Yoga is a mind-body fitness discipline that has become a global lifestyle craze. Practitioners tout its health benefits, from improved flexibility to greater balance, strength and relaxation.
But yoga is more than just a set of exercises and meditation. The ancient discipline covers eight limbs, from self-discipline to the ultimate state of Nirvana.
Physical
Yoga, like tai chi and qigong, are considered mind-body fitness practices. They combine movement with a focus on breath and mindfulness, which is an active state of awareness in the present moment without judgment.
Research shows that practicing yoga may reduce the risk of heart disease and help people manage stress, improve sleep, balance and mood. In addition, yoga improves a variety of physical conditions including back pain, neck or shoulder pain and rheumatoid arthritis.
One reason for this is that the practice of yoga increases strength and flexibility. Another is that it helps to control breathing, which can decrease blood pressure and improve circulation. Finally, yoga is known to strengthen the immune system. Chronic stress can have a negative effect on the immune system and lead to illness. Studies show that a regular yoga practice can lower your stress levels, which improves the functioning of the immune system. This is an important part of the healing process.
Mental
For people with mental health problems, yoga can help alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. It can also reduce feelings of stress and improve sleep patterns. In addition, it promotes the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, and can quiet the mind by focusing on breathing techniques.
The practice of yoga is based on the idea that the mind, body and breath are all connected. A person who is practicing yoga is trying to get in touch with this oneness and achieve the state of freedom that is alluded to as moksha or nirvana.
Psychiatrists are beginning to use yoga as a form of mental health treatment in conjunction with talk therapy and medication. Studies have shown that yoga can help to relieve stress, anxiety and depression, increase flexibility and strength, decrease irritability and encourage positive self-esteem. In fact, some therapists are even prescribing yoga to their clients in place of antidepressants. However, more research is needed to develop standardized protocols that provide yoga as a psychological therapy with adequate sample sizes, active controls and validated outcome measures.
Emotional
Yoga boosts mood and helps alleviate depression. The physical aspect of yoga increases blood flow and produces feel-good hormones while the meditative aspects of yoga reduce activity in the limbic system (the part of the brain responsible for emotions) which may help alleviate depressive symptoms.
Studies have found that yoga increases levels of gamma-aminobutryic acid (GABA), a chemical in the brain associated with improved mood and reduced anxiety. Additionally, the meditative practice of yoga cultivates mindfulness which can reduce emotional reactivity.
Although it cannot completely eliminate mental health issues, yoga can help you to build a new relationship with the emotions that are overwhelming you. This shift in perspective can allow you to be less reactive and more curious about what is causing you stress. This is important because allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by an emotion will only perpetuate the feeling. By viewing the emotion as just a temporary experience, you can let go of its grip on your life.
Spiritual
Yoga is a way to connect with your spiritual self. It is more than just a physical exercise, and it is important to have a consistent practice to fully reap its spiritual benefits. Spiritual yoga incorporates meditation, breathing exercises, and philosophies such as Buddha’s “middle path,” where you are neither too much nor too little of anything; or the Chinese concept of yin-yang balance, where seemingly opposite forces are actually interconnected and mutually beneficial.
Spiritual yoga also incorporates the ancient Hindu beliefs of karma and jnana, where you can use your actions and intellect to evolve spiritually. The goal is to eventually experience the union of all existence and be liberated from suffering, which is called moksha in yoga. This is achieved through a combination of Karma Yoga (selfless action), Bhakti Yoga (using your emotions to progress spiritually) and Jnana Yoga (intellectual pursuits). Modern scientists are now proving that every subatomic particle in the universe is connected. This connection is what yogis call Brahman.