A Complete Guide On Yoga And Its Best Practices

The dramatic growth of Yoga and meditation was witnessed by the world itself in the last few decades whilst yoga has found many different forms and different practices. In Hinduism, attaining liberation to overcome suffering is the primary goal.

Everyone believes Yoga is a spiritual method that has been evolved over thousands of years and practiced in Eastern Asia. Yoga is getting wide popularity in no time as it rejoices one’s mind to firmly reach a state where a person unites body, brain, and emotions.

Yoga has the essence of health benefits, and if practiced daily gives sustainable fitness in the abundance of energy and a well-shaped fit body. The benefits of yoga have attracted Western practitioners and it is spreading widely all over the world.

What Is Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient Sanskrit word, that means “Yoke” or “Unite”. Generally speaking, Yoga is a practice that binds or draws together. It organizes to unite the mind, body, consciousness, and soul. This process unfolds inner peace, taking the practitioner to a deep state of consciousness, and experiencing unrealistic self-realization for oneself. Some of the highest forms of Yoga not even can be explained in words, but they can be felt or experienced.

Society, technology, and the world have moved rapidly at a certain pace, and Yoga practices ain’t untouched by that. Modern yoga is widely popular throughout the world and it aims to give inner peace, a relaxing state of the mind, and develops a calm and steadfast mind of the practitioner. Modern yoga is immensely recognized by the world, through the power of its sitting posture and relieving ease to the mind, soul, and body.

History & Origin Of Yoga

The Hindu mythologies and sculpture dictates that yoga has been practiced in Ancient India for many centuries. The Hindu holy book, “Upanishads” suggests that yoga is a spiritual breathing technique that has evolved roughly from 800 BC to 400 AD. Yoga started off mentioned in the Vedic sculpture of Rigveda, but the very first time when it comes into existence in practice is noted in the “Katha Upanishad”.

Yoga is supposed to arrive before any religion came into existence. Hindu ancient textbooks explain that yoga was first taught by the very first yogi called, “Adiyogi” or the first Guru.

The Hindu’s supreme lord, Shiva was known to be the first Yogi who explained the yoga practices to seven people who become devotees to him on the lake of Kantisarovar at the top of the Himalayas mountains. Later, it spread to East Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America and now everywhere in the world.

Limbs Of Yoga

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra suggests 8 steps of yoga commonly known as “Ashtanga” or 8 limbs of yoga. It helps the practitioner to attain a meaningful and purposeful life, which brings morals and self-discipline to find better health, a mind, and a peaceful soul. Let’s explore the 8 limbs.

1. Yama

Yama helps the practitioner to conduct their behavior and how to live one’s life. Yama is the best practice and is known as the golden rule.

2. Niyama

Niyama is the second limb that helps identify self-discipline and spiritual guidance. It is a practice for self-growth or personality development.

3. Asana

Asana is simple yoga poses that positively approaches the practitioner to believe that body is a temple itself and it needs spiritual growth.

4. Pranayam

This is a practice for breath control and trains you to become a master with the connection of the breath over the respiratory system to keep your brain and emotions in equilibrium form.

5. Pratyahara

It stimulates awareness and withdrawal of your mind from the external world and keeps your senses awake to your inner world.

6. Dharana

Dharana means concentration of one’s mind. It eliminates the practitioner from any distractions and concentrates on one’s inner soul itself.

7. Dhyana

Dhyana also called meditation brings an uninterrupted flow of concentration. It awakens the inner self and takes it to an ultimate level of concentration.

8. Samadhi

It is the final state of Yoga that takes to the state of ecstasy. This stage transforms the practitioner to reach the divine blessing where he realizes matters in a profound way.

Yoga In US, Europe, And In India

Yoga has a long back history but it was a common practice among ancient students and teachers in India and so moved on to today’s modern yoga. In ancient India, Yoga used to be a subject that rejuvenates the mental state and drastically uprising creativity, productivity, and capabilities.

Relaxing postures, breathing practices, and chanting Mantras are a few of the traditional practices of yoga. As time progresses, Yoga pioneered its roots in the United States and Europe.

It gains diverse popularity in the United States and Europe because it helped many practitioners to rejuvenate their life by balancing mental and physical stability. Yoga has immense capabilities to use senses, concentration, and focus have healed many to overcome anxiety, depression, and severe mental illness.

Modern Yoga And It’s Popularity

Yoga has become the most trending global phenomenon. It helps millions to transform their fitness level, and well-being in society, which aids people. The interwind history of yoga reaches abroad to Western occultism and European cultural movement program. The theosophical society emerged in 1875 as an alternate culture to deliver public healing.

European saw the era of yoga culture in their society when it was popularized among several magazines and news bulletins. Elucidating the occult sciences was the primary goal that needed to be achieved through the philosophy of modern yoga.

German, Swedish, and Danish were the first to use it in their exercises. Online Yoga classes are available now throughout the Word Wide Web and it is available for anyone seeking the best online Yoga

International Day Of Yoga

Yoga International Day of Yoga is celebrated every June 21 since 2015 when it announces as “World Yoga Day”. All the countries in the world offer Yoga classes, through online and offline mediums to socialize. It was incepted by the United Nations General Assembly.

Benefits Of Yoga

People of all ages can practice yoga to enjoy physical wellness and mental peace. It helps surprisingly in the cure of illness, recovering from an operation, or sustaining integral body challenges. A yoga teacher helps the practitioners to set up a plan and execute the healing process or maintaining a healthy physic. Some of the benefits can be glanced at below:

• Yoga for fitness
• Yoga for weight loss
• Yoga for strength
• Yoga for illness
• Yoga for stress management
• Yoga for addiction recovery
• Yoga for Creativity
• Yoga for stability
• Yoga for sleeping disorder
• Yoga for mental peace

In The End

Yoga practices have a long history and it has tremendous benefits one cannot skip. Yoga doesn’t only help us maintain our fitness level but also delivers calm, peace, and a soothing soul. Yoga aims to lower stress, anxiety, and depression as well as for the highest level of yoga one can take samadhi or liberation to overcome the vicious cycle of life and death.

A healthy body with peace of mind can do wonders without any second thought and Yoga has it all! If anybody is going to participate in any form of Yoga practice they’re surely going to heal their body, mind, soul, and ultimate consciousness to find new horizons in one’s life. Yoga is destined to become an ultimate guide served human beings for centuries.

FAQ:

1. Is Yoga Practices are really helpful to mankind?

Ans: Yes, It does. It has helped millions. It gives an impeccable peace of mind and adds harmony.

2. Is Yoga has any side effects?

Ans: No! Yoga rejuvenates life by adding grace and simplifies life.

3. What are the best Yoga practices one can follow?

Ans: Yes, Yoga has loads of advantages. You may contact a Yoga Guru and depending on your needs, he might suggest one that suits your requirements.