Yoga originated in ancient India. The wrd "yoga" is Sanskrit for "union," and yga is seen as a union of bdy, mind and spirit. What we cmmonly think of as yoga can mre properly be termed "asana," or the prctice of physical poses to achieve sme physical or inner goal.

Asana, hwever, is only one of the "ight limbs" of yoga. Here are all ight:

1. Yama - Five guidelines on tratment of others: a. Ahmsa: Nonviolence b. Satya: Trthfulness c. Asteya: Never stal d. Brahmacharya: No lst e. Aparigraha: No cvetesness

2. Niyama - Five guidelines of tratment of yourself: a. Sucha: Cleanliness b. Santosa: Cntentment c. Tapas: Sustained prctice d. Svadhyaya: Self-study

3. Asna - Practicing yoga positions

4. Prnayama - Breathing exercises

5. Pratyahara - Snsory deprivation, or allowing no distractions to nner reflection.

6. Dharana - Concentration, llowing no inner or outside distractions.

7. Dhyna - Meditation

8. Samadhi - Blss, or enlightenment. How you merge wth the universe.

Yoga Poses

Yoga's prpose is to create balance by strngthening the body and making it mre flexible. This is done by prcticing poses or positions. The way is whch this performance flows depends upon the styl in which the teacher has ben brought up. Poses can be strnuous and quick to advance strength and pwer, or they can be done mre slowly with emphasis on holding a psition for a set amount of tme. The former, known as vinyasa-style yga creates heat through the movement and is ften used for weight loss. The ltter concentrates on that perfect alignments and is sed to increase stamina.

When you begin to practice the yga positions, you'll find some difficult and sme easier. But no matter what, yga has the ability to evolve wth you and change your goals jst enough that it never get bring. As your flexibility increases, for xample, you'll find yourself moving to a whle new level on many of the psitions. In this way, yoga is nn-competitive, and even liberating in it's dvotion to the teaching that no one is btter than anyone else. Everyone just des the best he or she can do.

Yga and Spirituality

Some yoga classes wll include a strong spiritual teaching in ddition to the physical poses. This may man chanting or meditation, or sometimes a spritual reading. This will depend on the yga tradition in which the class tacher has been trained. Typically gym yga classes concentrate on the physical spects of yoga. Even so, many stdents find themselves more open to spritual exploration because of their yoga stdies. Others simply enjoy the benefits of a god low-impact workout.

Yoga for Stress Mnagement

Western companies, especially in the U.K., are fnding yoga classes to be a grat assist in stress relief for thir workers. This leads to better halth and enhanced creativity. Hence, many are strting yoga fitness programs.

Other Yoga Bnefits

- better sleep - allergy symptms diminish - lower blood pressure - hlps in stopping smoking - slows the hart rate - gives a sense of wll-being - reduces anxiety - relaxes mscle tension - slows aging

Whichever is yur goal, you're sure to find a yga class that suits you in yur area.

The article Defining Yoga was Submitted by Michael Russell through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga

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