The Healing Power of Yoga
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Yoga in Sanskrit means “union”. It is like a bridge between the physical and spiritual world and at one level, it unifies them. Although it sounds very complicated, but in reality yoga and its practice is very simple.
Yoga originated in India thousands of years ago. The wise men or yogis conceptualized its science and philosophy. They have developed yoga in such a manner that it benefits a person in three ways - body, mind and soul. They deduced that the man should be in perfect harmony with the environment and for that, first he should be in perfect harmony with his inner self.
Yoga is based on three major parts or structures- exercise, breathing, and meditation. The exercise puts pressure on various glands of the body. The pressure increases their efficiency, which leads to ailment free health. Breathing techniques help breath control, which again helps to have a healthy body and mind. Finally, meditation helps to have a quiet mind, devoid of everyday stress and mental trauma. Chanting of “Ohm”, an important ritual in yoga sessions is also an excellent form of meditation. Even the greeting of “namaste” before and after the yoga session is unique because it means, “I bow to you” or “my soul bows to your soul”.
Yoga comprises of six types or branches- hatha yoga (yoga of postures), bhakti yoga (yoga of devotion), raja yoga (yoga of meditation and contemplation), jnana yoga (yoga of the mind), karma yoga (yoga of selfless service) and tantra yoga (yoga of tattva and mantra). Of all the types of yoga, hatha yoga is the most popular and tantra yoga is the most misunderstood. People relate tantra yoga to sorcery, witchcraft and sexual orgies, which is not right. Tantra yoga is a combination of tattva (truth) and Mantra (mystic syllables). It seeks sacredness in rituals and sex is a ritual. It means that sex is just a tiny part of tantra yoga, which contradicts the general belief that tantra yoga is all about sex.
So, what are you waiting for? Go and start attending yoga classes. Initially you will feel difficulty in doing various postures. However, within a few days, you will start feeling great not only physically but mentally as well.