Yoga for your inner soul

Quiz of the day:
Qz1. Which truly is a global product made in India?
Qz2. Which truly is a gift from India to the world?
And the answer is , "YOGA"
Happy International Yoga Day to all of you.

Exercises should be simple and easy, otherwise most of won’t do it. If we can’t fit it comfortably into our daily routine, we’II never stick with it. Yoga stretches will perfectly fit into this context. Yoga stretches are so simple and sublime that they can be done anywhere, anytime, whether you’re in your office, in meetings, on the phone, or even on the bed. Stretches are gentle and relaxing, they will soothe aching muscles, they will ease your tension. Once you begin to do stretches with ease, you’II be surprised how powerful these simple stretches really are.

The best time to practice yoga are in the early morning at sunrise, or in the early evening at sunset. The benefit of practicing in the morning before the day starts is that the mind is clear and alert, though the body is generally stiff: whereas in the evening the body is looser; but the mind is overactive and dull. The poses are best performed on an empty stomach. That is one advantage of practicing first thing in the morning.

Many are under the wrong notion that yoga, the science of integral development of the human being, is merely a physical discipline or a kind of gymnastics.

But Yoga is not limited to physical exercise. Yoga teaches us about the spiritual dimension of the human personality; about how to get over all anxieties and worries by delinking ourselves from all that makes us confined to the psycho-physical system and linking us to the eternal existence within.

Why Yoga is better than any exercise?

The postures in yoga are performed symmetrically, alternating positions so that both sides of the body receive equal toning. A bend to the left is followed by a bend to the right; a forward bend is followed by a backward bend; a contraction is followed by a stretch, and so on. This prevents any lopsided development in our body. This is the reason of superiority of Yoga over other systems -such as calisthenics, weight-training, and gymnastics.

When you were a baby/toddler, you could suck your toes. You can imagine, how flexible your body was at that point of time. You were doing lots of Yoga postures/asanas inadvertently. It’s true that, as babies and toddlers, most of us were very flexible. Our backs were straight, our knees flopped open, and we could fold ourselves in two. But it’s also true that, by the time we hit our teens, many of us have lost our early agility because we spend hours watching TV, sitting at computers, and generally being couch potatoes. But don’t be sad……Yoga can turn you back into a rubber band again. You might even be able to suck your toes again!

Because Yoga is originated in India, and because a number of Yogis have been Hindus, many people think that Yoga is part of Hinduism. This is probably number one WRONG IDEA about Yoga.
There is nothing in Yoga that should offend people of any caste or creed. Yoga teaches the unity of all life and set out a programme of practical exercises where you can experience this. Anyone can benefit from Yoga. The believer who practice it will be brought closer to GOD. Ramkrishna says: ‘Through Yoga a Hindu becomes better Hindu, a Christian better Christian, a Mohammedan better Mohammedan, and a Jew better Jew. Whatever your belief, whatever your s*x, age or race, put yoga into practice and it will lead to abundant living. Yoga is for all, whether you are a theist or an atheist, whether you are an agnostic or vedantist, a Christian or Mohammedan.

Posture(Asana)

Much of the benefits derived from posturing depends on the manner in which the postures(asanas) are performed. Forcing may cause aches and strains. Be content to make progress gradually. Perform the postures to the comfortable limit of your capacity and you will benefit greatly. You will soon experience the rewards of improved health, relaxation, and suppleness. You will also experience the claiming and integrating influence that Yoga exercises over your state of mind.