Yoga is a form of meditation and exercise which has been widely practiced since ancient times, especially in the civilizations of the east.
It comes in very many forms, one of which is called Anuloma Viloma. This system is meant to calm the mind and the nerves by breathing through each nostril alternatively.
Science has proved that it helps to balance our brains because the neurons are encouraged to move freely.
There are many benefits from yoga and what is often deemed as the ideal state to find oneself in, i.e. sound of mind and sound of body, is pretty much what yoga aims to achieve. It offers people an approach which is balanced and as close to happiness as you can get.
Modern society is turning to yoga more and more to overcome stress. There often seems no escape from it, at home or in the workplace and just the sheer pace of life can sometimes overwhelm us. We live an endless cycle of worry which eventually can affect our health and threaten to take over the mind as well.
Relaxed breathing is a big part of Yoga and immediately makes a difference, slowing us down and forcing us to stop and start to relax. It will not make all the worries disappear but it will help you focus on the positives and reassess the negatives. Gentle movement will relax muscles and the calming effect is extremely soothing.
Anxiety can be overcome by the use of yoga, it induces tranquility and in that state fears can be confronted and phobias faced. Once yoga is mastered, which is not a life long task, simple yoga exercises can be evoked to deal with irrational fears for example a person that is too scared to get on a plane or remove the tiny spider from the washroom basin.
Findings from a Finnish study, performed almost a decade ago, found a very real link between exercising for fun and people’s general mood. It involved a number of individuals all of whom were requested to undertake some form of exercise.
Participants that did so twice a week or more, they were noticeably less depressed and had a lower tendency to lose their temper. The sociability factor also rose when exercise was stepped up.
It is a misconception that yoga is just about getting into certain meditative positions like the lotus, but it is in fact a much more rounded type of exercise, contributing to more stamina, an increased muscle tone, improved stability and a more regular heart rate for a complete feeling of well being.
