By Teresa Summer

Just as the knowledge of yoga is vast and deep, so are its benefits. In order to enjoy a healthy body, the mind and the spirit also need to be healthy and balanced because the body is like the vehicle, the mind being the driver and the spirit being mans true identity. In order for there to be integrated development, these three forces need to be balanced. So it is of not much use when one eats healthy foods and does physical exercise but engages in negative thoughts. Even science has recognized that the mind needs to be healed before the body can be healthy. The teachings of yoga are based on a very precise understanding of the healthy functioning of the body and mind and its techniques are designed to maximise ones own potential for good health, vitality and youthfulness.

The natural state of our body is health and it has all been so perfectly designed to be able to heal and mend itself as needed. Yoga being unique among all forms of bodily culture, works systematically on all three major functions of the body which are frame of muscles, bones and ligaments; digestion, respiration and circulation and the nerves and hormones. Yoga has been designed to gently stretch and tone the body and to stimulate circulation, right down to the cellular level , so that tissues are nourished, wastes removed, vital organs returned to full efficiency and metabolism of health is restored rather than developing muscles and exhaust our strength. The slow movements and deep breathing of yoga increase the oxygen supply to the body and helps to eliminate toxins such as carbon dioxide. For optimal health of body mind and soul there are 5 principles which need to be practised. These are proper relaxation -which releases tension in the muscles and rests the whole body which leaves you refreshed. This keeps you calm and peaceful throughout your day and activities teaching you to conserve your energy leaving you free of worry and anxiety.

Proper exercise – which in yoga asanas works systematically on all body parts of the body, stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, keeping the spine and joints flexible and improving the circulation. Here we can also release physical tension and gain new and fresh energy. Proper breathing – means breathing fully and utilizing our whole lung capacity in order to take in maximum oxygen. Through doing Pranayama you can recharge your body and control your mental state by regulating the flow of prana. Proper diet – a diet which is nourishing and well balanced, based on natural foods. It keeps the body light and supple and the mind calm, giving a high resistance to disease. Positive thinking and meditation – helps to remove negative thoughts and mental tension as well as still the mind and again gain fresh energy.

One becomes much stronger in the mind and more self confident.

On the physical level, some of the benefits of yoga through the deep stretches and massaging of organs are, an improved flexibility of muscles, better range of motion of joints, improved strength and condition of muscles and bones, improved posture and body alignment, improved digestion, circulation and immunity, enhanced function of neurological and endocrine organs, prevention and relief from chronic illnesses such as chronic pain syndromes, anxiety and panic disorders, depression, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, high blood pressure etc.

Stress is a very big factor in modern day society and can lead to many illnesses. One of them being permanently tensed muscles. Through yoga and its relaxation techniques we can find comfort and freedom from aches and pains. Overall the body feels healthier, more energetic, less prone to disease and effects of repeated stresses of everyday life. Our range of movements is also very limited by repetitive tasks. Incorrect posture because of long hours of sitting at a desk can cause the ligaments at the base of the skull to shorten, leading to stress and pain in the lower back and sometimes all along the spine. This can also affect the hips and the pelvis. Yoga asanas are very beneficial for this and have been designed to free all the different joints in the body, opening them up to relieve pressure on protective cartlidge and restore correct alignment of the bones. By keeping muscles and ligaments healthy and posture correct, you can prevent problems of damage to joints.

Yoga asanas work like a hand slowly and gently squeezing a sponge to remove all the stale, waste bearing fluids and then stretching the tissue to allow fresh, life giving nutrients and energy to circulate to every cell. The deep breathing while holding the postures sends more oxygen to the cells and removes more carbon dioxide.

The asanas also massage all the vital organs and stimulate the digestive muscles to increase their peristalsis. While certain asanas can alleviate some uncomfortable symptoms such as indigestion, varicose veins or headaches yoga teaches us to treat the whole body as a whole, understanding that every part of the body effect the rest. So, if the mind is well and your thoughts are of positive nature then every cell in the body will be positively affected. With regular practice of yoga, on a mental level the mind benefits with increased peace of mind, improved alertness and clarity, increased ability to deal effectively with short and long term stresses, increased concentration of the mind, improved self esteem, decreased reliance on drugs, greater energy and enthusiasm for life.

In yoga we will also find 6 main cleansing processes on a much deeper level which is not commonly practised in the west. These are called Kriyas – purification or cleansing processes. Through various cleansing techniques the Kriyas are meant for cleaning of the stomach, cleaning the colon, cleaning the nasal passages, cleaning the abdominal organs, cleaning the respiratory system ( in all of these, getting rid of impurities, phlegm and excess fat) and gazing exercise for the eyes. In The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (77) it says that “There is no doubt that cough, asthma, enlargement of the spleen, leprosy and twenty kinds of diseases born of phlegm disappear by the practise of Dhauti Karma” also known as washing . By doing Basti or colonic irrigation, constipation never occurs; it increases gastric fire and cures flatulence. Neti or nasal cleaning is more commonly practised in modern day yoga and it is said that old age never comes to the person doing this cleansing practise and it removes phlegm and it also improves the vision. Tratak or cleansing the vision improves eyesight and helps to develop concentration and mental focus. Kapalabhati or diaphragmatic breathing is an exercise that purifies the nasal passages and lungs. It is very helpful to those with asthma. This exercise stimulates every tissue of the body and aids in curing consumption, removes impurities of the blood and tones up the circulatory and respiratory systems.

Yoga has proved to be very beneficial for women who go through hormonal changes associated with pregnancy, menopause and menstruation. The practise of yoga can help with alleviating the pain that goes with menstruation and can help with easier child delivery. Through massage and stimulation of the glands and organs, the hormonal and glandular system can be enhanced. The life functions of the body chemistry are regulated by the ductless or endocrine glands, secreting their chemical messengers into the blood stream. The endocrine system acts as a principal of balance – one hormone stimulates a set of responses, another inhibits it, and all act together in a complex interrelationship with each other. The endocrine system mediates the intimate relationship of body and mind – emotions such as fear or rage, love or grief; both reflect hormonal activity and influence it strongly. The headstand is the most beneficial asana for the pituitary gland. Thyroid and parathyroid are both massaged by the shoulderstand and the peacock massages the pancreatic and adrenal glands. Regular practice of asanas, pranayama and relaxation keeps the male hormones in balance and helps to relieve sexual problems and disorders.

The overall practice of yoga can also help to combat age related diseases such as impotence, prostate conditions, Osteoporosis, arthritis, cholesterol and heart conditions. Yoga improves the body’s strength and flexibility which may help to control blood pressure, respiration and heart metabolic rates. So together with a vegetarian diet and a no tobacco lifestyle, people with the above conditions may heal faster or it may make the progression of such illnesses slower and sometimes even prevent some of them. Hypertension which is a very severe form of high blood pressure and does not display clear symptoms is known as the silent killer. A complete yoga lifestyle can be very beneficial for this type of disease in treating and preventing this type of disease.

Since yoga requires deep breathing, conscious relaxation and concentration which has been proven to decrease the level of stress hormones and cortisol in the blood. Other poses in the yoga exercises can also enhance the circulation of blood and body fluid in the different parts of the body to maintain the normal functioning of the immune system. This will allow the body to heal by itself. We could avoid disorder in the body if the blood flow to the organs is well kept up. Here are some points on how yoga can be beneficial in regulating a healthy circulation of blood and nutrients in the body.

Standing poses – In these poses the lateral wall of the heart is completely stretched and toned up so that there would be a healthy blood flow on the walls.

Inverted poses – Since the body is used to standing erect all the time, the lymphatic system of the legs and muscles that help in pumping the blood upward can get rest in this position. These exercises will also avoid tissue degeneration because it allows proper circulation of blood in the brain.

Horizontal poses – The blood pressure can be reduced by performing horizontal poses since the heart and lungs are rested, rejuvenated and well ventilated.

Bending poses – When these poses are done without strain, they can improve blood supply to the myocardium and will surely tone up the cardiac muscle.

A healthy nervous system enables us to meet every event in life with calm and resilience. It keeps all the muscles, organs and tissues of the body working at full efficiency. Bundles of fibres together form the large nerves, which are stretched and purified by yoga asanas. Yoga has been shown to stabilize the response of the nervous system to stress, removing the constant muscular tension produced by the repeated alerts from the central nervous system, and calming the involuntary symptoms of threat – racing heart, sweating, and anxiety – roused by the sympathetic nervous system.

It is ignorance alone that keeps one from seeing the reality of life. Ignorance alone is the cause of all sufferings. Through the regular practice of yoga one develops skills and experiential understanding to see the reality of life and appreciate its beauty. When you see the beauty in life then you are able to admire and adore the Creator or God. You see the Divine presence everywhere including in yourself. Yoga reveals your Divine nature. You form a stronger and more loving connection with yourself which brings fulfilment and more meaningful purpose to life. It is out of this fulfilment that you are able to experience unconditional happiness and are able to share this joy with others. This too affects our health positively or negatively.

Namaste.

Teresa Summer is a Certified Yoga Teacher. She teaches Yoga classes in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Tags: practice of yoga, yoga and health, yoga and health benefits, yoga asanas, yoga has proved, Yoga Lifestyle

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