Yoga Poses – Simple Practice

What is Yoga?

The most commonly practiced “Yoga” nowadays is known as “Hatha Yoga”, the physical aspect within an extensive system of spiritual practice.

It uses a series of poses, postures, breathing techniques, and lifestyle suggestions to achieve a state of awareness balance within a person’s mind, body and spirit.

This ancient practice has evolved in many different directions and though many share similar techniques, each style has unique characteristics.

Many practice Yoga to build and refine themselves, yet it is also taught to people with illness in ways that address their particular needs.

This form of Yoga Therapy is becoming widely popular and can be very beneficial for a wide variety of illnesses.

Yoga has a vast methods of self-cultivation and its positive health benefits are just as profound.

Yoga Benefits

Yoga could be beneficial to health, mind, body, and spirit.  For people who are in a healthy state, yoga works to:

* Increase Flexibility
* Increase Strength Within a Wide Range of Motion
* Increase Muscle Tone
* Increase Strength of Ligaments and Tendons
* Increase Circulation and Lubrication Within Joints
* Massage and Stimulate All Organs of the Body
* Complete Detoxification
* Quiet and Focus The Mind
* Integrate Mind Body and Spirit
* Creates a Balanced Sense of Being

For those suffering from illness, Yoga Therapy can help manage and/or alleviate:

* Diabetes
* Asthma
* Heart Disease
* A wide range of Digestive Disorders
* Chronic Pain
* Spinal Degeneration
* Arthritis
* Anxiety
* Depression
* Thyroid Disease
* Hypertension

Yoga Class & Yoga Therapy

Yoga classes can vary greatly depending on the style and focus of the teacher. Some can be very challenging and others can be very relaxing.

Typically, students are guided through a series of poses or postures (asanas) sometimes accompanied by breathing and visualization techniques.

Poses that are more physically engaging are usually active poses. These work to challenge your strength, range of motion, and create blood flow in parts of the body that might have been previously unknown.

The mind is taught to focus within the body and as this happens, balance is achieved. There are also poses that require very little physical work. Passive poses often use props (blocks, belts, bolster pillows) to support the body so that one can find a sense of complete release in a therapeutic pose.

These work to calm the nervous system, nourish the internal organs, and allow the senses to rest. Though all yoga poses work to restore health in the body, passive poses are considered to be the most restorative. Many Yoga Therapy Sessions are made up of passive restorative sequences as they are geared toward treating illness.

The above attached flash interactive images could be an introduction to yoga poses for those who is interested in practicing the yoga’s simple exercises.

Those poses would help in releasing deep-seated stress, tension, and fatigue enhances the body’s natural healing ability and can benefit all types of illness.

Teachers may also include or focus on Pranayama (Breath Work), which depending upon the style, is composed of various breathing techniques designed to harness Prana (Vital Energy). Classes generally end with a soothing Savasana (Corpse Pose) in which students lie down to retain the energy that they generated during class.

That’s why attention in breathing while doing the poses will be crucial to the effects of yoga’s exercises. More information on breathing techniques and yoga exercises could be found online on amazon bookstore.

Though Yoga can seem quite exhausting or intimidating at first, realize that we all have different strengths and weaknesses, and much of the fear will pass. After a few practice or classes, you will eventually become  more unwind, relax and get tune into the peace of doing yoga.

Tagged as: cure illness, Hatha Yoga, Physical Exercise, Yoga, Yoga Therapy