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Yoga as we call it today, is called yog in Vedas, Upanishads, Gita and other Hindu mythological scriptures. According to these scriptures, yog is a very ancient practice, which is connected with spirituality along with self- realization and well being of an individual.
Today yoga is more in limelight for maintaining the healthy lifestyle and homeostasis. But in Hindu culture, during ancient times and still some people practice yoga to learn to channelize their energy and then meditate to find their higher self or connect with God and become Yogis or Gurus (spiritual teacher).
Practicing yoga regularly helps in maintaining the balance of life. Apart from mythologies, science is providing some findings that conclude, how yoga helps in maintaining the well-being, by making an individual mindful, reduce stress and fight psychological disorders.
I am not a yogi (master of yoga practice) but I practice yoga few times a week or when I think I need some positive energy. And whenever I practice yoga, I feel good, my body feels energetic, and my mind feels lighter.
Effects of Yoga on our body
1. Energetic: I feel a different kind of energy in myself during and after practicing yoga, it is positive and recharging. Yoga helps in improving the blood circulation in the body and awakens nervous system, which helps in the production of energy. Even with 15-20 minutes of practice, one feels enhanced sense of energy in body and mind.
2. Relieves stress: Positive energy gets generated when controlled breathing is practiced, and endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin (happy hormones) get released which in turn puts flight-or-fight response at rest and the parasympathetic nervous system starts working efficiently.
3. Relaxed body: After sitting whole day, when we stretch our body feels relaxed. It is no brainer when the mind is relaxed, the body automatically feels relaxed, unless one is suffering from the physical ailment. When one practice asanas (poses) along with controlled breathing, it generates energy, which calms body and mind.
4. Focused: While practicing yoga, one of the important aspects is aligning your body according to the asanas while maintaining controlled breathing. This requires focus and concentration, which develops eventually but then becomes part of one's life.
5. Flexible: Flexibility is in our body since birth but then we get lazy. Stretches and asanas of yoga increase the range of motion by stretching the muscles, and regular practice of it brings flexibility to our body, releasing tensions from our body and mind.
6. Better Posture: With our changing lifestyle, we don’t realize it but we are ruining our posture, slouching for the majority of the time without realizing. The yoga asanas demands for the spine to be straight and body to be aligned. With regular practice of this, we start to sit and stand straight and if not, at least we become conscious of slouching or slumping and body realigns itself.
7. Quality Sleep: When one is relaxed and stress-free, sleeping shouldn’t be a problem. Due to various reasons, I had difficulty in maintaining sleep, but with yoga, my body learned to balance and maintain equal energy throughout practice and day and eventually it learned to apply that to sleep.
8. Improved Eating Habits: You are what you feed yourself. And with the practice of yoga, one becomes conscious of what to eat. The healthy body craves for healthy food; my body enters the healthy zone and I get tempted to make salad instead of a burger.
9. Healthy weight: Practicing yoga and healthy eating, helps in reducing or maintaining healthy body weight according to the choice of asanas. Unlike gym, with yoga in order to see results, it needs patience and persistence. Yoga makes a person mindful, which contributes majorly when it comes to losing or maintaining weight.
Yoga improves the quality of life and encourages us to love and take care of our body. The best part is that to experience this positive energy, one doesn’t have to be an expert of yoga. There are many apps and videos available for free, all it needs is some time and dedication to practice.
Namaste!
