It also aids in instilling commitment and discipline in one’s life. And Yoga promotes mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss, and restful sleep in addition to stress management.While the sole purpose of yoga is to challenge the mind and body through a series of yoga asanas, the overall goal of yoga is to cultivate self-reflection, control the breath, achieve profound relaxation, and progress through meditation.

Types of yoga:

There are six types of yoga.

1.Karma yoga

2.Bhakti yoga

3.Jnana yoga

4.Raja yoga

5.Tantra yoga

6.Hatha yoga

1.Karma yoga:

A route to moksha through employment is karma yoga. A commitment to one’s duty, making the best effort but being unattached to rewards or outcomes like success or failure, are all examples of righteous activity without being swayed by what the results may be.

2.Bhakti yoga:

Bhakti yoga, also known as Bhakti marga, is a Hindu spiritual path or practise that is centred on adoring devotion to any particular deity.

3.Jnana yoga:

One of the three traditional Hindu paths to moksha, jnana yoga, also known as the jnana marga, emphasises the “road of knowledge,” also known as the “path of self-realization”.

4.Raja yoga:

Raja yoga describes both the end result of yoga and the path to getting there. As a result, it is also regarded as the feeling of tranquilly and contentment that results from regular yoga and meditation practise. Raja yoga is essentially the practise of controlling one’s mind and body, with an emphasis on meditation and energetics.

5.Tantra yoga:

Tantra is a branch of yoga that combines a variety of practises, including pranayama, mudras, visualisation, mantra meditation, and initiation to study the inner world through the human body. These Tantric practises and rituals are primarily concerned with kundalini energy development and accumulation.

6.Hatha yoga:

In order to achieve a condition of spiritual purity in which the mind is detached from the outside world, Hatha yoga emphasises physical control.

Benefits of Yoga:

1.yoga reduce the mental stress.

2.It improves strength, balance and flexibility.

3.yoga releases to you, to help you sleep better.

4.yoga gives more energy in positive vibration.

5.yoga control the mental stress.

6.It improves heart health

7.It can melt away tension.

8.Gain muscle strength.

9.It improves the quality of life.

Is yoga and meditation both are same:

No, meditation and yoga are not the same thing. Yoga is a form of exercise that uses specific body postures to achieve physical and mental health benefits, while meditation is a practice that can be done with or without movement in order to focus and calm the mind.

YOGA AND ITS IMPORTANCE

ESSENCE OF YOGA IN TODAY’S WORLD:

Today the lifestyle of people has changed drastically. In the olden days, people have done more physical works which made them stay healthier for a longer time. With the advancement in technology, man has invented several things to complete the work easily without any physical effort. So the man in the modern world depends on machines to complete their work rather than by physical effort and thus results in an unhealthy lifestyle of humans. In ancient days, there is a saying in Tamil that goes, “Unave Marunthu” which means that the food which we eat is the medicine. But nowadays, due to the over usage of pesticides and chemicals, the food becomes unhealthy to the person. The habits of over-eating and eating many junk foods has caused many side effects to people. A couple of generations ago, people worked physically to get their chores done whereas in the modern world everything is done by just clicking the button. A thirty minutes walk per day increases the overall health of your body. Currently, people use escalators/elevators even for a short distance instead of taking a staircase. According to World Health Organization(WHO), insufficient physical works can lead to many health problems includes cardiovascular problems, diabetes, cancer, etc, Thus we should keep our body parts active by doing physical works which leads to a healthy life. Yoga is a valuable gift of India’s ancient tradition. The art of practicing yoga helps in increasing the healthy lifestyle of people.

BENEFITS OF YOGA:

  1. Improves healthy lifestyle: The greatest wealth is health. Good physical and mental health is important for the person to achieve their life goals. Studies have proven that one’s physical and mental health is improved by practicing yoga.
  2. Maintains inner peace: Yoga is a powerful way to attain inner peace. Meditation helps in achieving inner peace and thereby eliminating pressure and tension.
  3. Increases energy: Yoga helps in maintaining the metabolism and thus produces energy in the body. So the person can be active and energetic throughout the day.
  4. Better flexibility and posture: Regular practice of yoga helps in maintaining the flexibility of the body parts and improves the posture when you stand, sit, sleep or walk.
  5. Manage stress: Continuous practice of yoga helps to get rid of stress and anxiety. Pranayama is the best exercise to keep your mind calm.
  6. Helps in weight loss: Surya namaskar (sun salutation) is the best way for weight loss.
  7. Helps to sleep better: Regular exercise and meditation help to treat insomnia.
  8. Reduces breathing troubles: The regular practicing of yoga helps in increasing lung capacity and oxygen intake. So, it reduces respiratory problems.
  9. Good for your heart: Yoga helps to maintain proper blood pressure and thereby reducing cardiovascular problems.
  10. Increases blood flow: Yoga increases the levels of hemoglobin in the blood and maintains proper blood circulation. It also reduces the chances of heart attacks and stroke.
  11. Increase your intuition: Most of us suffer from low self-esteem. We may think negatively even before we start it. But by continuous practice of yoga, we can positively start the work.

The nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body”

                                                                                                                         -Jason Crandell