3 Major Benefits of Yoga
Yoga is a positive habit we can all incorporate into our daily routine. Here are some upliftings reasons to discover this abundant practice
1. Physical Health - Yoga is great for our body. Our muscles get stronger and we have the potential to see an increase in range of motion as well as flexibility. In todays society, many of us suffer from back, neck and shoulder pain due to the rise in time spent on the computer and use of cell phones. Yoga can help us improve our posture and overall feel physically better on a daily basis.
2. Mental Health - When we are in continuous movement with our body and breathe, this can lead us into what is called the “Flow state” Flow state is when you are so present on the task at hand, you can experience the ultimate mind-body connection that relates to mindfulness and meditation practices. One of the many benefits to this state is an enhanced sense of clarity. Busy schedules can create a cluttered mind and cause stress headaches. When we are doing a task with no goal in mind, this takes the calculated thought process out of the situation and allows us to experience time with clear thoughts. We have the ability to create a moving meditation through our yoga flows. This can continue on to create good, positive feelings because an experience of clarity combined with mind-body connection is known to be a positive experience.
3. Energetic Health - Stillness and moments of stress can create blockages within the body and our muscles. These blockages can have a serious affect on our energy, making us feel sluggish and lethargic. While this can feel purely physical, our energetic body that supplies us with the life force we need to positively thrive can greatly suffer. These blockages can be removed by the movements and poses we do in yoga. As we move, we may feel certain emotions come up that we didn’t know we’re there. Certain uninvited outside thoughts may continue to creep in. This is how we know the energy is starting to move through the body, it’s because we are seeing it come to the surface. The best way to handle this is to look at this experience as a separate observer of what is happening. Even though we are still feeling the emotion, looking at it from a distant perspective can determine why we have it, almost like we’re taking a birds eye view. An important thing is to not completely detach from what we’re feeling as the real power lies in being aware of our emotions, as turbulent as they may be, and being able to sit with them so we can determine what the root cause of them are.
