Do you often feel the need to pop in an anti-depressant, mood stabilizer, a stress reliever, or a sleeping pill to relax, or get yourself to sleep? You may be suffering from Vita Dosha a type of imbalance in Aryuveda.
We live in a fast- paced world where we are constantly in search of money, power, success and fame. This has led us to be in a constant frenzy leading us to overbooking and overscheduling of tasks for us to juggle everything. It is increasingly getting harder and harder to balance work life and personal life which in the long run can be detrimental to us and our overall health. This will help us be a happier, healthier and more peaceful people.
In Aryuveda, this constant rush and frenzy causes Vita Imbalance which in other words is the principle movement that governs everything in nature from the galaxies to an individual’s mind-body system. Some key indicators of Vita Imbalance are an overactive mind that makes it hard to fall asleep at night, impatience, lack of mental focus, anxiety or worry, inability to relax, short attention span, and impulsiveness. We can all agree that this is deeply engrained within our culture.
It is imperative therefore that we learn to pull ourselves from the frenzy, relax and disconnect. This will help us be a happier, healthier and more peaceful people. One of the best proven ways to do this is through Yoga that has been proven to not only relax and calm you, but also strengthens your muscles and increases your flexibility. Unlike workout fads that come and go, Yoga has been practiced for over 5000 years.
Defining Yoga
It is a physical and mental practice that draws its roots from ancient Indian philosophy. It combines a variety of meditation, relaxation and breathing techniques as well as physical postures. Yoga draws its name from the Sanskrit “yuj”, a yoking union.
The practice has attained popularity as a form of physical exercise aimed at enhancing general well-being.
Types of yoga
There are eleven major styles of yoga, Bikram yoga notably ranking high in popularity in Kenya. The other types of yoga are restorative, hatha, yin, iyengar, kundalini,vinyasa,jivamukti, anusara and pre-natal. Recently,
Many myths exist about yoga. For instance, we do have people who believe that lacks the ability to resolve injuries or persisting pain. Others hold the view that it takes up too much of one’s time and there are even others who will say that it is just an activity for youthful persons. They clearly are not aware of the benefits, some of which we have shared with you below.
Benefits derived
Many of those engaging in the practice of yoga will attest to the fact that it does have multiple benefits. Amongst these benefits is improved flexibility which is one of the most obvious and immediate benefit. You will not immediately notice it but with time you feel a general looseness and will be able to eventually strike what were previously impossible postures and poses. You will also probably notice a disappearance of aches and pains in your muscles and joints.
Through yoga, you can build strong muscles and eventually shield yourself from conditions such as back pain and arthritis.
Yoga also perfects your posture. With an improved posture, you can avoid becoming fatigued frequently. It also protects you from a breakdown of the joints and cartilage. Remember, any time you practice yoga, your joints are taken through their full motion cycle and this plays a preventative role against conditions such as degenerative arthritis.
Your spinal disks desire and require movement on a regular basis as this is the only way they meet their nutritional requirements. Yoga exercises bring with them plenty of movement and in the long run play a very important role in protecting your spine.
Yoga and weight lifting exercises and very much alike in the sense that they strengthen your bones and fight off osteoporosis. Yoga is also recommended to people with arthritis.
Yoga also increases blood flow where the variety of relaxation exercises aid circulation and boosts the supply of oxygen to your blood cells.
Key in yoga are exercises that require movement, resulting in the loss of calories. You would probably notice a change in your bodily functions which may lend you the inspiration to be more conscious with your eating habits, eventually setting the platform for a healthy way of life.
What else do I need to Know?
What work for one person will not necessarily work for you. Hence, you should one that suits your needs and fitness level. As a beginner, start with simple stretching poses (peaceful hatha) and progress to the harder ones (high intensity power yoga).
It is important that you also consult with your doctor if you have a medical condition. People with diabetes or high blood pressure should avoid upside down poses, while pregnant women should avoid postures that put pressure on your belly or back.
There are instructional DVDs and books that you can practice with. However, you can subscribe to a Yoga class where you will have a qualified instructor take you through what you should or shouldn’t do.
The benefits to be derived from yoga are indeed far too many but from the examples above it is evident that it is truly an exercise that bodes well for your physical and mental wellbeing. We recommend you try it! Be sure to give us feedback too!
