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YOGA
There are eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. The three that I practice and teach are asana (poses), pranayama (controlled breathing), and meditation. I tailor each class session to the student that is taking it so that he or she achieves the maximum benefit possible.
Benefits of yoga:
Physiological
- Laboratory tests have proved the yogi's increased abilities of consciously controlling autonomic or involuntary functions, such as temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure.
- Regular practice of asanas, pranayama and meditation can help such diverse ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, varicose veins and heart conditions.
- Patients who practice yoga have a better chance of gaining the ability to control their breathing problems.
- The relaxation and exercise components of yoga have a major role to play in the treatment and prevention of high blood pressure (hypertension). Yoga is believed to reduce pain by helping the brain's pain center regulate the gate-controlling mechanism located in the spinal cord and the secretion of natural painkillers in the body.
- Yoga has consistently been used to cure and prevent back pain by enhancing strength and flexibility.
- Regular yoga practice can help in weight management. Some of the asanas stimulate sluggish glands to increase their hormonal secretions.
Psychological
- Yoga strives to increase self-awareness on both a physical and psychological level. Practicing yoga can provide chronic pain sufferers with useful tools to actively cope with their pain and help counter feelings of helplessness and depression.
- Yoga asana, pranayama, and meditation require concentration and focus. This can be translated into other areas of life to increase mental performance.
- Mental health and physical energy are difficult to quantify, but virtually everyone who participates in yoga over a period of time reports a positive effect on outlook and energy level.
Spiritual
- If one succeeds in achieving skill which provides health and self-confidence, one may raise his self-esteem simply by observing himself living the improved results as an achieved fact.
- Yogic theory and practice lead to increased self-knowledge. This knowledge is not merely that of the practical kind relating to techniques, but especially of a spiritual sort pertaining to grasping something about the nature of the self at rest.
Recommended frequency:
For a noticeable change, you should do yoga two to three times a week. This can include classes or home practice. |
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