Now days, a new sports is popular in China, That is Yoga.The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated. We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body and spirit.
History of Yoga
What is Yoga?Today, many people are taking up yoga techniques for physical exercise, and most don’t know the history of yoga. They believe there is nothing wrong with implementing this form of exercise into their daily regiment to promote a more healthy body. However, the practice of yoga is much more than a system of physical exercise for health. Yoga is an ancient path to spiritual growth, and originates out of India where Induism is practiced. The practice and goal of yoga dates back to the Upanishads, written between 1000-5000 BC.
Yoga Benefits The most important benefit of yoga is physical and mental therapy. The aging process, which is largely an artificial condition, caused mainly by autointoxication or self-poisoning, can be slowed down by practicing yoga. By keeping the body clean, flexible and well lubricated, we can significantly reduce the catabolic process of cell deterioration. To get the maximum benefits of yoga one has to combine the practices of yogasanas, pranayama and meditation.
Regular practice of asanas, pranayama and meditation can help such diverse ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, varicose veins and heart conditions. Laboratory tests have proved the yogi's increased abilities of consciously controlling autonomic or involuntary functions, such as temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure. Research into the effects of yogic practices on HIV is currently underway with promising results.According to medical scientists, yoga therapy is successful because of the balance created in the nervous and endocrine systems which directly influences all the other systems and organs of the body. Yoga acts both as a curative and preventive therapy. The very essence of yoga lies in attaining mental peace, improved concentration powers, a relaxed state of living and harmony in relationships. Through the practice of yoga, we become aware of the interconnectedness between our emotional, mental and physical levels. Gradually this awareness leads to an understanding of the more subtle areas of existence. The ultimate goal of yoga is to make it possible for you to be able to fuse together the gross material (annamaya), physical (pranamaya), mental (manomaya), intellectual (vijnanamaya) and spiritual (anandamaya) levels within your being.
Tips for Regular Yoga Practice
An excellent resource for the sequencing of yoga postures, this large-format spiral-bound book is divided into 5 levels of sequences: beginner, intermediate, intermediate/advanced, advanced and restorative. Each of the sequences have an easy to follow format of simple black and white drawings in long rows, which are beautifully illustrated. With simple outlines so you can see the pose clearly, and with just the right amount of details to see the expression and action of the pose within the body, these illustrations strike the perfect balance of clarity and detail. The book starts with six modular sequences and four namaskara sequences to be used as interchangeable blocks that can be combined and/or added to other sequences to meet your current needs of depth, time and challenge. The restorative and chair yoga sequences could have been developed a bit further, but still create a well-rounded ending to the book. While the primary intention of this work was to be a home practice guide, this book also serves as a great resource for yoga teachers both for inspiration and for a deeper understanding of how to sequence poses.
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