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Yoga is a spiritual science which comes from India. Yoga has existed for over five thousand of years.
Yoga encompass the entire field of existence - the physical, emotional and mental to the spiritual. Yoga methods include ethical disciplines, physical postures, breath control, as well as meditation.
The physical foundation of yoga is a series of structured poses (asana's) performed with awareness of breath and pose.
Yoga comes from the Sanskrit language and means to "yoke," or bring together the mind, body, and soul.
There are many types of yoga, some of the more popular ones are:
- Ashtanga yoga - vigorous and fast-paced, increases flexibility strength, concentration, and endurance
- Bikram yoga - dynamic style of yoga, practised in a heated room
- Iyengar yoga - strong, precise style of yoga used for fitness more than spiritual enlightenment
- Kundalini yoga - releases internal energy, by postures, breathing and meditation
- Satyananda yoga - gentle style of traditional Hatha Yoga
- Viniyoga - gentle style, more focused on healing
- Yoga has been used for over 5,000 years as a practice for meditation and fitness
- There are many forms of yoga
- Yoga can be used as a useful meditation technique
- Yoga is best performed in loose, comfortable clothing or special yoga gear
- It is recommended to start at the easy classes (gentle yoga) and build up to the more vigorous ones
Yoga has many health of benefits:
- Physical - improves flexibility, balance, strength, endurance
- Mental - improves mental clarity and cognition
- Emotional - reduces stress and anxiety
Important: Before starting any exercise program, it is important to check with your doctor, especially if you have any type of health condition.
references
- Bukowski EL, Conway A, Glentz LA, Kurland K, Galantino ML. The effect of iyengar yoga and strengthening exercises for people living with osteoarthritis of the knee: a case series. Int Q Community Health Educ. 2007 Mar 1;26(3):287-305
- Carlson LE, Speca M, Faris P, Patel KD. One year pre-post intervention follow-up of psychological, immune, endocrine and blood pressure outcomes of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in breast and prostate cancer outpatients. Brain Behav Immun. 2007 Nov;21(8):1038-49. Epub 2007 May 22
- Lynton H, Kligler B, Shiflett S. Yoga in stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review and results of a pilot study. Top Stroke Rehabil. 2007 Jul-Aug;14(4): 1-8
- Morone NE, Greco CM. Mind-body interventions for chronic pain in older adults: a structured review. Pain Med. 2007 May-Jun;8(4):359-75
- Ziegelstein RC. Acute emotional stress and cardiac arrhythmias. JAMA. 2007 Jul 18;298(3):324-9
To learn more, go to the following web sites:
