Yoga


Yoga is a collection of ancient spiritual practices with the goal of producing a healthy mind. Through a series of postures, one learns how to control thoughts and control the body. Many people engage in yoga to help them get in shape and keep their bodies fit, while others have the ultimate goal of reaching Moksha, which is liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of centuries. Archaeological excavations have unearthed depictions of figures in yoga positions in sites that date as far back as 1700 B.C. The practices have been defined in ancient texts, such as the Brahmana.

The postures of yoga are called asanes. These are gentle stretching movements designed to maintain a balance between the mind and the body. They work to rejuvenate the brain, internal organs and glands and the spine by increasing the blood flow to these areas of the body. They do this in three ways:

1. The position one takes in yoga increases the amount of blood that circulates to a specific organ.

2. The position causes a light squeezing action on the organ, which helps to massage and stimulate it.

3. Through deep breathing and visualizing techniques one can increase the blood supply to the area.

In yoga, disease is looked upon as a blockage of life force to the affected area of the body, which in turn leads to lower resistance to illness. The best way to improve this life force is through good nutrition, good sleeping habits, a positive mental attitude and the yoga positions. For example, in yoga, a problem with the thyroid gland could be caused by a blockage in vertebrae that is resting on the nerve to the thyroid.

Some of the types of yoga are:

Yoga postures include: