Yoga for Mental, Physical Health, Peace and Happiness

By Mehabooba Ramzan
To live in harmony with
oneself and the environment is the
wish of every human being. However, in modern times greater
physical and emotional demands are constantly placed upon many areas of life.
The result is more and more people suffer from physical and mental tension such
as stress, anxiety, insomnia, and there is an imbalance in physical
activity and proper exercise. This is where yoga has its importance.
Yoga is a system of practice consisting of eight
levels of development in the areas of physical, mental, social and spiritual
health, with its ultimate goal of self-realization or realization of the divine
within us, ie. union of our self consciousness with supreme consciousness. When
the body is physically healthy, the mind is clear, focused and stress is under
control. Each asanas, mudras or pranayama activates a special part of the body
or organ and open the energy channels and psychic centers. This helps us to get
exact result out of it or a specific effect after practice. The science of yoga
consists of acquiring knowledge through observation and experiment. The health
and the strength of the body and the mind are acquired only when a state of
equilibrium is attained where by the body and the mind are balanced.
Developing control of the body through asanas
enable one to control the mind and energy. Stiffness of the body is due to
blocked prana vital energy and a subsequent accumulation of toxins. When prana
begins to flow, the toxins are removed from the system ensuring the health of
the whole body.
Improved flexibility is one of the first and most
obvious benefits of yoga. If you are into the first time in yoga, you probably
won't be able to touch your toes. But after few days of practice there will be
a gradual loosening and eventually, seemingly impossible poses will become
possible. Then aches and pains start to disappear.
Tight hips can strain the knee joint due to
improper alignment of the thigh and shinbones. Tight hamstrings can lead to a
flattening of the lumbar spine, which can cause back pain, and inflexibility in
muscles and connective tissue such as fascia and ligaments, can cause poor
posture.
Yoga builds muscle strength and balance it with
flexibility. Not only the muscles will make us look good, but it protect us
from conditions like arthritis and back pain, and helps to prevent falls in
elderly people.
Sitting at a desk or computer all day takes a toll
on more than just your eyes. It affects your posture, metabolism, risk of
anxiety or depression and can lead to obesity. Bad posture can also lead to
serious issues like back pain, cardiovascular issues, digestion issues, and
eventually changing of the curve of the spine itself, which will create a whole
new level of back pain. Regular practices of several yoga asanas for good
postures helps to get rid of all the negative effects of bad posture. In
addition to straightening your posture, these chest opening poses will also
helps you open up emotionally, heal old wounds, be perceived in a better light and
embrace the world of abundance.
Yoga protects your spine. Spinal disks are the
shock absorbers between the vertebrae that can herniate and compress
nerves—crave movement. That's the only way they get their nutrients. If you've
got a well-balanced asana practice with plenty of back bends, forward bends,
and twists, you'll help keep your disks supple.
It is true that weight-bearing exercise
strengthens bones and helps ward off osteoporosis. Many postures in yoga
require that you lift your own weight. And some, like downward and upward facing
dog helps strengthen the arm bones, which are particularly vulnerable to
osteoporosis fractures. Yoga's ability to lower levels of the stress hormone
cortisol helps to retain calcium in the bones.
Yoga gets your blood flowing. More specifically,
the relaxation exercises you learn in yoga can help your circulation,
especially in hands and feet. Yoga also gets more oxygen to the cells,
which function better as a result. Twisting poses are thought to wring out
venous blood from internal organs and allow oxygenated blood to flow in once
the twist is released.
Learning Yoga at an early age can have lasting
and immense benefits on the overall health and well-being of a child. Today
children and youth are also victims of stress, fears, lack of concentration and
focusing, digestive disorders etc., due to a highly competitive environment and
food habits. Therefore
educational institutions have adopted yoga as part of their everyday
routine. Yoga improves memory and attention, maintain increased energy levels,
helps to manage weight,improves flexibility and posture, learn correct
breathing techniques, helps to bring peace of mind, improves self-control,
boosts immunity and improves physical appearance, increases
self-confidences and self-esteem. Daily few minutes of practice of Sadhana
(pranayama,meditation and kriya) is a ready solution for many challenges
described above.
Through yoga you are given the tools required to
bring about the necessary transformations in yourself to reach your highest
potential in life. Yoga is a complete science that unites the body, mind and
spirit, it creates significant difference in one's behaviour, thoughts and
attitude and bring us peace and happiness.
(Photo Courtesy: Students practising meditation at Namasthe Yoga, Kochi)
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