Yoga has many benefits. It works to improve your overall well-being physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Rather than listing its myriad benefits, here's my personal Top 5.
1.Relaxation
My favourite part of any yoga class is always the relaxation at the end. Lying in Savasana after the movement and focus of the class allows the body time to release tensions, to recognise unhelpful habits of posture or movement and start to reorganise itself into new patterns. It's also a chance to become aware of your breath and start to get your thoughts into perspective. Some people find relaxation the most difficult part of yoga, if you are used to constant movement and busy-ness then relaxing can feel like a waste of time, or an uncomfortable enforced stillness. Its worth knowing that with practice it does get easier, but you may find that at first you are better able to relax by going for a walk outside, or some similar activity.
2.Strength
Gradually, almost imperceptibly, as you practice yoga regularly, you find that your strength and stamina improves and you can stay in postures for longer. As you become aware of your limits and accept your strengths and weaknesses (both physically and emotionally) you also begin to notice changes. Because yoga works a wide variety of muscles throughout the body strength is gained evenly and imbalances in the body are reduced.
3.Flexibility
Yoga has the reputation of being mainly about flexibility or being for people who are already flexible. While neither of these is accurate, regular practice does begin to bring improvements in flexibility. Working with the breath and learning to let go are key to becoming more flexible just as much as the stretching itself. Yoga is for everyone. People who are very stiff are welcomed into classes and will gain a lot from even small improvements in the flexibility of their joints.
4.Calmness
The combination of asana (postures), breathing and relaxation bring a wonderful feeling of calmness, a state that is often missing from our busy lives! This calmness can be felt after each class and will also have a knock on effect through the rest of your life. I'm not suggesting you will be permanently in some trance like state but it does seem to become easier to keep things in perspective and deal with the ups and downs of life.
5.Preparing for meditation
This benefit is not so often talked about, but as you delve deeper into yoga, meditation becomes more possible and that then takes you further into your yoga. Meditation can mean many different things but all have in common the ability to focus the mind on one particular thing without becoming distracted. Sometimes the yoga practice itself is like a meditation as you focus on your breath and body. And sometimes the yoga prepares the body so that you can sit comfortable for a long enough time to focus on whatever meditation you choose without becoming distracted by discomfort.
1.Relaxation
My favourite part of any yoga class is always the relaxation at the end. Lying in Savasana after the movement and focus of the class allows the body time to release tensions, to recognise unhelpful habits of posture or movement and start to reorganise itself into new patterns. It's also a chance to become aware of your breath and start to get your thoughts into perspective. Some people find relaxation the most difficult part of yoga, if you are used to constant movement and busy-ness then relaxing can feel like a waste of time, or an uncomfortable enforced stillness. Its worth knowing that with practice it does get easier, but you may find that at first you are better able to relax by going for a walk outside, or some similar activity.
2.Strength
Gradually, almost imperceptibly, as you practice yoga regularly, you find that your strength and stamina improves and you can stay in postures for longer. As you become aware of your limits and accept your strengths and weaknesses (both physically and emotionally) you also begin to notice changes. Because yoga works a wide variety of muscles throughout the body strength is gained evenly and imbalances in the body are reduced.
3.Flexibility
Yoga has the reputation of being mainly about flexibility or being for people who are already flexible. While neither of these is accurate, regular practice does begin to bring improvements in flexibility. Working with the breath and learning to let go are key to becoming more flexible just as much as the stretching itself. Yoga is for everyone. People who are very stiff are welcomed into classes and will gain a lot from even small improvements in the flexibility of their joints.
4.Calmness
The combination of asana (postures), breathing and relaxation bring a wonderful feeling of calmness, a state that is often missing from our busy lives! This calmness can be felt after each class and will also have a knock on effect through the rest of your life. I'm not suggesting you will be permanently in some trance like state but it does seem to become easier to keep things in perspective and deal with the ups and downs of life.
5.Preparing for meditation
This benefit is not so often talked about, but as you delve deeper into yoga, meditation becomes more possible and that then takes you further into your yoga. Meditation can mean many different things but all have in common the ability to focus the mind on one particular thing without becoming distracted. Sometimes the yoga practice itself is like a meditation as you focus on your breath and body. And sometimes the yoga prepares the body so that you can sit comfortable for a long enough time to focus on whatever meditation you choose without becoming distracted by discomfort.