Topic
Regular practice of yoga can
help you to lead a happy and healthy life. Express your views either for or
against this statement.
Weight loss, a strong and flexible
body, glowing beautiful skin, peaceful mind, good health – whatever you may be
looking for, yoga has it on offer. However, very often, yoga is only partially
understood as being limited to asanas (yoga poses). As such, its benefits are
only perceived to be at the body level and we fail to realize the immense
benefits yoga offers in uniting the body, mind and breath. When you are in
harmony, the journey through life is calmer, happier and more fulfilling.
With all this and much more to offer,
the benefits of yoga are felt in a profound yet subtle manner. Here, we look at
the top 10 benefits of yoga practice.
1. All-round
fitness: You are truly healthy when you are not just
physically fit but also mentally and emotionally balanced. As Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar puts it, “Health is not a mere absence of disease. It is a dynamic
expression of life – in terms of how joyful, loving and enthusiastic you are.”
This is where yoga helps: postures, pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation
are a holistic fitness package.
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2. Weight loss: What many want! Yoga benefits here too. Sun Salutations and Kapal
Bhati pranayama are some ways to help lose
weight with yoga. Moreover, with regular practice of yoga, we tend
to become more sensitive to the kind of food our body asks for and when. This
can also help keep a check on weight.
3. Stress relief: A
few minutes of yoga during the day can be a great way to get rid of stress that
accumulates in daily - in both the body and the mind. Yoga postures, pranayama
and meditation are effective techniques to release stress.
4. Inner peace: We
all love to visit peaceful, serene spots, rich in natural beauty. Little do we
realize that peace can be found right within us and we can take a mini-vacation
to experience this any time of the day! Benefit from a small holiday every
day with yoga and meditation. Yoga is also one of the best ways to calm a disturbed mind.
5. Improved
immunity: Our system is a seamless blend of the body,
mind and spirit. An irregularity in the body affects the mind and similarly
unpleasantness or restlessness in the mind can manifest as an ailment in the
body. Yoga poses massage organs and strengthen muscles; breathing techniques
and meditation release stress and improve immunity.
6. Living with
greater awareness: The mind is constantly involved in activity –
swinging from the past to the future – but never staying in the present. By
simply being aware of this tendency of the mind, we can actually save ourselves
from getting stressed or worked up and relax the mind. Yoga and pranayama help
create that awareness and
bring the mind back to the present moment, where it can stay happy and focused.
7. Better
relationships: Yoga can even help improve your relationship with
your spouse, parents, friends or loved ones! A mind that is relaxed, happy and
contented is better able to deal with sensitive relationship matters. Yoga and
meditation work on keeping the mind happy and peaceful; benefit from the
strengthened special bond you share with people close to you.
8. Increased
energy: Do you feel completely drained out by the end
of the day? Shuttling between multiple tasks through the day can sometimes be
quite exhausting. A few minutes of yoga everyday provides the secret to feeling
fresh and energetic even after a long day. A 10-minute online guided meditation
benefits you immensely, leaving you refreshed and recharged in the middle of a
hectic day.
9. Better
flexibility & posture: You only need to include
yoga in your daily routine to benefit from a body that is strong, supple and
flexible. Regular yoga practice stretches and tones the body muscles and also
makes them strong. It also helps improve your body posture when you stand, sit,
sleep or walk. This would, in turn, help relieve you of body pain due
to incorrect posture.
10. Better
intuition: Yoga and meditation have the power to improve
your intuitive ability so that you effortlessly realize what needs to be done,
when and how, to yield positive results. It works. You only need to experience
it yourself.
Remember,
yoga is a continuous process. So keep practicing! The deeper you move into your
yoga practice, the more profound are its benefits.