Yoga was developed in India at least three thousand years ago, and is a discipline that uses breath control, meditation and physical exercises. There are number of things about yoga that make it particular appealing, chiefly because it helps to promote mental and physical well being. The purpose of the philosophy and technique is to achieve a heightened awareness, and ultimately, to attain spiritual enlightenment.

First, there are some basic principals about yoga that are an integral part of its teachings. These come mainly from the Bhagavad Gita, which is one of the primary religious texts outlining ways to achieve liberation from one’s worldly worries and desires.

There are many different types of yoga, and one of the most popular forms in the West is hatha yoga, which focuses on strengthening, toning and relaxation. Most yoga exercises focus on proper positioning of the body in various postures. One of the high points about yoga is its benefit to overall body health. Daily practice improves strength, suppleness, and circulation. It promotes relaxation and increases range of motion, which helps to reduce the likelihood of muscle strain. Many people use it as a primary source of exercise, and others use it complementarily – such as with running, to help strengthen a host of different muscles.

Yogis believe that breath is the bridge between mind and body. Pranayama are specific exercises in which the person breathes deeply, concentrating on the breath as it enters and exits the nostrils. This puts the person at ease and allows their muscles to warm up gradually. This focus on breathing allows deep muscle relaxation, releases tension, and induces a tranquil state.

Yoga can be especially useful to older people and those with disabilities who are recovering from an illness. However, anyone can benefit from the slow, gentle exercises and the positive effect they have on hormonal balance, alleviating depression, and increasing strength and flexibility. One of the best things about yoga is that it is accessible to people of all ages and physical fitness levels.

One of the important differences between yoga and a typical workout exercise is an emphasis on process. While many exercise programs encourage you to push and strain every muscle in your body, to eradicate the ‘negative’ things in your body, the positive thing about yoga is that it has an entirely different approach. It focuses on developing awareness of the body as it is, accepting and working within its limits.

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Yoga is a family of ancient spiritual practices dating back more than 5000 years from India. It is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. In India, Yoga is seen as a means to both physiological and spiritual mastery. Outside India, Yoga has become primarily associated with the practice of asanas (postures).

Yoga as a means of spiritual attainment is central to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism and has influenced other religious and spiritual practices throughout the world. Hindu texts establishing the basis for yoga include the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and many others.

The four main paths of Yoga are
• Karma yoga: The yoga of action in the world
• Jnana yoga: The yoga of knowledge and intellectual endeavor
• Bhakti yoga: The yoga of devotion to a deity
• Raja yoga: The yoga of meditation
A committed practitioner of yoga is referred to as a yogi, yogin (masculine), or yogini (feminine).
The aims of the yoga practitioners are extremely varied.
1. Inspiration of Spiritual Element
2. Increased Flexibility and Fitness
3. Solutions to varied Health Disorders
4. All – round development : Mind, Body, Soul
Yoga entails mastery over the body, mind, and emotional self, and transcendence of desire. According to the followers, the Yogi eventually reaches the enlightened state (Moksha) where there is a cessation of thought and an experience of blissful union. This union may be of the individual soul (Atman) with the supreme Reality (Brahman), as in Advaita Vedanta; with a specific god or goddess, as in Dvaita, or dualistic forms of Hinduism and some forms of Buddhism.

Common to most forms of yoga is the practice of concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana). The awareness is concentrated on a fine point of sensation (such as that of the breath entering and leaving the nostrils). Sustained single-pointed concentration gradually leads to meditation (dhyana), in which the inner faculties are able to expand and merge with something vast. Meditators sometimes report feelings of peace, joy, and oneness.
Advantages of Yoga

Yoga emphasizes treatment of the root cause of an ailment. It works in a slow, subtle and miraculous manner. Modern medicine can claim to save a life at a critical stage, but, for complete recovery and regaining of normal health, one must believe in the efficiency of yoga therapy.

On a physical level Yoga postures stimulate the glands, organs, muscles and nerves in ways that traditional exercise cannot. Muscle tightness and strain is quickly relieved and both circulation and digestion improves. Stress-related symptoms like poor sleep, fatigue, muscle spasms, anxiety, and indigestion are greatly improved.
Through continued practice Yoga postures can have a profound effect on the inner dimensions of life, establishing deep calm, concentration, emotional stability and confidence.

Roderick Corkern is an active fitness and exercise equipment expert with over 16 years of helping people overcome fitness issues and teaching them to integrate exercise into their life.

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“Select a clean spot, neither too high nor too low, and seat your- self firmly on a cloth, a deerskin, or kusha grass. Then, once seated, strive to still your thoughts. Make your mind one-pointed in meditation and your heart will be purified…………………………..”

These words originate from the Bhagavad Gita, one of the best known and most influential of the Hindu scriptures. This book provides an entire section on the practice of meditation which is central to the Hindu way of life. It is also an important part of other eastern religions, Buddhism and Zen but it also has its place in Christianity and Judaism. However meditation does not require adherence to any of the faiths and religions that advocate it.

The benefits to be gained from meditation are many. Those people who meditate regularly believe that it leads to a significant lowering of tension and negative emotions. At the same time meditation can increase efficiency at work and deepen the sense of inner calm.

This feeling of well-being will bring a number of physical benefits. Regular meditation will eliminate or reduce stress, ease migration and tension headaches, reduce blood pressure, benefit the the heart and reduce the pain of menstrual cramps.

What we seek to achieve through meditation is a state of passive alertness that transcends the day to day level of thought and distraction. This ‘higher level’ of consciousness can be achieved by every person and does not require a knowledge of religious or spiritual teaching. Meditation is a straightforward way of freeing the mind, forgetting about everyday stresses and focusing upon mental relaxation.

In its simplest form meditation is nothing more than allowing the mind to concentrate upon a simple repetitive sensation such as the running of a fountain or repeating a word over and over again. Any of these and more can be used as something onto which the mind concentrates so strongly that problems and anxieties disappear. When described in its more refined and mystical guise, it is a means to a state of self fulfilment, being completely at one with the universe.

Meditation is not a time consuming process nor is it a form of self-hypnosis. If done correctly it is a life saving experience during which any preconceived opinions and ideas fade, the intellect and senses are refined and the ability to concentrate is improved.

Meditation has existed for several thousands of years but it was only in the 1960’s that it became popular in western culture and today many thousands of people benefit greatly from its effects. Meditation slows down the heart rate and reduces oxygen and carbon dioxide production. It also raises levels of skin resistance to pain or to an electrical current, which tends to be lower when we are stressed and anxious. This indicates an increase of muscle relaxation and can be explained for phenomena such as lying on a bed of nails or walking through fire.

During meditation there is also a reduction of activity in the nervous system and an increase in blood circulation. This slows down the metabolism resulting in the body achieving a hypometabolic state. This is a different state than what the body experiences during sleep or while under hypnosis and is best described as deep and prolonged relaxation.

Meditation has also be shown to have a major effect on the way that the brain works. During meditation the brain produces a balanced pattern of both alpha and theta brave wave rhythms. This may indicate that while in a state of deep relaxation the brain is better able to find a balance between its logical and rational and creative and imaginative sides. This results in more healthier, productive and fulfilled individuals. If it is practised regularly meditation will help to fight depression, reduce hypertension, and relieve anxiety, migraine and psychosomatic illness. Concentration, memory and creativity are also improved through regular practice of meditation.

Regular practice of meditation is also of benefit to people who have difficulty in sleeping and suffer from low energy levels. The quality of sleep will improve when meditation is practised regularly and most meditators testify to feeling less tired during the day, needing less sleep at night and waking up feeling more refreshed.

When starting to meditate it is important to find a quiet, peaceful place and to use this place regularly. Soft background music, incense or low lights are helpful in creating a conducive atmosphere. There are two stages involved in the process of meditation. Firstly comes physical relaxation, where the focus of attention is on the body and tension build up is tackled and when the body is relaxed the clarifying and emptying of the mind can begin.

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Yoga is a system of philosophy that originated in India 5000 years ago that is focused on the attainment of enlightenment and the liberation of one’s self from those burdens that can have negative effects on the mind, body, and spirit. The practice of yoga was brought to the Western countries, like the United States, after it gained popularity because of the many touted benefits. However, most teachers of the philosophy place the most emphasis on the physical poses and less on the meditation aspect.

First, there are some basic principals about yoga that are an integral part of its teachings. These come mainly from the Bhagavad Gita, which is one of the primary religious texts outlining ways to achieve liberation from one’s worldly worries and desires.

There are many different types of yoga, and one of the most popular forms in the West is hatha yoga, which focuses on strengthening, toning and relaxation. Most yoga exercises focus on proper positioning of the body in various postures. One of the high points about yoga is its benefit to overall body health. Daily practice improves strength, suppleness, and circulation. It promotes relaxation and increases range of motion, which helps to reduce the likelihood of muscle strain. Many people use it as a primary source of exercise, and others use it complementarily – such as with running, to help strengthen a host of different muscles.

Yogis believe that breath is the bridge between mind and body. Pranayama are specific exercises in which the person breathes deeply, concentrating on the breath as it enters and exits the nostrils. This puts the person at ease and allows their muscles to warm up gradually. This focus on breathing allows deep muscle relaxation, releases tension, and induces a tranquil state.

Yoga can be especially useful to older people and those with disabilities who are recovering from an illness. However, anyone can benefit from the slow, gentle exercises and the positive effect they have on hormonal balance, alleviating depression, and increasing strength and flexibility. One of the best things about yoga is that it is accessible to people of all ages and physical fitness levels.

One of the important differences between yoga and a typical workout exercise is an emphasis on process. While many exercise programs encourage you to push and strain every muscle in your body, to eradicate the ‘negative’ things in your body, the positive thing about yoga is that it has an entirely different approach. It focuses on developing awareness of the body as it is, accepting and working within its limits.

There has been a lot of study about yoga and its ability to keep the spine, the bones, and the muscles in excellent condition, but other aspects of this art have been neglected by science.  Yoga claims to be able to move the body’s energy around and help it circulate more freely, and science has yet to adequately investigate this claim.  Even many scientific experts about yoga have some doubts whether or not it is true, but experienced practitioners swear that it is.

Although I still stand by Western medicine for its ability to treat acute conditions, I think we have a lot to learn from the East in terms of maintaining a good standard of overall health.  During a practice like yoga, tai chi, one of the many other internal arts, can be of great benefit in keeping healthy, young and flexible even into old age.

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