Beginning Yoga For Its Many Health Benefits
5.31.2008
By Robert Kokoska
Originally, the meditation techniques of yoga were developed primarily as a spiritual practice amongst the polytheist religion of Hinduism, in the Indian sub-continent, around 6000 years ago. In India, or to devout Hindus, success in yoga would ultimately mean that they have escaped the birth and rebirth cycle and become an immortal soul. Today, especially in 'western' countries, the practice of yoga is associated with the benefits that can be derived from standard meditation and its exercises, as much as it's other spiritual values. Having said that, yoga does exert a spiritual influence on those who choose to try it and go on to develop their interest in practicing yoga.
There are many different styles and techniques of yoga that you could start with. Quite often for a beginner the style they start with is dependent on the version being taught in local classes for yoga. By the way, if you didn't already know it, a teacher of yoga is called a guru - which generally means teacher - and anyone practicing yoga is known as a yogi. Despite there being many forms of yoga they all seek to enable the yogi to be able to control their mind. Whilst it takes much practice and many years to arrive at this point people do start taking yoga classes because they wish to be able to relax their minds and overcome stress.
Many people nowadays are attracted to yoga because of the stresses and strains of modern living and that at times, in order to carry on coping, we need to find time to mentally relax. Yoga refers the technique of being able to eliminate mental tension at will by being able to "slip a second"; training your unconscious to slip in and out of the reality we live in. This re-energizes the mind so we can once again face and cope with our reality, without feeling mentally fatigued. Of course, there's no easy route to being able to do this.
The practice of meditative yoga includes; adopting a healthy diet that doesn't put stress on your body, performing exercises to enable your body to relax, learning to take better control of your breathing and purifying your body so that your mind can then relax. In your yoga class you will at least learn to let go of your cares and connect with your higher self, which is widely known as a highly liberating experience for anyone feeling stressed out, depressed or even just a bit down in the dumps.
Meanwhile, until you can begin your yoga classes you might want try a simple technique on your own. Find somewhere that's quiet and calm and just sit down comfortably without strain and close your eyes. Take three deep breaths, and then return your breathing to its normal rate. Next you simply try to clear your mind of all thoughts and sounds. How long that moment lasts is not important and in the beginning you will find it hard to maintain mental silence, but try doing this easy meditation technique daily to help clear your mind and unwind from a stressful day.
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