What is Yoga

Yoga is the practice of controlling the breath while performing various poses with your body. The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word “yuj,” meaning to join or connect. The primary goal of yoga is to balance the mind and body. Even with its wide popularity, some may still be wondering, "What is Yoga?"

What is Yoga?

Originating in India, Yoga has now moved into mainstream practice throughout the world. The most commonly known type of yoga is in the U.S. is Hatha Yoga, which is the physical expression of yoga and is commonly practiced to reduce stress, increase flexibility and strengthen the body by aligning the body and mind. There are several types of Hatha yoga, including: Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Jivamukti, Kripalu, Kundalini, Power, Sivananda, and Vinyasa.

Yoga basics include many poses. A few recognizable ones are: Downward Facing Dog, Mountain, Tree, Child Pose, Warrior Pose, Cat pose, Cow pose, and Cobra pose.

Why Did Yoga Become Popular in the US?

First introduced to the United States in the late 1940s, Yoga gained popularity during the “hippie movement” of the 1960s. As people embraced ideas of Eastern philosophy, yoga was a natural extension of that. Unlike other things, Yoga continued to see a rise in popularity and is now a thriving health practice in the United States.

What are the Benefits of Yoga?

With much of our physical ailments caused by stress, yoga can be a catalyst to reducing stress and increasing strength and stamina in the body. There are many specific benefits of yoga for the body, including:

• Increased balance and strength
• Increased energy and stamina
• Improved Posture
• Pain Relief
• Weight Management
• Increased flexibility
• Increased Immunity
• Improved cardiac, gastrointestinal and respiratory functions within the body
• Improved circulation
• Decreased blood pressure

Stress and Yoga

Yoga can have a profound effect on stress. With regular practice of yoga basics, people often see a dramatic decrease in both how they handle stress, as well as the physical manifestation of stress on the body. During the mental exercise of yoga, you focus on aligning the breath with your postures, you don’t focus on other stress-causing factors in your life. The consistent practice of yoga encourages this stress relief and can have lasting effects on the practitioners quality of life.

Through a regular practice, practitioners can experience a wide range of physical and mental benefits of yoga.