A Complete Guide
The word “yoga” means “union”. Yoga aligns the
mind with the body. The benefits of yoga are both physical and emotional. Yoga is a practice
that has existed since ancient times. The relevance of yoga has never got lost. Yoga helps
achieve perfect mind and body alignment. Therefore, even today, yoga is necessary for
healthy and wholesome living. Different types of yoga practice focus on a common goal:
overall well-being and physical health.
You can practice types of yoga in the comfort
of your home and reap all its benefits. The best part about yoga is that you need just a mat
and half an hour every day to get started on this path.
These days, yoga forms have
become a part of our lives. Yoga is a therapeutic tool to treat physical and mental
problems. Therefore, it is not right to assume that yoga is for a particular religion or
community.
If you search online, you can find different types of yoga that target
specific health issues. For example, therapy yoga includes yoga for back pain, yoga to
reduce belly fat, yoga asana for weight loss, and even weight gain. These are a set of
physical postures and breathing exercises that target the problem holistically and eradicate
the issues.
The Sanskrit word Hatha means “force.” Therefore,
hatha yoga restores the balance of the body. This type of yoga works on the harmony between
the chakras and energy points. The chakras are vortexes of energy or the points in our body
where the energy lies concentrated. They are present in seven different locations in the
body and connect to specific organs and glands.
Hatha yoga comprises many physical
postures and positions that balance the body and mind. Different types of yoga by various
schools and teachers have certain fundamental commonalities.
Research shows that
Hatha yoga helps us destress, stay physically fit and agile, and make us look younger. In
addition, Hatha yoga purifies and heals our system. Also, sustained practice leads to weight
loss and toned muscles.
Ashtanga yoga is a direct offshoot of sage
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Famous as the yoga form for weight loss, the ashtanga word is a
derivative of the word eight in Sanskrit.
Ashtanga yoga has eight pillars:
Principles, personal discipline, asana and postures, pranayama, withdrawal, concentration,
meditation and salvation.