Yoga is not about being flexible. Nor about making all those picture-perfect poses. What is this yoga mania all about?
Oh, well…
Have you ever looked for something to heal every piece of you that needs healing? A panacea for your body, mind & soul? A practice that has it all?
If you did look, I hope you did found.
For most people, that was the moment when they first stepped on the yoga mat. And once they did, most of them have kept coming back.
Over and over again.
„So what is so magical about yoga?”, you might wonder.
Here is the truth: there’s no magic in practicing yoga. But there are a lot of benefits.
Is Yoga the answer?
In the process of life, we get injured. Some of us get physical injuries, others a broken heart or an empty soul. It might be just a sore back or a severe affection, physical or emotional. Whatever it is, it is part of our growth and our lives, and most of the time it’s inevitable. And that’s ok, but we’ve got to learn how to heal ourselves.
Every time and every way we need it.
And here’s a big secret: from the day you were born, you had everything you need to heal yourself inside of you. It is the inner power of the human body to protect & heal itself from within. You don’t read too much about that in medical papers, but it is real. And it is yours to access.
However, the unfortunate truth is that growing up, most of us lose that connection with ourselves and with that – the ability to self-heal.
Healing is not quite the main goal of practicing yoga. Just a side effect, I’d daresay.
While Yoga is the journey itself. The journey of reconnecting to ourselves.
What is Yoga?
By definition, Yoga is the union of your body, mind, soul, and energy.
Whether you are looking to improve your physical or mental health, to get in a better mood, or raise your vibration and let go of what no longer serves you, Yoga is the way.
Your practice is your practice. You can choose to make it purely physical, getting those fancy poses, and that’s fine. Or you can dive deeper and make it mindful, a strengthening practice for your mind. Or you can embrace the very essence of traditional Yoga and connect to your purest energy and higher self.
Wherever you want to go, Yoga is the way.
Yoga is the journey of coming home to yourself and getting anything you need (if not everything!) from the benefits of practicing it.
Benefits of Yoga
So let’s dive right into them.
- Yoga helps you let go of what no longer serves you.
Relaxing & releasing postures, deep breaths, and mindset work – all of them help us let go of any kind of burned we carry. Oh, that after-practice feeling of clarity and ease…
2. Yoga improves flexibility and balance.
Remember all those picture-perfect yoga poses? Well, there is a great deal of flexibility and balance work behind them. And that comes with so much reward in terms of increased flexibility, recovery, and strength. Yey!
3. Yoga promotes a better posture.
If you ever attended a yoga class, you have noticed that before every asana (posture), the teacher brings attention to your posture and alignment. That is because you can only get the benefits of yoga if practiced correctly. And alignment is the big boss when it comes to correctness in yoga.
4. Yoga promotes mindfulness and self-awareness.
Yoga encourages us to observe our body, how it reacts and what it needs. This awareness can help us connect deeper to ourselves, thus pinpointing our true pains and needs.
5. Yoga helps with back pain relief & recovery.
Abundant research suggests that yoga practice can heal spine injuries and speed up back recovery.
6. Yoga may boost your immunity and natural detoxification of the body.
Stimulating asanas and detoxifying yoga flows, combined with other cleaning practices, may be an incredible combo booster of your immunity!
7. Yoga improves cardiovascular and pulmonary health.
Yoga practice has a great focus on breathing. By simply breathing correctly, we relieve stress from our bodies, improve our long-term pulmonary health and strengthen the heart.
8. Yoga may improve bone health.
Yoga practice includes a lot (like a looot!) of isometric exercises, meaning the muscles are fully engaged without changing their length. Isometric exercises are linked to increased bone density and improved bone health.
9. Yoga can boost brain functioning.
Yoga stimulates brain functioning in the centers responsible for motivation, focus, neuroplasticity, and interoception (recognizing the sensations within your body)
10. Yoga puts you in a brighter mood.
Oh yeah. Most of the yogis confess about the so-called post-yoga glow, meaning a feeling of vitality, ease, and clarity.
11. Yoga improves your sleep.
Since its effects on stress relief and breath control, yoga is directly linked to improved quality and depth of sleep. Besides, it’s a great ally in fighting insomnia.
12. Yoga can release joins and tender pain.
This practice involves joins strengthening and stretching asanas. This can help reduce pain and strengthen ligaments to prevent injuries.
13. Yoga may reduce inflammation.
Research shows that regular practice of yoga reduces the biochemical markers of inflammation across several chronic conditions.
14. Yoga benefits your mental health and reduces anxiety.
Every aspect of yoga practice – asanas, breathing, philosophy – is directed towards letting go of what no longer serves us, especially emotional and mental burdens. When practiced regularly, all of these can be an effective alternative treatment for mental health disorders (including anxiety, phobias, and stress).
15. Most likely, yoga will increase your strength.
There is a popular misconception that yoga is all about flexibility. Although stretching is a part of it, it is usually alternated with a lot of strength-building, isometric exercises.
16. Yoga is your anti-age ally.
Besides sculpting, stretching, and strengthening your body (the secret anti-age trio), yoga also can maintain the discipline and clarity of your mind. Besides, it makes you mindful of your food choices which definitely can lead to a younger body & mind.
17. Yoga helps you become bulletproof to stress. Hell yes!
I can’t stress this enough (haha!): yoga does help relieve any accumulated tension and stress in our bodies. If not released, this tension becomes an illness in the long run (and we could talk about this for hours). What Yoga does is help us find peace and balance within. Let go of what no longer serves us.
Over and over again, anytime we experience any stressful experiences.
18. Yoga is the ultimate practice of love.
Yoga is about your body, mind, and soul. And the point is not to force your body to get into a perfect pose at the risk of getting injured.
The point is to find patience and love for your body, honor its signals, and give it exactly what it needs in terms of movement, nourishment, and love. It means connecting to your body, mind, and soul with compassion and love.
And taking this connection off the mat and everywhere you go.
Key takeaways:
- Yoga practice connects your body, mind, soul, and energy.
- By practicing yoga, you heal and strengthen your body & mind in every way you need healing.
- The benefits of this practice for your body & mind are endless.
- Yoga is the ultimate practice of love and compassion.
Daniela Writes 