Nowadays, it’s hard being a kid. And truth be told, it’s even harder being an adult; having to balance between many demands of life- academics, family, and such jokes. It can prove difficult to navigate for most of us, right? Well, Matters life can take a nasty turn should you be hit by stress.
Just like, children are also at a higher risk of stress and the negative impacts that it comes with. It is at this point where Yoga comes in. Those of us who have undertaken yoga can attest to the many health benefits of yoga. You see, yoga has been found to create a balance between the mental and spiritual worlds. How? We’re going to talk about that in a few seconds. But first of all, you may ask, “Is yoga a spiritual thing?” Let’s start from there.
Is Yoga a Spiritual Thing?
For most of us, the only aspect of yoga we understand is the physical aspect- stretching stances. You also probably know that yoga is meant to improve body posture and limber up the body. But there’s more to yoga than the health perks. It can also offer you a wide range of spiritual and mental health benefits. It has been found to impact a person’s spiritual life because of the way it changes your mind in several unique ways.
Ever heard about spiritual awakening? Well, although yoga isn’t a religion, this ancient sport can impact your spiritual sense big time. For example, you’re first of all introduced to the seven spiritual laws of yoga when you enroll as a student. When practiced daily, these laws will, without a doubt, lead you to find your inner peace through loving and being compassionate to yourself and the people around your daily life.
Maybe you’ve heard people talk about karma, or “Karma is real”, right? And then you may start wondering, “who the hell is this karma?” Well, the spiritual law about karma revolves around the idea that the way we treat other humans and animals will eventually come back to us. In other words, if we treat other people with kindness, we’ll receive kindness in dozens. Do you get the idea?
That being said, let’s look at other spiritual benefits of yoga.
Spiritual Benefits of Yoga
You may wonder, “what is the meaning behind yoga?” The word “Yoga” emanates from the word “Yuj” (from Sanskrit), which means to bring into union. Yoga combines together physical, mental, breathing and spiritual techniques to improve body wellness. Therefore, Yoga is meant to make individuals come into union and harmony with everything around them- mind, spirit and the outside world. Most people who do yoga enjoy it because of the calmness and physical fitness that it can offer their bodies. Others just like it because it’s a good way to unwind. But for the largest percentage of yoga lovers, the spirituality in yoga is what makes it truly special for them. For example, …
Yoga Cultivates Awareness
One interesting thing with the human spirit is that it remains the unchanging part of the human self. In real terms, your spirit is everything you do. It’s your highest consciousness. It’s your driving force- it’s the major reason behind your motivation and thoughts.
When you practice yoga on a daily basis, you start to become more aware of your true self- you remain in-tune with your inner spirit.
You see, nowadays, most people are extremely busy handling life issues that they find it difficult to set aside a few minutes off their tight schedules to at least get to think about who they truly are. And then there are countless distractions that keep on clouding our ability to understand what can work best for us, why we’re living, and how to make informed life decisions. Actually, only a handful of people are aware of the role they play in the world.
Fortunately, yoga teaches you to sit down in silence and think about your true self. This way, you get to discover your true self, what you’re experiencing in life and how to accept the reality while being grateful for what you have rather than what you don’t have. This in turn cultivates positivity because you learn how to accept everything the way it is.
When this awareness grows in you, it’ll eventually change how you interact and live with others. This is how yoga can transform your life, bit by bit.
Empowerment
Giving yourself some time away from the hassles and bustles of life can feel painful for you, but it’s worth it, anyway. Look, when you sit in silence, you become more aware of your life and true self, whether that be career growth, relationships, jobs, etc. Unfortunately, most of us often become distracted because that route is easier than facing the truth head-on.
Don’t allow yourself to be distracted from handling real-life issues that require our attention. You see, postponing or refusing to face a problem will only work to give your temporal relief, but then you won’t run away from the painful future that this can bring. Although you may be viewing reality as a painful pill to swallow, opening yourself up to awareness and truth is the first step towards achieving change within not time at all. It’s also at this particular point that healing starts to happen.
Yoga will help you to rid your mind and life of negativity by controlling how you interact with the world. It’ll remind you that life has ups and downs- that there’s no sweet spot in life. It strives to make you understand that challenges are inevitable while you live. It teaches you that at times, you could be ignored and taken for granted by your lover or your boss at the workplace. Your car may run out of fuel, and your neighbor’s dog can bark all night.
Yoga practice makes you realize that although life can be challenging at times, there are still a whole lot of many things that you can change or improve to see to it that the world can bend in your favor. Thankfully, yoga can make you know how to strike a laugh even when things seem different than we expect.
Benefits of Yoga Every Day
What are the benefits of yoga besides the spiritual benefits? Let’s look at that, can we?
The benefits of yoga everyday revolve around enhanced health. So, wherever you are, find a way to squeeze in just 20 minutes of yoga into your daily schedule. Here are the reasons why it’s worth it.
Improved Posture and Flexibility
This is perhaps the best among the many benefits of yoga stretching. Yoga stretching helps to tone your muscles, abs, shoulders, arms, and legs. A few minutes of practice every day will certainly make you feel the difference.
Fitness
Lifting weights is not the only way to achieve physical fitness. Yoga gives you everything that the gym can, but in a holistic way and in a peaceful and safer environment.
Improved Weight Loss
Just like any other physical activity, yoga can speed up metabolism and will help you to burn more fat quickly, leading to shedding off those extra pounds. Also, daily yoga can help restore hormonal balance, which will go a long way to normalize body weight.
Benefits of Yoga for Mental Health
● Yoga alleviates the risk of depression and stress.
● Improved body awareness.
● Improves concentration and attention.
● Calms the nervous system.
● It improves social well-being and the sense of belonging.
● Alleviates the risk of sleep disorders, hyperactivity, and attention deficit disorders
Above all, yoga enhances the mood, behavior and mindfulness of people taking yoga classes. You see, yoga is a mind and body practice, which can help to avert potential mental issues.
Yoga for Seniors
The benefits of yoga for seniors are similar to those that yoga can offer everyone else- improved muscle tone, balance and strength (these two are especially important for the ageing person), and then there’s enhanced mood. If you can’t spot a senior class from where to take your yoga classes, you can try gentle beginner’s as well. You see, the elder citizens need to enroll in yoga classes that are tailored to their specific needs.
And then, as a senior, it’s fundamental to always speak to your doctor about the exercises and physical activities you are considering.
Yoga Twists
Twists are the favorite postures for most of us, and especially for people with digestive issues. For example,
● Yoga aids digestion by stimulating the organs of the abdominal digestive region.
● It keeps digestion regular by keeping everything in motion, so you won’t suffer from constipation.
● Twists constrict the flow of blood in the kidneys, liver and bowels, which flushes out toxins and brings along fresh oxygenated blood when the twists are eventually released.
Yoga Benefits for the Soul
The list of the benefits for yoga above is by no means exhaustive, simply because yoga can offer your body a range of benefits-both proven and unproven. Yoga is a thing for anyone, so you should begin practicing as early as now. Or you can always carry around a copy of this article, to always remind you about the link between yoga and spirituality, besides learning about the health benefits of yoga.
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