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WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF YOGA? IS YOGA FOR ME?
Yoga has many benefits - physiological, mental and spiritual. Yoga
can mean a lot of things to different people. Yoga can be any or all of
the following, depending on WHY you want to take it and HOW you incorporate
Yoga into your life:
- a great physical fitness program, involving stretching,
strengthening, and elongating the spine for proper alignment of the
vertebrae
- breathing techniques and relaxation, lowering blood pressure,
increasing cardio-vascular health, increasing lung capacity, releasing
tension and stress, and learning to relax and enjoy life
- Meditation - to calm the mind, bring emotional balance, mental
clarity, focus and concentration
- the learning of a philosophy, by experiencing emotional tension
release from your own body, increasing awareness of what is happening in
your own body and mind (many yogis and yoginis notice and feel their
heartbeat, circulation flowing through their body, can increase of
decrease blood pressure at will, a heightened awareness of what is going
on in your body, then you have a heightened awareness of what is going on
with your mind). So yoga is EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING - you don't accept a
dogma as it is told to you - you question everything, until you feel it
yourself and understand it.
- a philosophy of life - following several basic principles (see
web page under Yoga Information/Yoga Philosophy/Yamas and Niyamas). It is
to awaken the "witness consciousness" - the part of you that can
step back and observe what your brain is doing, what is happening for you
- dispassionately, so you can better understand yourself.
- Spiritual fulfillment - as you learn to awaken the witness
consciousness, meditate, and increase your awareness, at some point, you
realize that you are MORE than this Body, this Mind, this shell - that you
are a drop of beautiful energy in a spiritual ocean (to use the cliché,
you are one with everything - Spirit/Life Energy/God/Power of the Universe
is in you) and this is a truly fulfilling experience when you realize this
for yourself. Someone can TELL you that all they want, but you really need
to feel it and experience it for yourself - awakening the divine energy in
you.
Take what you need from Yoga. For some people, it is simply a class
to take where they get a good stretch and a nice balanced work out. For
others, it is a way of life - we talk about being on the Yogic Path, our own
hearts leading us where we need to go. Yoga is about Union - the unity of
YOURSELF with the LIVING WORLD around you - you are part of the divine dance.
It is about releasing tension in the body and the mind, relaxing, and bringing
the mind to stillness so you can listen to your heart, so you can learn and
grow.
If you are feeling empty right now, you need to think about whether it is a
spiritual emptiness you feel. Yoga is NOT a religion, but it does encourage
you to connect with your inner spirit and follow its guidance. It is a
spiritual practice IF you want it to be. It may help you.
SOME OF THE MANY BENEFITS OF YOGA:
 | BUILD STRENGTH |
| TONE & SCULPT THE BODY |
| LEARN TO HAVE A CALM AND NON-REACTIVE MIND |
| IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF YOUR BACK - ELONGATE THE SPINE, RESIST COMPACTION
OF THE SPINAL COLUMN, AVOID FUSION OF THE VERTEBRAE |
| PREVENTS OSTEOPOROSIS |
| BALANCES ENDOCRINE SYSTEM, HELPING WITH SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE, PMS,
THYROID |
| DEVELOP AWARENESS |
| INCREASE CONCENTRATION |
| IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY |
| CREATE STAMINA |
| INCREASE ENERGY |
| GAIN BALANCE AND AGILITY |
| CONNECT WITH YOUR SOUL |
| TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE |
Physical/Mental/Spiritual Benefits:
Integrating yoga into your life allows you to appreciate more. You develop a great
openness to sensation, and a softening occurs. Intimacy, with yourself or others,
thrives in an environment of exploration. Yoga can transform your life.
Health Benefits: Yoga is not intended as a substitute
for a regular medical care regimen. However, yoga, working in conjunction with your
regular health care program, can provide tremendous benefits. A regular yoga
practice benefits the following conditions: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Menopause, ADD
(Attention Deficit Disorder), Anxiety, Depression, High Blood Pressure, Migraines,
Insomnia, Fused Vertebrae, Arthritis, Chronic Pain, Scoliosis, Sciatica, Respiratory Ailments, Digestive
Disorders, and diabetes. It benefits many other conditions also. If you have a
particular physical limitation you are working with, or an area that you would like
to develop further, please speak with one of our instructors and we can provide guidance
and suggestions for additional yoga postures for you.
How Often Do I Need to Practice? Practice once a week to
gradually release tension. Practice twice a week to maintain good
health. Practice 3-5 times a week to shape your body and mind, and
transform your life!
To find instructors near you: check out the Related
Links Section of this web site, or go to the Kripalu Center for Yoga and
Health Web Site (www.kripalu.org). At some of the yoga sites,
there are search engines for finding certified yoga instructors in your
area. Also, look in the phone book under YOGA - there may be a yoga
center near you. There are a few key things to ask any instructor -
Make sure he/she is CERTIFIED to teach Yoga (have taken a reputable teacher
training program) or have studied for many years. Make sure that he/she
has a basic knowledge of anatomy and physiology to guide you safely into yoga
postures, and most importantly, TALK TO THE INSTRUCTOR - ask them about their
class, what style they teach, what you are looking for, how they got into
yoga. Call at least 3 people and talk to them, and go to a few
different classes. Then select the instructor that you like the most - OR the
class where you learn the most about yourself. Make sure you feel comfortable
and safe in the class, so you can just let go and be yourself. You may want to
ask friends where they study yoga - perhaps you would like their instructors,
but don't make going to yoga a social event. Make sure that you are
practicing yoga FOR YOU. When you begin the class, make an effort to introduce
yourself to the instructor before the class, explain that you are new to yoga,
and ask questions! (before or after class is the best time to ask questions -
I would say save most until after class, so you can EXPERIENCE
the class and then have a better idea of what it is all about)
Questions,
Comments, or Suggestions? Please feel free to contact us!
Contact Us:
NOSPAMelena@focalpointyoga.com
(remove the
words NO SPAM from the email address please!)
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