Is Yoga For You? All Your Questions Answered!
Meditation and yoga both have huge impacts on the mind and the body. When done regularly, not only they make your physique more attractive, flexible, and balanced but give you spiritual benefits as well. Yoga helps to keep the mind sharp, stress-free, and clear. It improves the overall well-being of a person.
Featured in the image - Umar Farooq wearing Zymrat Lightweight Training Vest
According to ancient scriptures, Lord Shiva is the founder of yoga while Parvati was his first disciple and some say it originated about 10,000 years ago. However, the first mention of yoga was found in Vedas and Tantras. where it states that -
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self and to the self”- The Bhagavat Gita
To get to the bottom of this and to understand who can add yoga to their daily routine, we compiled the most important questions commonly asked around. So, read along to get your answers, with added details by Deepti Martolia, an experienced yoga instructor.
What is Yoga?
Yoga comes from India, where it was developed a millennium ago to unite the two most important elements, mind and physique. The word 'yoga' comes from the Sanskrit term for ‘yoke’, which refers to the harness that binds animals to one another over the neck and attached to the cart they are pulling. Yoga strives to unite the body and mind in the same way, guiding us toward a healthy lifestyle in harmony with the world around us.The primary purposes of yoga are as follows:
- To bring us closer to our (human) nature
- Mental and physical purification
- To bring us closer to the divine
How yoga can help us during this period of lockdown?
During the lockdown that has been imposed owing to the outbreak of coronavirus. Most of the people are suffering from stress or anxiety, which usually triggers the sympathetic nervous system leading to high blood pressure, tensed muscle, lack of concentration, faster breathing and yoga helps to calm that down. It is one of the best forms of mental, physical, and spiritual practice.
Does yoga require equipment or weights?
Due to this pandemic, people are finding it difficult to manage their workout routine without weights or equipment and can’t seem to follow a routine to maintain physical fitness and that’s where yoga comes into the picture. Fortunately, Deepti Martolia comes to the rescue and reveals -"Yoga is one of the best ways to maintain the mental and physical elements of your body and it doesn’t require any weights but some space and a yoga mat. If you don’t have a yoga mat, the plane surface also works in that case.”
Can yoga be done by almost anyone?
With utter confidence, Deepti says - “That is the beauty of yoga, that anyone can do it.” Some of the postures are specially modified for pregnant women and practitioners with physical disabilities. You just need the right mind and heart to do it.“With yoga asanas, you can really ground yourself,”.Do we dress differently for Yoga practice?
For yoga practice, a tee and a tight or shorts are all that you require or the kind of clothes you are comfortable in. It could be cotton pajama or even a training short which lets you move, and a loose t-shirt, anything which won’t hinder your movements while doing the asanas. In conversation with The Bridge, Deepti mentioned - “It is really important to wear breathable clothing during yoga, which will help you acquire the correct posture.”Would it be better if a man taught a men’s yoga class?
It is a question that most of the men they do ask but it mainly depends upon the instructor. Deepti elaborates “There are no norms like a man should take up men’s class or woman should take up women’s class. It is the instructor who needs to have the knowledge and the confidence to teach equally.”What is the difference between yoga and meditation?
Yoga is a vast term and there are so many forms and limbs of yoga and Meditation is one of that limb. Which helps to improve your mental health and give you that stability and balance in life. “During this period of a pandemic it is really very important to just keep yourself sane and meditation is a really good form which can help you find the right balance,” says Deepti.
Which form of yoga will be best suited for beginners?
Different types of yoga vary according to the traditions and texts from which they were developed. The difference among them lies in the path of submitting and finding your inner-self or inner-peace. Yoga along with breathing and meditation are considered as the whole exercise for your body, mind and soul. “Hatha yoga is the best suited for beginners. It helps to understand your body and the presence of your mind. These practices can have different variations which can make one perfect in the final pose. Some of these include Tadasana, Trikonasana, and veerbhadrasana,” says Deepti.Does yoga require a lot of time from your busy schedule?
Yoga is something that you can do for 20 minutes also. There is no time limitation for yoga. You just need the right mind to do it and it will help you unite your body and mind and also will keep you grounded. So, if you were just thinking of starting yoga and was waiting for the right time, this is the right time to start your journey.In today’s competitive world, people forget to be happy. Give some time to yourself. Practice yoga, you will automatically feel the difference. There are many more benefits of yoga - once you start practising it, you will feel the change within yourself.
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