What is Yoga?
The most common definition comes from the Sanskrit word “Yuj” which means to yoke or unite, to bring together or tie together the strands of the mind, to centre one’s thoughts, to concentrate on oneself and to meditate deeply. Yoga is everything, it is so much more than 90 minutes on the mat.
When practising yoga (and that is what we are doing - we are practising and not doing yoga) we are developing skills that calm the mind and overcome physical limitations and mental obstacles. Everyone can do yoga. It is accessible to all, no matter your age, gender, ability, injury or size. Yoga asanas can be modified to encourage students to develop a deeper awareness of how the body works when performing asanas.
There are many ways of practising yoga, one can start by meditation and journaling or attending a yoga class or studying Yoga Philosophy. Practising yoga every day does not necessarily mean that one has to attend daily yoga classes. The Eight Limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful life and direct attention toward one’s health. Practising asanas is one of the eight guidelines, which means that we all have seven more guidelines to discover and develop.
Yoga is so much more than attending a class, it is a lifestyle, not a sport.
How Yoga can help you:
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Create a daily structure and commit to it. Starting your day with reading or meditation is the best gift to yourself.
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Discover who you are.
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Learning to come back to yourself.
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Find your limits, expand your boundaries.
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Truly relax into who you are.
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Feel at ease in your body.
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Want to continue to feel good in your body.
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Take time to remember who you are.
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Helps you feel harmonious and complete.
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Helps you find your balance, your centre, in life.
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Quieting the mind with meditation.
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Open your body and mind with yoga asanas and conscious breathing.
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Pain relief.
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Stress relief.
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Overall happiness and wellbeing.
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It allows each person to work within their personal limits. It is not competitive.
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Stretching, strengthening, toning and alignment of the entire body.
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State of mental calmness and emotional stability.
Yoga is good for all ages and levels of fitness, and it is a means of becoming more familiar with your body.
Yoga is good for the mind. Good for the body. Good for the soul.
What are the benefits of yoga?
Yoga improves physical stability, balance, strength and flexibility
Understanding how to correctly align the body, use the centre of gravity to become light and discover your inner strength and balance is essential to enjoy your practice on your yoga mat. By keeping the body flexible and the joints lubricated you are reducing cell deterioration and slowing down the ageing process.
Yoga improves blood circulation and breathing
The relaxation poses, like Legs Up the Wall, can help circulation in the hands and feet. Twisting poses are thought to wring out the “bad” blood from the intestines and internal organs. Conscious breath slows down and deepens the breath, which improves lung function and blood circulation. Yoga promotes breathing through the nose and this filters the air and humidifies it. Conscious breathing can make us feel calm, relaxed and clear headed.
Yoga boosts the immune system
Contracting and lengthening the muscles, especially during Restorative Yoga poses, increases the drainage of lymphatic fluid thus improving the function of the immune system.
Yoga helps with pain management, pain relief and back pain
Practising yoga will help you figure out where you hold tension and, eventually, how to release the tension. Improving your flexibility and strengthening your abdominal muscles will help to support your lower back, which in turn will lead to a healthy spine. Yoga stretches relieves soreness in muscles and strengthens them as well.
Yoga helps to regulate metabolism
Even a gentle yoga class can warm up the core of the body, get the skin glowing, increase the heart rate which in turn will lower the resting heart rate over time. Chronic stress leads to an increase in cortisol (a stress hormone) which is linked to the slowing down of our metabolism. By decreasing our stress levels we are bringing our metabolic rate to a healthier state. Certain yoga poses also stimulate the thyroid hormone secretion and this can restore a healthy metabolism. Sleep deprivation has been linked to decreased metabolism. Better sleep is one of the key benefits of a yoga practice and this in turn ensures metabolic homeostasis.
Yoga can be done anywhere and at any time
Yoga can be practised at home, in a hotel, in a park or on the beach. You can practise yoga in a studio or with online classes. Yoga only requires a mat, a couple of blocks and a strap. You work with your own body weight and no external weights or exercise machines are necessary. Yoga can be practised first thing in the morning, during your lunch hour or just before bed. You don’t need the latest and most expensive attire to practise yoga, as long as the clothing is comfortable and does not require adjustment whilst attempting to hold poses.
Yoga teaches us about better stress management and the ability to calm ourselves
Meditation, conscious breathing and Restorative Yoga are some of the ways that you can relax your mind and feel a sense of calmness. Restorative Yoga teaches you patience and “letting go”. Let go, relax, restore, slow your breath and focus on the present moment. What better way to calm yourself and cultivate inner peace.
Yoga brings more body awareness
Yoga will teach you how to unify your mind, body, and soul, leaving you refreshed, calm, and ready to take on the world (or, rather, one awesome moment of life at a time). By making subtle adjustments in your alignment, your centre of gravity and your posture, you increase your chances of a safe and enjoyable experience on your yoga mat. Listen to your body to know what is harmful as well as what is good for you.
Yoga teaches us to love and accept ourselves and others
Yoga connects us to a community of love and acceptance which is not only uplifting but also encouraging. You will discover inner strength and inner peace when you are on your mat. Feelings of gratitude, happiness, empathy, forgiveness and a sense of community will flow from your practice.