YOGA – BELIEVE TO ACHIEVE

Today, I stumbled upon an Indian friend I had met in Sunny, Buffalo, USA while visiting my daughter in 2008. Instantly, we had a rush of the amazing memories we had together. We sat for some time and shared about our lives. After exchanging incidences of our lives, she suddenly asked me how I looked so active and full of life. She added, “Heena, you look the same as you looked 15 years back. I have tried everything from Zumba to Gym, but all has gone in vain” I smiled and said “Aarti, even you can look active and full of life. You just need one thing in your life.” Hearing this she immediately said “What?” and I gently said “Yoga”. And that is when I introduced her to yoga by telling about its origin, yogic philosophy, yoga benefits and much more.

In this blog, all my readers, along with my dear friend will explore the fascinating world of yoga, its history, different practices, and how it can help you live happier life and fight various lifestyle diseases that are now becoming common amongst people.

Yoga is more than just stretching and breathing. It is a complete system that has been around for thousands of years, with different exercises, breathing techniques, and ways of thinking to help you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. Yoga is an ancient practice from India, going back over 3,000 years! The word “yoga” actually means, “to unite” and comes from an old Indian language     called Sanskrit.It is believed that the earliest traces of yoga can be found in the ancient texts known as the Vedas, which date back to around 1500 BCE. However, it was in the classical period, around 500 BCE, that the foundational texts of yoga, including the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, outlining an eightfold path to awareness and enlightenment called Ashtanga, which literally means “eight limbs”. Let us know what is the yoga philosophy.

        These eight limbs include Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi, which are the guiding philosophy of yoga and a roadmap for living a good life. They include rules for being ethical, self-control, and ways to grow spiritually. Each limb helps us focus on our physical and mental health. Yoga philosophy teaches that our bodies, minds, feelings, and spirit are all linked, and yoga helps us connect with this deeper, happier part of ourselves.

Since we know about the yoga philosophy, we will now explore about how yoga is backed by science. This includes a branch called yogic science, which explores the “how” and “why” behind yoga’s practices. Yogic science helps us understand how our mind and body work together. It talks about:

Prana: This is like a special energy that flows throughout our body, affecting how we feel physically and emotionally.

Nadis: These are like channels through which prana flows.

Chakras: These are like energy centres located in different parts of our body, each linked to specific organs and emotions.

Now the question is what type of yoga should you practice? The most prominent and the most traditional yoga are – Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Kundalini Yoga and Ashtang Yoga. And most commonly practiced yoga Hatha Yoga and Ashtang Yoga.

Yoga can help manage lifestyle diseases by promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Practicing yoga can reduce stress, improve cardiovascular health, enhance flexibility, and support weight management. Yoga also encourages a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and positive attitudes, which can contribute to better overall health.

And delighted with her curiosity I also told her about the Yoga Classes I run which is The Yogashray. I told her that we believe in aligning our yoga practice with the rich philosophy of yoga to provide a holistic approach to improving both physical and mental health. We understand that yoga is not just about the physical postures, but it encompasses a comprehensive system that addresses all aspects of our being. Whether you are looking to strengthen your body, calm your mind, or nourish your soul, The Yogashray is dedicated to supporting you on your path to holistic health and well-being.

Hearing all this, she was stunned with the rich history of yoga and was excited to start her journey. I remember her clearly saying “Heena, thank you, tune toh yoga ka bata ke bohot acha kiya” which literally translates to “Heena, thank you, you’ve been really helpful by tell me about yoga.” And that day I realized, Yoga can help not just change an individual’s life, but can shape the future of lakhs and crores of people who make practising yoga a regular habit.

In the next blog, we will discuss about the basic of Yoga. So stay tuned, as we will publish the next blog soon.

www.theyogashray.com