Thursday, March 26, 2009

YOGA AND HEALTH

“Yoga is the most practical and curative medicine to control the ailments of modern life. The practice of Yoga prevents the sorrows which are yet to come.”

Originally emerging some 4,000 years ago in the Indian subcontinent, yoga began as a philosophy. The word yoga means “oneness” in Sanskrit (to develop deeper mediation.)
While mediation is still an important element of the practice today, the role of asanas and poses, has increased over time to enable the unification of body and mind through a combination of breathing, stretching and mental focus.

The practices of asanas and pranyamas are very helpful to preserve the health and connectivity of our body. Yoga is unique in that it recuperates the system. The practice of asana and pranayama, helps clean and massages the internal organ and also in the efficient removal of toxins from the body.

When practitioners perform yogangas (postures) like Asana, Pranayama, Bandha, Mudra, blood circulation improves to optimum level. It also improves the lung capacity and helps to eradicates all the diseases.

For the cells to grow and survive stretching is important. When the cells are stretched they are able to grow better, adapt and survive. Yogis are said to have had long lives. This was because of the kind of exercise they did on a long term basis. Yogic practices improve the optimum growth of cells. The technique of stretching and contracting in yoga help in the precise positioning of the muscles. Hence the muscles do not get exhausted and are thus trained to remain healthy throughout the life.

“The person who has practiced in yoga should not bother about disease, old age or death, he will be able to overcome.”

Best Time for Yoga

The best time for yoga practice is either in the early morning or late in the evening.

A well ventilated and clean room should be selected for the practice of yoga.

Using a mat or a thick blanket is a must.

Open places like garden, ground etc should not selected for the practice of yoga.

Asanas should be done on empty stomach. Allowing at least 3 hours after a meal, 1 hour after refreshment and 1/2 hour after light drink such as milk is essential.

Wear loose and comfortable cloths, which felicitate free movement of limbs.

It is better to take bath before practicing yoga. One should not take bath immediately after the practices. After 1/2 an hour one can take bath.

Before starting practice of yoga, the bladder should be emptied, bowels evacuated and mouth should be cleaned.

After completing practice of asanas and pranayama always lie down in shavasana for at least 10 minutes.

There should not be any type of forceful bending and other movements. One can try only to the extent, he can perform.

One should sit facing east or west or north and not to south.

Women should not practice asanas during menstrual period. One should stop practicing asanas after the fifth month of pregnancy up to three or four months after the confinement except under expert guidance.

After the yoga practice, one should feel fresh and relaxed, never tired, exhausted or sweating.

Asanas and physical exercises should not be combined.

One should practice with full concentration and awareness. There should be co-herence of the body and mind

The qualities demanded from a aspirant are discipline, faith, tenacity and perseverance to practice regularly without interruption.

Yoga practices Should Do under the Guidance of a Learned Teacher or guru, and no one should not practice Yoga by seeing book, TV, etc.

“Balance under both external environmental variations such as cold or heat and internal environmental variations joy or distress is yoga says Bhagavadgita.”

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