Yoga
Chat Issue Autumn 2006
Yoga has its roots in India and has been practiced for about 5000 years. The word itself is derived from Sanskrit, ‘yog’ meaning to connect; relating to the connection of the mind, body and spirit resulting in a feeling of oneness with the surroundings.
It is amongst the oldest traditional healing therapies and works on the basis of increasing the bodies energies in order for the body to heal itself. It is one of the most popular and widespread alternative therapies practiced today and there is much research into the effectiveness of practicing it.
There are numerous different types of Yoga, the main ones of which are;
‘Hatha’ which is an umbrella term used to incorporate all physical yoga including breathing concentration to help with relaxation.
‘Iyengar’ which concentrates on the details of getting into postures and the deeper relaxation that accompanies this concentration.
‘Iyengar’ which concentrates on the details of getting into postures and the deeper relaxation that accompanies this concentration.
Yoga is made up of a number of different areas;
- Asana (postures)
- Meditation (quiet sitting)
- Pranayama (breathing)
- Relaxation
- Diet (and health)
Yoga is a way of gently exercising without putting too much strain on any particular part of the body as all of the postures work through all of the body.
It is not something you have to be incredibly flexible for but its practice may help you improve in this area.
Yoga is a non-competitive exercise which allows you to go as far as you feel comfortable; it is not about pushing yourself into pain, rather to find a relaxed stretch to open up your energy channels.
Everyone is different and yoga allows individuals to improve and work within these differences without judgment.
Yoga also concentrates on learning to relax and develop better breathing techniques which can act as tools to help us cope with the stress of modern life. I have been practicing yoga for many years and have found it helpful in my life dealing with stress and maintaining my own health. I have made connections with a yoga tutor in the area and if there is the interest there may be yoga sessions run in the clinic in the future.