Sunday, February 10, 2019

By Jeffrey Adams


When the Indian philosopher Swami Vivekanada traveled to the United States and Canada in the late eighteenth he hoped to spread the word about his philosophy which he called Asana. He could not possible envisage that it would become so extremely popular in such a short time. Today, countless people in all countries and from all cultures practice Asana. When starting with yoga Washington DC practitioners quickly start experiencing the benefits.

Despite the fact that this philosophy is so well established and so popular, many people still think that it is some form of mystic eastern religion. Others think it is simply a complicated work out program consisting of complicated stretching exercises and strange poses. This is not what Asana is about, however. It is simply a philosophy that aims to holistically improve the quality of life of its practitioners.

Asana does entail certain stretching exercises and a number of poses that have to be learnt. However, the discipline is not about exercise alone. These exercises and poses are nothing but instruments that are used as vehicles to promote discipline, health, the ability to focus and a host of other benefits. There are many different forms of Asana. Some are more physically strenuous while others are more contemplative.

Most practitioners love the fact that Asana does not allow any form of competition. Every practitioner progresses at his own pace and master new techniques when they feel up to it. For this reason, classes routinely consist of individuals at various levels of competency. This is a big benefit because it means that families or groups of friends can all practice together without being forced to follow any program.

There have been a number of studies that focused on the health benefits of Asana. The findings have always been extremely positive. People suffering from asthma and other respiratory conditions, heart disease, depression, high blood pressure and high stress levels all benefit greatly. Practitioners do not have to be physically strong in order to benefit. It is not surprising to learn that many people take up the discipline purely for their own health.

Starting off with this discipline is easy and cheap. There is no need to buy special clothes or equipment. It is not even necessary to join a studio, but experts advise that beginners are better off if they take some classes, at least initially, from an experienced instructor. This is because beginners need to assess their own needs and find the particular form of Asana that will best suit their particular needs.

Much has been written on this topic and there are scores of self help books and videos available. There are also a myriad of websites that offer free training sessions, interaction with other practitioners and discussion forums where people can ask for advice or share their experiences. Beginners should first determine the form of Asana that they will be following before buying any material to help them master more advanced techniques.

It is not surprising that yoga has become so popular all over the world. It offers many benefits and it is suitable for everyone. Practitioners are healthier, fitter and more flexible. They generally feel better mentally too and many practitioners say that Asana helps them to cope with the many demands of modern life.




About the Author:




0 commentaires:

Post a Comment