Yoga originated in ancient India. In its original meaning, it was related to the mental and physical disciplines, but in modern times in the West it has been associated primarily with its physical aspect, known by the Sanskrit word as Asana. Asana is a body position that is associated with restoring and maintaining the well-being of the individual practicing the art. Asana is just one of several aspects of yoga, most of which are associated with spiritual and mental aspects.
The advantage that yoga has over many other popular physical disciplines is the fact that it does not involve the body in high-impact stressful exercises. It is also done in a non-competitive context so that the individual ego does not have much of a chance to intrude on the proceedings.
There are a number of postures or poses involved in yoga that are designed to increase the strength and flexibility of the practitioner over time. No matter how inflexible you are, there is always room for improvement, and your own individual progression is the only path you should take. Breath control and meditation can be included in yoga classes, depending on whether or not the teacher likes to involve some of the spiritual aspects of yoga with the physical aspects.
There are many different styles of yoga classes available. They are all involved with the same basic postures, but each style emphasizes a different aspect of the exercise, such as Vinyasa, which involves the breath being in concert with the physical movements, or Ashtanga, which is a faster style and is also known as PowerYoga. . Iyengar deals with the alignment of the body during exercises. Another style with a strong emphasis on the breath is Kundalini, whose purpose is the higher movement of energy within the body. Some of the other yoga styles are Sivananda, Kripalu, Anusara and Jivamukti.
Basic postures include:
Sukhasana or sitting/easy pose, which creates an awareness of the breath and strengthens the lower back and opens the hips and groin
Dog and Cat, which makes the spine more flexible.
Tadasana or mountain pose, which is a standing position designed to improve balance and posture.
Trikonasana or Triangle, which is a spinal stretching exercise.
Bhujangasana or the Cobra, which also stretches the spine, strengthening the back and arms, and opening the chest and heart.
Virabhadrasana or Warrior, which is an exercise that strengthens the arms and legs, as well as helping to improve balance.
Uttanasana or forward bending and extension, which stretches the spine and legs, and gives the neck and heart a rest and is relaxing for the body and mind.
Savasana or The Corpse, which relieves stress and is relaxing for both mind and body.
Sethu Bandhasa or The Bridge, which is designed to improve flexibility and strengthen the abdominal muscles and lower back.
Janu Shirshasana or Head to Knee, which increases flexibility while stretching the hamstrings and back.
Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog, which improves flexibility and strength while stretching the hamstrings and spine and resting the heart.
Ardha Sarvangasana or Half Shoulder Stand which is good for improving blood circulation, while stretching the upper back region and strengthening the abdominal muscles. It also helps promote better function of the thyroid gland.
So if you feel like you want to follow some path to fitness and wellness, and the idea of hitting sidewalks and enduring sweaty gyms doesn’t appeal to you, then the gentle art of yoga may be just what your inner doctor ordered.
