Yoga

Have you ever tried yoga? It's been around for over 5,000 years and began in India.


A Yogi, then, is a yoga 'instructor,' although that term is not completely accurate; a Yogi has been learning to master yoga for some time and is still mastering it.

The most commonly practiced now is called Hatha, although there are a number of kinds of Yoga (see end of the blog).This involves positioning your body and holding it there while you concentrate on your breathing, then moving to different positions, and ending in a calming period while you sit or lie still. You are to be only aware of how your body feels in the moment, focusing and concentrating on that and nothing else. It is a form of meditation. If you take yoga in a class setting, the instructor leads you through the poses, speaks quietly and softly, and often strolls through the people in a class to help them get their poses correct. There may be aromatherapy during your session, as well; essential oils or scents that encourage you to breathe deeply, to calm you further.

                                                                                                     It might look easy, but it's not.
Generally, all you need to practice yoga is comfortable clothing and a mat. No equipment is necessary. It works for most people because it doesn't involve sudden movements, jumping, or impacting joints. You are encouraged to only do what is comfortable, and to stop if it hurts. If you have a bad knee or shoulder, for example, you need protect those spots and possibly ease into moving them as you feel flexible enough.
How does yoga affect your health? You may think it's just doing poses and being reflective, but there are some solid health benefits to doing yoga:
The American Heart Association notes these benefits:

• Improvement in flexibility
• Helps lower cholesterol
• Lowers the heart rate
• Helps with circulation
• Improves your muscle tone

In general., Yoga can

• Ease arthritis symptoms
• Improve your balance
• Improve your posture
• Help with depression
• Let you sleep better
• Increase overall strength, including bone strength
• Help with weight loss by upping your metabolism
• Improve your memory skills
• Improve digestion
• And it's good to do while you are pregnant: It can help with pregnancy discomfort and the birthing process, and is no-impact so it is not jarring to you or the baby

People of any age can do yoga. Some schools are trying yoga with children as a way to get them to calm down and get along better, instead of punishment. https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/04/health/meditation-in-schools-baltimore/index.html

Yoga history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga



There are several kinds of yoga, although they all aim to improve self-awareness, physical strength, mental strength, and promote healing.












Yoga Journal:
https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/history-of-yoga