Are the stresses and strains of modern life having a negative effect on you, trying to keep up with the neighbours, that great promotion you've always wanted, kids needing to be chauffeured here there and everywhere, the feeling that there are just not enough hours in the day, people are always saying "take a deep breath" but surely this is just a quick fix that can't help in the long term? Question is - is there some method to their madness? How can a deep breath help with anything and if it can surely its worth dedicating an hour a week to it?
The answer to this could be hiding in the ancient art of Yoga.
Yoga I hear you say - not so much ancient Hindu art steeped in 3000 years of history but more so an adults game of solo twister on steroids, how can attempting to stick your legs behind your head whilst breathing at all let alone calmly help with anything, and as for the downward dog, caterpillar or camel poses? What madness are we talking? Makes you wonder if the ancient Hindus had a bet going...
It has been proven again and again that yoga is an exceptional tool in the management of stress and has been used again and again not only in the treatment of stress but for children with learning difficulties and attention disorders, much time has now passed since the hippy days of the sixties and seventies when it was just some faze that those who promoted Love and Peace did to a much more serious hobby for some and way of life for others.
Yoga bases its principal's on breath control exercises, concentration, meditation and the awareness of the mind, body and soul and all though many dedicate their lives to mastering the art of yoga it's is now a common site in all health clubs, specialist yoga centre's in every town promoting different forms of this ancient exercise to the point at which it is becoming a competitive business with millions invested in all forms of classes, books, DVDs and all things yoga.
The practice of yoga as a more dedicated practitioner can lead to a true feeling of enlightenment, total happiness and liberation from the stresses of life. As a mere mortal you can expect to gain a brief glimpse of this, moments of total calmness and peace whilst improving your core strength and flexibility (this basically means you will no longer scream quietly inside whilst trying to force your body into a never ending array of what appear to be impossible stances) the pleasure that come from the practice of yoga even as an amateur can benefit you exponentially. Another benefit that comes with yoga is that it can be practiced anywhere by anyone which is why it has become so popular in later years.
There are many forms of yoga that are available the best know of all is Hatha - its emphasis is on holding the poses for a few seconds which help to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the body, a sense of balance and flexibility evolves as well as body awareness and better concentration.
My personal favourite is Ashtanga - the Power yoga, unlike Hatha it promotes a constant flow of movement through all the poses and is definitely the more energetic of the forms of yoga.
Another seasoned favourite is Bikram - the hot yoga, this is derivative of Hatha yoga and is practiced in a room that is heated to just over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 40% humidity.
Not only is Yoga an excellent form of accessible exercise for the body it is an amazing tool to strengthen the mind - so the question shouldn't be why try yoga but why not?
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