Yoga – the physical, mental and spiritual awakening

An ancient practice to unite breath with body has become progressively widespread and essential in today’s hasty life. This is a multi-dimensional tactic used by children, youngsters, and aged people to resolve the entangled and chaotic life. While welcoming the modern style of life, people are tumbling the connection of their bodies and souls. Individuals are fronting frequent health concerns due to the sluggish body compelled by the digital domain. Psychological health is no exception. Lack of mindfulness, attentiveness, and integration have become major subjects that are straightaway obligatory to be solved. The capitalist state has curved people into money-making machines without considering for their body and soul, the creator.

Connect To Yourself

People need to ask some questions to themselves about the purpose of life. Why am I working day-night? Who am I? Yoga plays an inevitable role in getting answers to all the questions as it is a multi-directional activity promoting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. It has entitled as a temple of integration that synchronizes physical and emotional equilibrium. Not only health benefits, but it also transforms human life favorable for nature and the environment as well.

The released affirmations eliminate toxicity and focus on sustainable development through cognizance towards nature. It helps to connect human beings to humankind, human beings to the environment, and to realize ultimate recognition of overall interconnectedness. The famous Yoga Guru, a man who redefined yoga, late B K S Iyengar said, “Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.”

Before getting into benefits, one would be curious to know the origin of such a great task for enlightenment. The word Yoga had developed a long ago, and was first mentioned in Rigveda that is a collection of texts consisting of rituals, songs, chants, beliefs, practices, and sacred texts used by Brahmans, the Vedic priests. It began 5000 years ago by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization of North India whereas its philosophy, science, and grammar were developed by Patanjali Yoga Sutra. India is the birthplace of this ancient practice. According to sources, over half of the 200 million yoga practitioners are of Indian origin, as shown in a study conducted in 2017.

International Yoga Day

In 2014, the United Nations passed a resolution to recognize its universal appeal. Since then, June 21 is commemorated as International Yoga Day that symbolizes the accord of body, mind, thoughts, and action. The practice is the combination of body movement, postures along with breath control, and deep relaxation while meditation is its unavoidable part. Yoga Asanas, basically postures, build strength, immunity, and flexibility while improving a sense of balance and wakefulness. Simultaneously, meditation is a powerful treatment to combat distractions, stress, anxiety, and depression. It helps in improving immunity and protects us from the deadly coronavirus. The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has declared Yoga of India as “Intangible Heritage of Humanity”.

Natural Therapy

From weight loss to solid bones and from hormonal balance to sexual function, yoga helps eliminate numerous health problems linked to the body. Yoga is a natural therapy that brings flexibility in muscles and glowing skin as well. According to MedAlertHelp, over 74% of practitioners experience a reduced amount of lower back and neck pain. It further helps in preventing premature aging, maintains a robust spine, and enriches hair growth. Apart from this, women find it very useful as it comforts throughout the pregnancy in building confidence and competence in women. Also, do not overlook the immense benefit of strengthening the immune system.

Apart from this, there are immeasurable benefits to mental health that people may get from enthusiastically performing yoga regularly. Yoga is a stress buster as it transforms the negative mental state of a person into positivity by fostering emotional vitality and self-regulation. As per Psychology Today, around 85% of practitioners faceless strain in life since it lowers the production of cortisol (stress hormone). The regular practice of yoga may help in shifting the balance from the sympathetic nervous system (stress and anxiety-related) to the Parasympathetic nervous system (calms the body). According to Medical News Today, yoga may assist in plummeting depression symptoms by 58%. A study also found that Yoga helps in reducing fatigue and anxiety while improving sleep quality. A cross-sectional comparative study, conducted on 50 subjects showed that meditation upsurges positive thinking and ultimately leads to happiness.

Spiritual Discovery

Furthermore, the spiritual growth of an individual discovers the massiveness through Yoga. A piece published by Harvard Health Blog articulates that yoga helps in the acceptance of self. It brings the feeling of gratefulness, fulfillment, self-actualization, and consciousness. Yoga can be of great help in improving socialization as well as relationships. It supports implanting emotional sensitivity in the age of cut-throat competition. We can understand the association of the soul, mind, and body better through this marvelous practice. This will help an individual in living a better and meaningful life.

The benefits of yoga are widely disseminated undoubtedly. People are realizing the effectiveness of yoga more during the ongoing pandemic. This multi-dimensional and holistic approach that links the human body and mind is not impossible to follow. While recognizing the benefits of yoga from flexibility to complete transformation, people should not lag in taking the pledge to devote a few of 1440 minutes a day to enhance and improve the body, soul, and mind to live a better life.

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