Cup of Tea and More

It seems that everywhere you look these days, someone is doing yoga. They range from famous celebrities right down to the person who works with you. If you have never practiced yoga and want to find out what all the fuss is about and how yoga might be of benefit to you then read on and I will explain some of the main benefits of yoga.

Before I get into the most important reasons for practicing yoga, it would be good to have a basic overview of yoga itself. Yoga was developed in India several thousand years ago and it is a system of physical, mental and spiritual development. It consists of physical postures, deep relaxation techniques and meditation exercises. These days the physical postures (called “asanas”) are the most widely practiced form of yoga and you can learn them in studios and clubs around the world.

Now if you are interested to know “what’s in it for me” then here is a brief list of some of the most important benefits that the practice of yoga can bring to you.

1. Yoga is a key to improved physical well being. Usually this is what most people want when they sign up for a yoga course, and yoga is indeed efficient in helping people on the physical level. The various yoga postures, when combined with a proper diet and other exercise, can help you to reach high level of health, fitness and vitality. The key to this is in the digestive system where yoga postures can help you to overcome acidity, constipation and indigestion, thus preventing the many illnesses that have their root in the digestive tract. Furthermore, when yoga postures are combined with deep relaxation and meditation they help to lower blood pressure, and this becomes especially important as you grow older and become more susceptible to heart disease.

2. Yoga will make you look better. A lot of people begin yoga in order to lose weight and look better. Can yoga be of help in this area? If you are healthy then you will look better! In fact that is the evolutionary, biological basis of beauty. Biologists tell us that living beings choose partners who appear to give them the best chance of spreading their genes successfully. We don’t think about this when we see a handsome man or beautiful woman, but a glowing skin and attractive appearance is the outer sign of health and vitality. So, the practice of yoga, with its previously mentioned health benefits will help you to look your best.

3. Yoga will help you to manage and relieve stress. Modern life is stressful. Whenever we feel a threat from the outer environment, our body goes into a “fight or flight” mode. This was extremely useful to primitive humans who had to run for their lives or fight for their lives, but for modern people it only leads to inner problems. Sweating and turning red is useful when you are running, but when you are standing in a business suit and being chewed out by your boss it is not particularly desirable!

By practicing yoga postures and augmenting them with some relaxation and meditation you can attain a state of inner mental peace that will keep you calm in even the most challenging situations.

There’s a lot more that can be said about yoga, but the three aspects that I have described are probably enticing enough for you to at least inquire more and possibly to begin your own personal practice of yoga as soon as possible.