Why Yoga is for You!

The biggest reason people hold themselves back from practicing Yoga is because they feel like they can't exercise, or they hate the thought of any physical activity. I used to be the same way! The thought of getting out of my bed to go to a smelly gym was exhausting enough for me. This soon led to me feeling worthless because I could never lose the weight I wanted to. It was always a constant battle within myself. Yoga really changed my outlook on all of this. It made exercising fun because I didn't feel like I was exercising. It was a way for me to relax and let out all of the steam that had been building up from school, work, and family problems. It made me feel like I was really accomplishing something the more flexible I got, and the healthier I felt. Yoga helped me in all aspects of my life; from feeling happy and connected to my inner self, promoting a healthier way of living, and overall becoming the person I had struggled so hard to be, beforehand.

I have come a long way, but I still have a long journey ahead of me. Yoga is made for everyone, and that is the biggest reason I'm so in love with it. Whether you are nine years old or ninety-nine, and regardless of your physical state: there is something for you in the practices of yoga. If you are looking for happiness, weight loss, or just a sense of clarity in this crazy world we live in, Yoga could be your perfect outlet. Disabled World stated, "It can improve flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. In addition, many people who practice yoga say that it reduces anxiety and stress, improves mental clarity, and even helps them sleep better."

Don't let insecurities hold you back from reaching your full potential, Yoga alone could help you overcome all these doubts you may be having. Jen Givler gave some excellent advice when she stated,"Yoga is different than any other physical exercise out there. At first, you’re going to feel awkward, and out of touch. But, the amount of support, confidence, and energy you will receive is beyond measure – and so worth a little discomfort in the beginning." If you don't ever try to break out of your comfort zone, you are only holding yourself back from greatness.

In my opinion, Yoga is the best and the only way to connect your body, mind, and spirit while achieving so many other great things at once. It is an excellent way to meet people, and it gives you a great way to have a sense of accomplishment regardless of your physical state. It makes you feel rejuvenated while uplifting your personal spirituality. Finally, it can clear out the negativity that has always consumed you before. It can ease your anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses that you could never seem to fight on your own.

Works Cited:
"Disability Yoga: Exercises for Disabled & Seniors." Disabled-world.com. 
http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/exercise/yoga/. Date accessed:Ocotber 17, 2016.

"Yoga Is for Everyone (Even If You're Not Perfect!" Mindbodygreen.com. April 11, 2012.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4493/Yoga-Is-for-Everyone-Even-If-Youre-Not-Perfect.html. Date accessed:October 17,2016.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4493/Yoga-Is-for-Everyone-Even-If-Youre-Not-Perfect.html

Spiritual Aspect of Yoga

So, you've got your mind in the right place, and you've been regularly practicing the physical side of Yoga; it's time to move forward and increase your spiritually. This part of Yoga is a little different though, there isn't anything specifically more to do other than what I've already discussed in my earlier posts. Your spiritually will come to you, and it will continue to grow the more effort you put into your practices.

Before I get too ahead of myself, what even is spirituality? A lot of people don't see the difference between spirituality and being religious or use the words interchangeably, but really these words have very different meanings."Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a search for meaning in life. As such, it is a universal human experience—something that touches us all. People may describe a spiritual experience as sacred or transcendent or simply a deep sense of aliveness and interconnectedness."(University of Minnesota)

Yoga is more than a simple stress reliever, or a way to get skinny. If you are truly looking for the whole Yoga experience it must become a lifestyle, whether you're on the mat or not Yoga will be a part of your everyday life. It is a way of thinking and being aware, knowing yourself and being in control of your own body. It's about seeing yourself in the universe, as well as the whole universe inside of you.

"Yoga is not about controlling your environment. Yoga is about keeping your peace of mind regardless of whether you experience ease and flow or stuckness and difficulty. Changing external situations is a losing battle, but gaining control of your own nervous system is something that you can truly master."(Mindbodygreen.com)

Works Cited:

Macgregor, Kino. "Why Yoga Is A Spiritual Practice." Mindbodygreen.com. November 11, 2013.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11386/why-yoga-is-a-spiritual-practice.html. Date accessed: October 12, 2016.

Center for Spirituality & Healing. "What is Spirituality?" Takingcharge.edu. http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your-wellbeing/purpose/spirituality/what-spirituality. Date accessed: October 12, 2016.

Physical Aspect of Yoga

Now that you've got the right mindset it's time to start learning about and practicing the physical side of yoga meditation. You can use these practices for so many reasons, such as; trying to lose weight, maintain weight, building muscle or toning, getting your lungs in shape, or simply just blowing off some steam from a long day. Personally, I like practicing yoga because I am a server and carrying heavy trays and being on my feet all day really affects my back. I focus on positions that help to strengthen my back and ones that help me keep my balance.

The best thing about yoga is, it doesn't matter if you're old, entirely out of shape, or an Olympic athlete, you start where you are capable. There are positions where you stay sitting down, or laying down if you are unable to do strenuous activity. There are also positions that can make you start pouring sweat if exercising is something you love to do, and can do so easily. Even if you feel like you don't particularly need any help with your physical appearance, everybody builds up tension in their body throughout the day and it needs to be let out. "Due to muscular and physical stress, a state of imbalance occurs, which becomes the cause of different aches and pains, psychosomatic and somatopsychic disorders, where the harmony of the body is distorted. This imbalance creates a definite distortion in the functioning of the internal organs and systems. The digestive system is affected without a doubt, unless we have a very powerful digestive tract." (Wellnessyoga.com)

The most important thing to remember while performing Yoga positions is to breathe! "Pranayama is the formal practice of controlling the breath, which is the source of our prana, or vital life force," stated online by the Yoga Journal. If you are struggling with this part of yoga meditation, as I did at first, there are actually specific poses that only focus on breathing. I recommend learning these first because healthy breathing will bring in more oxygen for you muscles to grow with, it also helps your lungs keep up with all this exercise.

Another reason I love Yoga is because not only is it super fun and does not feel like a typical workout that drags on forever like torture, but you can do it anywhere! All you need is a quiet and calm place and your favorite mat. You could take a hike and practice in the middle of some tall pine trees while getting your daily dose of mother nature. If that isn't your forte, you could easily practice in the comfort of your own home without ever having to leave your cat, or put real pants on. In the technology age we live in now, you can learn poses from not only books, but by googling anything you wish to focus on. There are even apps, such as Asana Rebel, and videos on youtube that you could very simply follow along with for any expertise level. If excersising has never been fun for you but you want to get in shape, Yoga is proably the best thing for you.

Works Cited:

Dr. Khanna, Rita. "Yoga and its Three Aspects." 

Wellnessyoga.com. http://www.wellnessyoga.cz/articles/182-yoga-and-its-three-aspects.

"Pranayama Poses and Exercises." Yogajournal.com. http://www.yogajournal.com/category/poses/types/pranayama/

Mental Aspect of Yoga

The first thing you should do when you want to start practicing yoga is to prepare yourself mentally. 

Sri Aurobindo stated, "Having a calm mind is important because it's not possible to make a foundation in Yoga if the mind is restless" (1). Having a calm mind doesn't mean having a vacant or empty mind, it means being able to acknowledge the thoughts that come in and out, but not letting them "take you away".  This way of separating yourself from your thoughts can be challenging, to begin with, but practicing stillness and learning how to calm your mind through meditation is the only way to master this.

"Practice is nothing but effort towards steadiness or perfection," K. Raghavan (4).

Do you feel like you're holding the whole world on your shoulders or no matter what you do you are always stressed out, and tensed up? Do you suffer from anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder? Can you never remember anything, or can never focus on one thing for very long? Slowing your breathing and putting your body into a resting state through meditation could be exactly what you are missing in your life. When you have a still mind, you are less susceptible to negative thoughts. When you are vulnerable to these negative thoughts, and start allowing them to control your mind, it's only a matter of time before it consumes your entire life. This is when people start developing mental problems, or overall becoming a dark person. A great outlet for all this built up mental stress, is practicing Yoga meditation. Once you can achieve this better state of mind, the physical aspect of Yoga helps gain a much deeper connection within one's self. It changes the positions and movements from simple exercise into an enlighting experience for the mind, body, and spirit.

If you are interested in reading research studies conducted on these topics see more HERE .

Works Cited:

Aurobindo, Sri. "Bases of Yoga." Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. 1971.

Raghavan, K. "Yoga: Facts and Fancies." Firma KLM Private Limited. 1982.

"The Five Mental and Physical Benefits of Yoga".http://examinedexistence.com. October 4, 2016.  http://examinedexistence.com/the-five-mental-and-psychological-benefits-of-yoga/.

Where Did Yoga Come From & Where is it Now?

The History of Yoga

The earliest records of Yoga's origin are a little fuzzy due to the fact that its teachings were mainly passed down by word of mouth. The first writings were recorded on Palm leaves. Obviously, these didn't last very long because leaves are so fragile. They were then written in a well known, sacred language called, Sanskrit, or secretive spiritual texts; which also got a little twisted in the translation. There are about four main periods when people use to talk about the history of Yoga. These were known as; Preclassical, Classical, Postclassical, and Modern.

Preclassical Yoga is most associated with the Indus Saravat civilizations. This civilization derived from northern India about 5,000 years ago. An article published by Georg Fuerstien stated that "Western Scholars are starting to argue that yoga didn't start until years later." The other theory is that it originated around 500 B.C.; in the time of the Gautama Buddha. There isn't enough evidence to fully prove either theory, but we can all agree that Yoga has been here for centuries. The Yoga teachings and practices learned from the Indus Saravat civilizations focuses on the thought that their enlightenment was reached through high levels of intuition, or a very powerful mind. They wrote in a sacred text known as the Rig Veda. This form of Yoga is more well known as Vedic Yoga, or deriving from Veda scriptures. Soon after, this form of practice was developed further by the Brahmans and Rishis, otherwise known as the Hindu priests. These refined practices were written in Upanishads. 

The Upanishads script took the idea of the Vedas' ritual sacrifices and changed it to mean more of a personal sacrifice. It became sacrifices of one's ego through practices of self-knowledge, actions, and wisdom. These thoughts and teachings brought us right into the Classical Yoga period. At this point, there were tons of different beliefs, techniques, and practices because everyone was translating and interpreting Yoga in their own personal way. Due to all of these misinterpretations, and conflicting views on how yoga should be practiced, this time period doesn't have specific origins for its study. By the second century, the idea of an eight-limbed "pathway" to reach one's enlightenment had been created.

Postclassical and Modern Yoga have few differences. Except for nowadays some people practice it for the health benefits alone and don't tie in their spirituality to these exercises. Other than that ,they are widely used to not only reach a higher state mentally but to rejuvenate your body as well. Timothy Burgin, a trained yoga instructor, stated that this time period is notorious for Tantra Yoga and Hatha Yoga; teachings of how to cleanse your mind, body, and spirit as well as breaking ties that constrict us to our physical existence. Spiritual-physical connections are what most people relate Yoga to now, and the exercise of it. Even though Yoga has many health benefits, it should be appreciated for all it has to offer. Yoga is a practice not only for a person's physical body, but their mind and their spiritual connections as well.

Works Cited:

Burgin, Timothy. "History of Yoga." Yogabasics.com 

http://www.yogabasics.com/learn/history-of-yoga/.

Feurerstien, Gerog. "A Short History of Yoga." Swammij.com

http://www.swamij.com/history-yoga.htm.