What is the importance of Yoga for Health?
Yoga for health & fitness are the physical activities performed with spiritual and mental concentration. These are aiming in bringing harmony between our body and mind. It is an Art for healthy living as a result of scientific effects on body organs and muscles.
Yoga is also known as “Yoga Sadhana“. It is not associated with any particular religion, belief system or community. It has always been approached as a technology for inner well-being. Anyone who practices yoga with involvement can reap its benefits, irrespective of one’s faith, ethnicity or culture.
Origin of Yoga For Health
The practice of Yoga is believed to have started with the very beginning of Indian civilization. India is considered as the “Land of Yoga“.
According to yogic lore, the science of yoga has its origin thousands of years ago and lord Shiva is seen as the first yogi or Adi-yogi and the first Yog Guru or Adi-Guru.
As per Yogic sculptures and scriptures, evidences found which tells that, the practice of Yoga as an immortal cultural was in use in Indus Valley Civilization back to 2700 B.C. Yoga has proved itself catering to both material and spiritual uplift of humanity.
Demerits of Exercise over Yoga
Regular exercise and workouts has a lot of benefits in terms of health & fitness, though it has some demerits as below –
- For doing exercise in safe and proper way, we have to attend a gym which require spare-able and fixed time every day. It becomes difficult to manage and spare such time for a busy person.
- Exercise cause distortion and damages to our body cells. In response to this damage, our brain starts a series of biological processes to rebuild the affected tissue. But regaining is no as much strong as it was before.
- Our legs normally handles our body weight. But, when we run, our knees put on severe impact or impulsive forces which are equal to four times of our body weight.
- In result of exercise we could face variety of “Overuse Injuries” like tendonitis i.e. tennis elbow to small stress fractures in leg bones and joints.
- When an athlete repeatedly exercises beyond his capacity, he may affect with “Overtraining Syndrome”. It can occur along with overuse injuries.
- Over-training Syndrome may lead to Fatigue, Depression, Sleep disturbances, Lack of concentration, Headaches, Lack of appetite, Increases in joint and muscle pain.
Due to above reasons, Yoga is found superior practice over exercise for health and fitness.
Benefits of Yoga for Health
Benefits of yoga are unaccountable. It the the most superior practice for healthy life style and wellness. Some most important benefits of yoga practices are –
- As per Yogic sculptures and scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads to the unification of human consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness.
- Yoga brings a perfect harmony between the mind, body and nature.
- It aims in Self-realization to overcome all kinds of sufferings leading to the state of liberation or Moksha or Freedom.
- Objectives of yoga practice results in living with freedom in all ways of life, health and harmony.
- Yoga commonly considered as a therapy or exercise system for health and fitness.
- Practice is about harmonizing oneself with the universe. It is the technology of aligning individual geometry with the cosmic to achieve the highest level of perception and harmony.
Yoga practices for Health
Yoga practices are also called “Yog Sadhanas”. Different Yog Sadhanas for good health and wellness are –
1.Yama –
These are the most important and valuable consideration and guide to proceed with the way in which yogis live an ethical life. It guide the way of living which is healthier and more peaceful.
It provides the restraints in the way of living. It tells about “Not to do”.
2.Niyama –
It is the duty or observance recommended by yogic philosophy. They are a way of applying the ethical codes of yoga to the student’s own mind, body and spirit, helping to create a positive environment internally.
Yamas are restraints and Niyamas are observances. These are considered to be pre-requisites for the Yoga Sadhanas.
3.Asana –
It consists in adopting various psycho-physical patterns giving ability to maintain a body position for certain period of time. It is capable of bringing about stability of body and mind.
4.Pranayama –
It trains in developing awareness of breathing techniques to help and establish control over the mind. It develops awareness of the breath-in and breath-out through nostrils, mouth and other body openings, its internal and external pathways and destinations.
5.Pratyahara –
It indicates dissociation of consciousness from the sense organs which helps to remain connected with the external objects.
6.Dharana –
It indicates broad based field of concentration i.e. attention inside the body and mind.
7.Dhyana (Meditation) –
This practice is a focused attention inside the body and mind. It helps in self-realization leading to feel the essence of Yoga.
8.Samadhi /Samyama –
It means integration of body, mind and soul.
9.Bandhas & Mudras –
Mudras are certain psycho-physical patterns associated with Pranayama. This further facilitates control over mind and paves way for higher yogic attainment.
10.Shat-karmas –
These are practices to help in removing the toxins accumulated in the body and are clinical in nature.
11.Yukta-ahara –
It train about appropriate food and eating habits for healthy living.
12.Yukta-karma –
Teaches about appropriate doings and activities for healthy living.
Importance of Yoga
Millions of people across the globe have benefited by Yoga practices. This is the easiest and safest method of well-being and fitness. The practice of Yoga is blossoming and growing more vibrantly every day.
Today, Yoga Sadhana is becoming popular in all over the world and it is considered panacea for a meaningful life and living. Its orientation to a comprehensive health, both individual and social, makes it a worthy practice for the people of all religions, races and nationalities.
Yoga Education is being imparted by many institutions, schools, colleges and offices all over the world. Eminent Yoga Institutions, Yoga Colleges, Yoga Universities, Naturopathy colleges and Private trusts & societies are easily available and successfully running and engaged in this field. Many Yoga Clinics, Yoga Therapy and Training Centers, Preventive Health Care Units and Research Centers etc. are found in Hospitals, Dispensaries, Medical colleges etc.
Thus, nowadays Yoga has become an inevitable part of our daily life.