Benefits of a regular yoga practice:

Yoga acts both as a curative and preventive therapy. According to

medical scientists, yoga therapy is successful because of the

balance created in the nervous and endocrine systems which

directly influences all the other systems and organs of the body.

 

Benefits for the Physiological Level

Increasing flexibility.

Cure and prevent Arthritis - The yoga poses (asanas), act upon the

various joints of the body, including those joints that we never really

use. By practicing yoga poses we can experience a remarkable

increase in the flexibility of the joints, ligaments and tendons. Yoga

is exercise and relaxation combined and this is the perfect

anti-arthritis formula. Yoga's slow-motion movements and gentle

pressures, reach deep into strained joints.

 

Also, the easy stretches in conjunction with deep breathing exercises

relieve the tension that binds up the muscles and further tightens the

joints.

Cure and prevent back pain - Back pain is the most common

reason to seek medical attention in the West. Yoga has consistently

been used to cure and prevent back pain by enhancing strength and

flexibility.

 

Massaging to all the internal vital organs of the body - Research

has shown that yoga poses are the only form of activity that

massages all of the internal glands and organs of the body and

this promotes good health and well-being.

 

Complete detoxification - Yoga poses (asanas) helps to gently

stretch the muscles and joints allowing the optimum blood supply

to various parts of the body. This helps to flush the toxins out of the

body. This leading to benefits such as delayed ageing, providing

energy and a remarkable zest for life.

 

Excellent toning of the muscles - Yoga practice can stimulate the

muscles that have become flacid and weak.

 

Provide balance in the nervous system - yoga is a great form of

mediation in motion and that can balance the nervous system.

 

Reduction of stress - Because yoga practice is a slow and gentle

form of exercise combined with breathing exercises, it can relieve

body stress.

 

Cure and prevent respiration problems and asthma - Various

studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of yoga for patients

with respiratory problems. Physicians have found that the practice of

asanas in combination with breathing exercises and meditation makes

the treatment of asthma more effective. It has also been proved that

asthma attacks can usually be prevented by yoga practice, without

resorting to drugs. Patients who practice yoga have a better chance of

gaining the ability to control their breathing problems. With the

help of yogic breathing exercises, it is possible to control an attack of

severe shortness of breath without having to seek medical help.

 

High Blood Pressure (hypertension) - The yoga postures, yogic

breathing (pranayama) and the deep relaxation techniques (yoga

nidra), which are basic components of yoga, have a major role to play

in the treatment or prevention of high blood pressure and reduce the

need for high blood pressure medication for people suffering from it.

 

Pain Management - Concentration during yoga postures, breathing

exercises, deep relaxation techniques and meditation can also help

reduce pain. Yoga is believed to reduce pain by helping the brain's

pain centre regulate the gate-controlling mechanism located in the

spinal cord and the secretion of natural painkillers in the body.

 

Weight Reduction - Yogic practices that reduce anxiety tend to

reduce anxious eating. Regular yoga practice can help in weight

management, for the reason that some asanas stimulate sluggish

glands, to increase their hormonal secretions. There are specific

asanas, such as the shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) or the fish

pose (Matsyasana), which are targeted on the thyroid gland. This

gland has a great effect on our weight because it affects the body's

metabolism rate. Fat metabolism is also increased, so fat is

converted to muscle and energy and we have better muscle tone and

a higher vitality level.

Also, the practice of "yogic breath" (yogic deep breathing) increases

the oxygen intake to the body cells, including the fat cells. This

causes increased oxidation or burning up of fat cells.

Benefits for the Psychological Level

Self-awareness - Yoga practice increases the self-awareness. The

yoga practitioner learns to act instead of reacting. They start to

control their feelings and learn to be conscious, living the

moment, the Now and not in the past or in the future.

 

Self-confidence, or low self-confidence, is something, which Yoga

seeks to eliminate through the practices. Someone with low

self-respect cannot do their work properly or becomes easily tired,

irritable and haggard. One who practices yoga starts to believe

deeply in themselves and in the incredible potentials, which they

have inside.

 

Vitality and Change of Mood - Everyone who practices yoga over a

period of time, reports a positive effect on both their outer

appearance and energy level. Yogic postures with breathing exercises

have been seen to result in having an invigorating effect on physical

energy and improved mood.

 

Benefits for the Mental Level

Mental balancing - A common breathing (pranayama) practice in

yoga is the "alternative nostrils breathing" (Nadi Shodhana

Pranayama). Electroencephalogram (EEG) studies of the electrical

impulses of the brain have shown that breathing through one nostril,

results in increased activity on the opposite side of the brain. The

regular practice of alternative nostrils helps to improve communication

between the right and left side of the brain.

 

Benefits for the Spiritual Level

 

Self-knowledge - Yogic philosophy and practice lead to increased

Self-knowledge. This experienced knowledge is merely the spiritual

side of yoga practice, which has as a goal to cultivate the "Observer"

and increase the knowledge of the nature of the Self.

 

Knowing the Self, the Observer, which is a genuine kind of knowledge,

tends to get lost in the hectic pace of our daily lives and pursuit of

desires. The discovering of the Self, inside us, is indeed the most

precious spiritual value in our life.