What is yoga? It is more than just a stretching exercise. It is a way to live your life better, to achieve your dreams, and to connect with yourself. Yoga was originated in ancient India, where it was used to heal and maintain good health. Yoga involves physical exercises, breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga poses. This all leads to achieving inner peace and happiness.
Yoga is a collection of psychological, emotional, and physical practices or disciplines that originated in ancient India, which have been refined and developed into many variants today. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit language meaning to join. The eight limbs of yoga include the asana, pranayama, dharana, dhyani, pratyahara, kriyas, samadhi, dharma, and moksha. Basically, yoga aims at purifying the mind and body, achieving self-actualization, achieving enlightenment, improving relationships, and being in balance both emotionally and physically. The word yoga can also be translated to mean harmony, humanity, and compassion.
The first part of the definition of what is yoga is the asana, which is an Indian word meaning a posture or position. There are four parts to this: the standing postures, the walking postures, the seated postures, and the bending postures. These eight limbs of yoga practice are done in a sequential manner starting with the standing and walking postures, then the seated and lying postures, and finally the bending and twisting postures.
The next aspect of what is yoga is the pranayama, which is a series of breathing exercises. It is a prerequisite for yoga because it increases the oxygen intake and the flow of air, which improve the health of the lungs. The other four limbs of yoga are also essential parts of it, such as the asana or posture, dharana or alignment, pratyahara or purification, dhyana or concentration, and pratyasna or self-inquiry. These aspects of yoga are very important and beneficial for one’s overall physical fitness because it improves the flexibility of the muscles, tones the muscles, strengthens the muscles, reduces the fat deposits, and increases the immunity levels.
A beginner should start his yoga practice by joining a gym, as he needs to know what is yoga first before he can practice it on his own. The basic equipment required for yoga are: mats, straps, meditation cushions, and yoga books. Yoga books usually give detailed information about all the Asanas, the various yoga positions, and the steps to be taken in order to achieve the best results. The second important aspect that is required for the growth and perfection of yoga is a discipline. A student should strictly observe the instructions and the postures given in each and every class. Failure to do so would result to physical injuries as well as psychological disruptions in the mind.
Meditation is the process of focusing your mind and your entire being on one point. In yoga practice, the practitioner gets physical postures through which he can improve himself mentally and emotionally. Though it has a lot of spiritual aspects as well, it requires complete dedication to make it a success. A lot of concentration and attention is required to achieve this state of meditation.
Asanas or positions are very important to perform in yoga practice. There are certain Asanas like, tada dvaidya, bhujang, make, purna nadi, mukha svanasana, samadhi and, mukhe dandasana, adho mukha svanasana, as and, kurmasana, and konasana that help the body and the mind to adapt to the needs of a specific situation. There are also many other types of Asanas, such as uttindeeta padottanasana, sivasan matthaya, bharatana nyasa, prasarita padottanasana, makar sarvangasana, dandasana, kurma sarvangasana, uttindukkurna sarvangasana, and jangalayasana that have their own significance in the scheme of what is yoga. One of the most important things that you should keep in mind when you are learning about yoga is that you should go for an instructor who has substantial experience in teaching this form of yoga. This is important because it will save you from the unnecessary risks and complications that could occur if you learn yoga without proper guidance.
You must also remember that yoga is not only a means of achieving physical strength. It also involves the spiritual growth of the body and mind. Yoga practitioners should realize that they are connected to all aspects of life, both the physical and the mental aspects. Yoga is basically about learning to balance the two opposite forces in the human body, namely, the body and the mind. This balance is necessary to keep the body healthy and physically strong.
I am passionate about yoga and this is my blog. I have been practicing yoga for over 10 years and teaching for 5. Yoga has transformed my life in so many ways and I love being able to share that with others. My hope is that through this blog, I can help people learn more about yoga, connect with other yogis, and find inspiration to live a healthier, happier life.
