Yoga is an excellent exercise for almost everyone. The many benefits of a regular yoga practice include:
- Increased vitality and energy
- Cope more effectively with stress
- Release muscle tightness
- Improve posture
- Increase flexibility
- Develop strength and stamina
- Help with back problems
- Improve digestion and elimination
- Improve circulation
- Encourage weight loss
- Bring more balance, awareness, and joy into your life
The Five Principles of Yoga
- Relaxation (Savasana) – releases tensions in the muscles and rests the whole system leaving you refreshed. It carries over into all your activities and teaches you to utilize your energy more effectively.
- Excercise (Asanas) – is given by the yoga postures or asanas, which work systematically on all parts of the body-stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, keeping the spine and joints flexible and improving the circulation.
- Breathing (Pranayama) – means breathing fully and using all of your lungs to increase your intake of oxygen. Yoga breathing exercises teach you how to recharge your body and control your mental state.
- Diet – is one that is nourishing and well-balanced, based on natural foods. It keeps the body light and supple and the mind calm, giving a high resistance to disease.
- Positive Thinking and Meditation – help you to remove negative thoughts and still the mind leading to calmness and more balance in daily living.
How Yoga Changes Your Body
