YOGA FOR HEALTHY LIFE

YOGA is a science. Like all other sciences it is based on observation and experiment. This method of observation and experiment is regarded in the west as a distinctly modern innovation, but as a matter of fact it was adopted in India in very ancient times by the “RISHIS”, or seers of truth. Through the process of close observation and constant experimentation, they discovered the fine forces of nature, as also the laws that govern our physical, mental and spiritual well being. The truths thus gained through their own experiences and investigation, they wrote down in Upanishads, preached in public and expounded to their pupils.



“PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE” it is the famous quotation and meaningful quotation..

Yoga helps us to not only prevent from the diseases; it also helps us to cure some of the common diseases.

Yoga is the only branch that has exercises to make us fit in a physical, Physiological, and psychological manner.

ESSENTIAL OF YOGA PRACTICES:

In order to derive the full benefits of yoga it is necessary to understand the following requirements and principles related to its practice.

TIME:

Though the morning time, before breakfast, is regarded best for practicing yoga. One can do it also in the evening or at any other time provided the stomach is empty and not heavy with food.

The individual should select a time which is convenient for his daily routine and should try to do yoga at the same time everyday. A practice for atleast 5 to 6 days in a week should be enough to show improvement.

PLACE:

Practice yoga on the floor. Avoid chowki (Or Bed). Use a carpet, rug, blanket, or mat on the floor. The place of practices should be neat, clean and well ventilated.

SILENCE:

One should maintain silence while doing yoga. Any conversation, mental activity and even listening to music should be avoided.

REST:

Two types of Rest:

1.Short Rest

2.Long Rest

Short Rest:

The short rest should be for about six to eight seconds only. This is taken between two rounds of asana, or between one and the other asana. The Shorter restis completed by breathing twice at the completion of one round of a posture

Long Rest:

Long Rest comes at the end of all the asanas, pranayamas and other kriyas which one does at a stretch. The general principle is to devote one fourth of the actual practicing time for this rest. For e.g. : If one has done yoga for 20 minutes , the rest at the end should be for 5 minutes

DRESS:

There should be minimum clothes on the body while doing yoga. Male practitioners can wear half pants or pyjamas along with an underwear. Ladies can wear saree, slacks or stretch pants with blouse. In winter, light woolen clothes may be used while doing yoga.

BATH:

It depends on the convenient and personal choice of the practitioners to bath either before or after the practice. For taking a hot bath after yoga practice one must wait for about 15 minutes

METHOD OF PRACTICES:

In order to obtain the fullest benefit of yoga, one must practice in a proper way. Since yoga is the scientific systems it requires to be done in a specified manner. What is more important here to mention is that though every one cannot practice all the postures which perfection, they can certainly follow the method of doing them without any difficulty. Therefore the advice is;do yoga according to the limits of your body. Do it only as much as you can. You need not be perfect in form. If you cannot do the full form, do half it or even less

FEMALE PROBLEMS:

Female practitioners should avoid the yoga practice during menstrual period and during advance stage (After 4 month) of pregnancy. Pregnant women may practice yoga under proper care and instruction of a yoga experts.

HOW MUCH YOGA? :

Yoga can practised for a longer time in the winter season than in summer . Maximum times devoted for actually practicing yoga should not exceeed 45 minutes in a single day of winter. In summer maximum time for actual practice should be 30 minutes.

DIET:

Foods have been divided into 3 categories

1.RAJASIK

2.TAMASIK

3.SATTVIK

First 2 categories is not suitable for yoga practitioners. Third one, SATTVIK, is highly recommended for the yoga practitioners,

QUALITY OF FOOD:

Eat not more than 85 % of your capacity. In other words always keep some space left in your stomach after dinner.

WATER:

Yoga practitioners should drink about 5 lbs (10 to 12 glasses) of water everyday. Water should be not taken at the time of eating, but after half an hour of eating..

Before starting yoga practice we should know the above the factors then only our yoga practices will be meaningful and beneficial one.

YOGA AND HEALTH BENEFITS:

1. PADMA ASANA

2. PASHCHIMOTTAN ASANA

3. MATSYA ASANA

4. ARDHA MATYENDRA ASANA

5. HALA ASANA

6. BHUJANGA ASANA

7. DHANUR ASANA

8. SHALABHA ASANA

9. SARVANGA ASANA

10. PAWAN MUKTA ASANA

11. TARA ASANA

12. VRIKSHA ASANA

13. SURYANAMASKAR ASANA

14. SHAVA ASANA

HEALTH BENEFITS: (PREVENT FROM THE DISEASES)

PHYSICAL:

1. MUSCULAR STRENGTH

2. FLEXIBILITY

3. POSTURE IMPROVEMENT

PHYSIOLOGICAL:

1. NEURO MUSCULAR CO-ORDINATING

2. CARDIO RESPIRATORY EFFIENCY INCREASES

3. CIRCULATORY SYSTEM BENEFITS

4. EXCREATORY FUNCTION IMPROVES

5. IMMUNITY INCREASES

6. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM NORMALISES

PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS

1. SELF ACCEPTANCE AND SELF REALISATION

2. SELF CONFIDENCE

3. FREE FROM ANXIETIES ,STRENGTH AND TENSION

4. PEACEFUL MIND

5. SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT

YOGA CURE FOR COMMON DISEASES:

In the Medical system on external agent (medicine) does the corrective work, in the yogic system this external agent is not needed at all .It is the patient himself whose personal understanding, practice and care cure his diseases in the yogic system

In certain cases, the medicine provided them immediate relief, but not a lasting cure. On the other hand, a great number of such patients achieved permanent cure through thereaptic yoga within in a period of two or four months .This has specially been so in case of diabetes, arthritis, asthma, gastro intestinal disorders, nervous tension and various other cases.

YOGA HELPS US TO LEAD A HEALTHY LIFE

If you are considering taking up yoga, then it is important to understand that there are a variety of types to choose from, each with their own philosophy and techniques. As you embark on your personal yoga journey, it may help to understand the alternatives so you can choose the one that is right for you.

I have experience with four different types of yoga; these being Iyengar, Hatha, Ashtanga and Bikram yoga, so this article will focus on them. There are plenty of others so please don’t feel restricted by my experience.

Iyengar

Iyengar yoga is the most popular style of yoga. It is widely practiced and there are a large number of schools available. I found Iyengar yoga enjoyable and challenging. My main struggle initially was with holding static poses and managing my breathing for the length of time that was required. Over time, I definitely improved and felt a real sense of accomplishment for doing so.

There are a huge variety of poses which means that a good teacher will focus each class on different objectives relating to both your body and state of well being. For me, that meant that I did not get bored or complacent, because there were lots of different things for me to try.

Hatha

Hatha is a really lovely, gentle form of yoga. It is excellent for all age groups and fitness levels because you are very fluid in your movements. If you are feeling a bit intimidated by yoga, then this would be the one that I would recommend as a starting point.

It is very accessible so that if you are lacking experience you can still easily manage a Hatha yoga class. As this practice is inherently gentle, it is an excellent form of relaxation combined with exercise. You may feel some exertion at times, but certainly not the intensity that Iyengar or Bikram yoga provides. The breathing techniques offer a great opportunity to observe your body and create a sense of stillness in your mind.

Ashtanga

I have had the least experience with Ashtanga yoga but I really enjoyed it. It is somewhere between Hatha and Iyengar in that it combines movement with breathing (Hatha) but also has poses that are maintained for a period of time (Iyengar).

This had a really positive effect overall, as I felt that the class was a bit more physically challenging but still gave me a presence and clarity of mind that I expect from any form of yoga. I would definitely be interested in exploring this method further however it is not as common in Australia, which makes it difficult to find instruction.

Bikram

Bikram, or hot yoga as some will know it, is rapidly growing in popularity and numbers. Whilst the philosophy of Bikram emerged from India, the trend was born in Los Angeles. Bikram outlines a set of standing and floor-based poses that are designed to work each part of your body over the course of the session. It is recommended that you practice in a hot room (approx. 38 degrees Celsius) to elevate the heart rate and improve muscle movement. Each session follows the same format, offering limited variety. For that reason, a common complaint is that people get bored over time.

As a yoga practice, Bikram has a tendency to polarize people. You either love it or loath it. Those that are devoted to Bikram will go three to four times per week and become extremely committed. Those that loath it, will go once or twice and then choose to leave it there. It really comes down to personal preference. I did not have a great experience to be honest but I have met plenty of people that are devoted to Bikram so don’t let me put you off!

As you can see, all of these techniques are extremely different from each other and no matter which you choose, you will find some huge benefits. For me, I would encourage you to explore yoga because it brings a full awareness to your body and helps create a sense of well being across so many different dimensions. Good luck!

Yoga has made the lives of millions of people around the world easier and more beautiful. Yoga gives all round benefits improving both mind and body of an individual. Yoga helps to maintain body equilibrium. It also enhances strength, stamina, and flexibility. Regular practice of yogic asanas helps to enhance concentration and self-control. Yoga is highly therapeutic in nature.

There are varieties of yoga postures some of which are discussed here. A yoga posture, which is quite common and easier to perform, is the spinal roll or rocking exercise. It is most beneficial to overcome the problems of drowsiness as well as stiffness. This yoga posture gives the body vitality. First sit down on the mat and then drawing up your knees bend your head down. Your hands should be under your knees – now swing back and forth very similar to that of a rocking chair. It greatly strengthens spine and the neck.

Another common yoga posture is Uddyiana Bandha, which influences both our mind and our body. This is extremely beneficial for our internal organs of the abdominal region. It is also good for our heart and cures obesity. It basically consists of two parts.

1. The first involves standing with your feet at a distance of a foot.

2. Now bending forward a little, place the hands above the knees

3. Inhale and then exhale trying to push in your stomach as much as possible until it becomes concave and stay in that position for around ten seconds

4. Return to normal standing posture.

Sirshasana or headstand is another popular yoga posture that enhances circulation to the brain that helps to develop memory and intelligence. It is also a cure for some serious ailments like nervousness, tension, fatigue, sleeplessness, dullness, fear, asthma, headache, and so on. It also stimulates important endocrine glands.

Initially you should start with fifteen seconds and slowly increase the time. However, those suffering from high or low blood pressure should avoid this yoga posture. This posture should always be practiced carefully in order to protect your head. Kneeling down on the mat, place your interlocked fingers and forearms and then place your head into the hollow of the palms. Inhale and then slowly and steadily raise your legs until they are in a vertical position. Stay erect and relax while breathing normally. To return to the normal position bend the knees and lower the legs one by one.

A comparatively easier yoga posture is Viparitakarani Mudra, which is supposed to provide strength and balance to the body. This yoga posture is believed to be a restorer of youth and vitality and to prevent premature ageing. It also enhances the functioning of the sex glands. The first step requires you to lie down on the mat and raise the legs and back. Your hands should be under your hips in order to support your body. In the next step close your eyes and breathing slowly and concentrate on the gonads. Remain in this position for about two minutes.

One of the basic yoga postures is that of Halasana. It is useful for making the spine flexible. It opens up the spinal discs and stretches the spinal muscles and ligaments. It is also good for thyroid gland, liver, spleen, and arthritis. In order to perform this yoga posture, lie down with face upward and bring both legs over your head and try to touch the floor. Knees should be straight and the arms should rest beside you. Breathing slowly, remain in this posture for a minute. Slowly go back to the original position.

There are different yoga postures and one should begin by practicing those that are suited to their body and can be performed without causing any injury.