Essay on the true Value of Yoga

“Listen to the principles of Yoga. By practising these, you can break through the bonds of karma.” —Bhagvad Gita 2:39-41

Human beings are made up of three components – body, mind and soul. Corresponding to these are three needs that must be satisfied for contented life: the physical need is health; the psychological need knowledge; and the spiritual need is inner peace. When all three present, there is harmony.

Yoga, at the physical level, gives relief from countless ailments; practice of the postures (asanas) strengthens the body and creates a feeling of well-being. From the psychological viewpoint, Yoga sharpens intellect and aids in concentration. It steadies the emotions and encourages a caring concern for others. The practice of breathing techniques (pranayam) calms the mine.

In the realm of the spiritual, Yoga brings awareness and the ability to be still. Through meditation, inner peace” experienced. Thus, Yoga is a practical philosophy involving every asp of a person’s being. It teaches the evolution of the individual by development of self-discipline and self-awareness. Anyone, irrespective of age, health, circumstance of life, and religion, can practice Yoga. Yoga helps to discipline our sense of power, with the power of our own sense.

If we peep into the benefits of Yoga, they are numerous, including improved physical fitness, stress control, general well-being, mental peace and grater self-understanding. People of all ages can do Yoga, and it also is adapted for people with disabilities or special needs.

The asanas enhance muscle strength, coordination, flexibility, and can help the cure of backache. Regular practice of Yoga helps to keep our body controls cholesterol level reduces weight, normalises blood pressure and improves cardiovascular performance.

Apart from these, when people actively seek to reduce the stress in their lives by consoling the mind, the body often works to heal itself. In this sense, Yoga can be seen not only as a way to get into shape on several levels, but also as a tool for self-healing.

In today’s world of information and interplanetary voyages, most of the people find it difficult to devote time towards their health and fitness. This has led to drastic increase in health problems and health-related stress-the number one killer in modern days.

Unlike the early part of the century when infectious diseases were the leading killers, today’s health problems are mostly related to life style. Cardiovascular disease, heart disease, stroke and arteriosclerosis, chronic lung disease, diabetes mellitus, cirrhosis of the liver, suicide and several forms of cancer are all related to unhealthy life style and behaviour.

At one point of time or the other, a doctor comes into the scene in every individual’s life. Yoga is simultaneously self-diagnosis, healing, prevention and maintenance. Although it is not a replacement for one’s doctor, yet it has been developed and practiced safely and successfully by millions of people who never had doctors, for thousands of years.

With the help of Yoga, the doctor and the individual can both monitor the progress and the doctor will definitely learn from the individual how beneficial Yoga really is!

In the context of “self-diagnosis”, Yoga postures and exercises can be easily done and that too, with minimal possible effort. The magic of Yoga is that as we begin the basic stretches, we can immediately discover where our deficiencies are. If we are really up to it, then we should not be discouraged by this.

Our body will adopt itself as perfectly as possible to all the things that we have done with it over the course of our entire life up until now. With a most amount of care and patience, Yoga will trigger our body’s natural adaptive and rejuvenating powers. Unless we use it, we will lose it and if we start using it again, we can get most of it back.

Some people even claim that Yoga gave them more vitality than they ever had in their lives. Even those who began later in life also benefited from its practice.

As for athletes or sportspersons, Yoga can be a powerful enhancement in regular training exercises. Adding Yoga in a routine training programme helps develop strength, flexibility, range of motion, concentration, cardiovascular health, and reduces stress, tension and tightness.

The most significant benefit of adding Yoga to a training programme is its effect on performance. It allows an athlete to train harder and at a higher level because range of motion is greater and the fear of injury has lessened.

Some people think it is divine, others find it positively addictive and a powerfully effective substitute for negative habits. Whether borne of inspiration, or by trial and error, Yoga techniques substitute for the kind of activities our early human ancestors must have done in the course of just living out their arboreal lives. It is pretty safe to say that if we still hung around in the trees all our lives, like other primates, then 70 percent to 90 percent of us would not end up suffering from chronic bade, neck and head pain.

Obviously, it takes time for our body to tuck itself inhere and fill out there. Tissues have to grow! Others need to shrink! This is why it is important to drink lots of water and eat ample amounts of wholesome food along with regular moderate practice.

In challenging those muscles to remodel themselves, we are literally clearing out lots at junk from our tissues-metabolites generated by the exertion as well as toxins that have accumulated over the years because of poor circulation associated with sedentary life style.

The essence of Yoga is to make the process as efficient and enjoyable as possible. In the beginning, it is essential that we learn not only what the stretches are, but also how to stretch, how to relax, how to breathe etc. Then we will really be ready to work out safely! Yoga does not bring away the qualities of genunity, wholesomeness, compassion, but rather instills them within us. It teaches us that love heals the giver at least a- much as it does the recipient. In addition, therein dwells the sacred power of community, union, harmony, Yoga, and free and fair civilization. It is our birthright to have access to this information. It is a sign of our wisdom if we use it, our enlightenment if we share it!

As we start practicing these simple asanas, we will immediately find out what needs the most attention, while giving it the attention it calls for. The effects are immediate and the results keep becoming more apparent the longer and more often we engage in the pure self-indulgent healing art of Yoga. Yoga is no less magical than the power of life itself.

Unlocking life’s wonders are the miracle that this “harness” (Yoga means “yoke” in English) unleashes. Through this art, everyone can strap himself/herself into the Divine and enjoy the ecstasy of freedom from pain and ignorance apart from other gracious rewards like longevity and happiness! It ha taken time for us to wind ourselves up in a knot. Naturally, it takes time to unravel! If we are still breathing, it is never too soon, or too late to start!