Benefits of Yoga
Submitted by divine_sysop on June 3, 2009 - 06:16
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Yoga is a holistic health science that has been practiced since time immemorial.
According to classical yoga texts, the aim of yoga fitness is samadhi.
To achieve samadhi, one should strive to unite mind, body and spirit.
Yogis view the body as an extension of the mind; therefore mind and body are one and the same.
Traditional yoga fitness practice in the right environment and under proper supervision, creates harmony between mind and body, and leads to healing. Through yoga fitness practice, all of the layers become cleansed and balanced. Therefore, yoga is therapeutic by nature.
Why People Want To Practice Yoga?One of the foremost reasons why people want to practice yoga is that traditional health yoga helps to bring more awareness of the bodys posture, alignment and the pattern of movement with breathing.
Even in a stressful environment, traditional yoga fitness keeps the body and mind more relaxed, and gives more flexibility in adapting to difficult situations. In addition, traditional health yoga contains both psychosomatic and somatic practices for people suffering from physical and mental disorders.
The ancient theories of health yoga, and the observations about the mind and body and their relationship to each other, are being accepted by modern medicine. Substantial research is looking at the health benefits of yogic practices like kriya, asana, pranayama and meditation techniques.
Physiological, metabolic and neuro-endocrinal changes occurring as a result of yoga fitness practice have been thoroughly investigated by modern medical scientists, and definite conclusions have been documented in many cases. Most of the improvements in well-being have been established and confirmed by medical doctors.
Physiological Health Benefits of Yoga:
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Yoga Increases
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Yoga Decreases
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Yoga Normalizes
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Psychological Health Benefits of Yoga:
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Yoga Increases
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Yoga Decreases
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Yoga Normalizes
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Bio-Chemical Health Benefits of Yoga:
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Yoga Increases
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Yoga Decreases
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Yoga Normalizes
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Health Benefits of Yogic Exercises versus Non-Yogic Exercises:
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Yogic Exercises
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Non-Yogic Exercises
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Relaxed muscle tone
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Increased muscle tension
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Slow and static movements
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Rapid and forceful movements
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Low risk of injury
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Higher risk of injury
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Parasympathetic system dominates
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Sympathetic system dominates
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Sub-cortical regions of the brain dominate
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Cortical regions of the brain dominate mainly
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Low caloric consumption
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High caloric consumption
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Effort is minimized with maximum relaxation
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Effort is maximized with less relaxation
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Breathing is natural and synchronized
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Breathing is forceful and no synchronization
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Purely process-oriented
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Purely goal-oriented
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Awareness is internal
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Awareness is external
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Leads to spirituality
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Apart from the evidence derived from modern medical research, yoga is rich in philosophical literature and theory. The concept of yoga fitness and its philosophy have originated from a distant past, and have been followed for fifty centuries with a systematic and holistic approach.
Therefore, it is a complete prescription for a healthy body and a peaceful mind, leading to a better quality of life. Health yoga is a higher branch of the sciences that helps one to enjoy maximum materialistic benefits with sound health, and attain emancipation with the spirit of detachment.
