“Yoga is the sole connection between the mind, the body, and the soul.”, is something my yoga teacher always used to tell us. According to him, every action in our lives that involves the most direct connection between the mind and the body is Yoga.
Whether it is exercising, writing, walking, or even just sitting still. But in today’s world, filled with societal expectations and standards, we can’t seem to reach or break, this connection between the mind, body, and soul is dwindling. We spend so much time looking at our screens that our faces have lost their natural charm.
The “yoga” everyone talks about today is just the physical aspect of it, asanas (yogic postures) and pranayama (yogic breathing).
The Need for Yoga
Unlike many other fitness sports, exercises, or activities, Yoga also focuses on inner peace, mental strength, and connection. This is one factor that makes Yoga stand out. Instead of just weight loss, it also improves flexibility and adds endurance to our bodies.
Here are some benefits of Yoga:
- It helps reduce stress- Savasana or the corpse pose is one of the most common Yoga poses that helps one control their breath and relax after stressful conditions or intense physical work. It is said to bring instant relief.
- It helps brighten one’s mood and drives out negative energy- Yoga has a spiritual element to it that is said to drive out negative energy. The Sanskrit chants and shlokas involved in a yoga session or a set of asanas resonate within one’s brain and create a vibration, helping boost one’s mood.
- It helps improve flexibility, balance, and strength- Asanas such as Vriksha asana (tree pose) and Garuda asana (Garuda pose) helps in increasing blood flow. The time spent on balancing a pose helps in improving one’s body balance and concentration.
These are not all; Yoga helps in one’s overall development as well.
Everyday Yoga
From my personal experience, I can state that starting every morning with Yoga keeps me focused throughout the day. Just spending half an hour every day, preferably during the period of sunrise or sunset, can add a great deal of value to your day. Not only does it help in keeping fit, but it also helps in building the proper connection between your mind and body. It requires a particular focus to get a pose right and a specific link to maintain that pose. This is the yoga routine I follow every day:
- Om chanting- this helps set the mood and jolts like your mind like nothing else. It also improves the quality of one’s breathing.
- Surya Namaskar (Sun salutation)- Twelve poses are involved in one cycle of the sun salutation. The postures are a perfect mix of Asanas and warm-ups. It improves blood circulation, tones the digestive tract, and strengthens the heart. It also stimulates the respiratory tract, spinal nerves, and other internal organs. Psychologically, it regulates the interconnectedness of body, breath, and mind, thus making you calmer and boosting the energy levels with sharpened awareness.
It improves skin texture and helps in weight loss. Overall, it’s an all-in-one package. Depending on how much your body can handle, anywhere between twelve to a hundred and eight cycles of Surya Namaskar are appreciated. Surya Namaskar involves the following twelve poses:
- Pranamasana (Prayer pose)
- Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose)
- Hastapadasana (Standing forward bend)
- Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)
- Dandasana (Stick pose)
- Ashtanga Namaskar (salute with eight points)
- Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana ((Downward facing dog pose)
- Ashwa Sanchalasana (Equestrian pose)- with a change in the forward leg
- Hastapadasana (Standing forward bend)
- Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose)
- Tadasana (Mountain pose)
- Vriksha Asana and Garuda Asana
- Naukasana (Boat pose)- this helps in reducing belly fat and toning pelvic muscles
- Simple breathing exercises- this helps in reducing the breathing speed and increases oxygen intake
- Savasana- helps relax and unwind
- Chanting Sarve Bhavanthu Sukinanah– the syllables involved in this mantra helps improve tongue flexibility and speech clarity. It also carries a meaning of immense value, wishing the best for all living things on earth. We certainly can’t help every living being, but we can at least pray for them.
- Shashankasana (Hare pose)- it stretches the upper body. Since it involves touching the forehead to the ground, it also counts as a submission to god/ spiritual being/ earth elements/ cosmic power.
Yoga offers a wide and varied range of postures and niches to choose from. You can always research and pick the best set for you. In today’s fast-paced life, Yoga helps slow down time and create clarity in one’s mind.
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