"Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self." -- The Bhagavad Gita

 Yoga is not just the physical practice of the asanas, but something which should also have a place for the rest of our life, in the way we live, including awareness about ourselves and our internal and external behavior.

                My story begins when I was a second-year undergraduate. I had a very boring and stressed routine. As I'm doing a Computer Science degree I had to sit and code or study for many hours which I really hate even in my school days. I was seeking to do something different away from the typical lectures and my academic work.                            

Then I started to practice  Yoga at university premises, two days per week. Its been a year since it started.  Yoga is not just the physical practice of the asanas, but something which should also have a place for the rest of our life, in the way we live, including awareness about ourselves and our internal behavior.                                                                   

Because of Yoga, I came out of my messed daily habits and I was able to concentrate on my academics too. Eventually my mental and especially my physical fitness grows. This improves my flexibility and body balance.

Yoga truly is for everybody and every stage of life. 

 

                           

What is yoga?       

In the modern world, the South Asian art of yoga has expanded to all corners of the globe. While it is now a popular form of exercise and meditation, this has not always been the case.      

Few types of Yoga poses:

Ashtanga yoga: Ashtanga applies six established sequences of postures that rapidly link every movement to breathe.

 

Bikram yoga: Also known as “hot” yoga, Bikram occurs in artificially heated rooms at temperatures of nearly 105 degrees and 40 percent humidity. It consists of 26 poses and a sequence of two breathing exercises.

Hatha yoga: This is a generic term for any type of yoga that teaches physical postures. “Hatha” classes usually serve as a gentle introduction to the basic yoga postures.

Iyengar yoga: This type focuses on finding the correct alignment in each pose using a range of props, such as blocks, blankets, straps, chairs, and bolsters.

Power yoga: In the late 1980s, practitioners developed this active and athletic type of yoga, based on the traditional ashtanga system.

Viniyoga: Viniyoga can adapt to any person, regardless of physical ability.   

Viniyoga teachers require in-depth training and tend to be experts on anatomy and yoga therapy.

Physical benefits

“The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome,” explains Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can also lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia.”

Other physical benefits of yoga include:

• increased flexibility
• increased muscle strength and tone
• improved respiration, energy and vitality
• maintaining a balanced metabolism
• weight reduction
• cardio and circulatory health
• improved athletic performance
• protection from injury

Mental benefits

     Aside from the physical benefits, one of the best benefits of yoga is how it helps a person manage stress, which is known to have devastating effects on the body and mind. Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, and an inability to concentrate.

Yoga's incorporation of meditation and breathing can help improve a person's mental well-being.  Regular yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness. It relieves chronic stress patterns. Yoga relaxes the mind and sharpens concentration. 

Practitioners and followers of yogic tradition focused instead on other practices, such as expanding spiritual energy using breathing methods and mental focus.

Risks and side effects

Yoga is low-impact and safe for people when a well-trained instructor is guiding the practice. Anyone who is pregnant or who has an on-going medical condition, such as high blood pressure, glaucoma, or sciatica, should talk to their healthcare practitioner before practicing yoga.

Beginners should avoid extreme poses and difficult techniques, such as headstand, lotus position, and forceful breathing.

When using yoga to manage a condition, do not replace conventional medical care with yoga or postpone seeing a healthcare provider about pain or any other medical problem.

Maintaining a Regular yoga practice can provide mental and physical health benefits

References - https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/benefits-of-yoga/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286745