What is yoga?

2005-09-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Stress is not a development of our generation, but a problem that has plagued mankind through the ages. Exercises that relieve stress constantly go in and out of style, except some of the truly effective methods. The Yoga Sutra, by Patanjali, a yoga instructor and philosopher, marked the beginning of the written history of the ancient practice of yoga. In it, he described the postures, movements and techniques of yoga. Patanjali’s book documented the history of the practice and the 840,000 existing postures. Most of our knowledge about yoga today comes from these writings. Another famous yoga instructor, Swami Vivekananda, brought yoga to the western hemisphere and started to spread the practice in the late nineteenth century (Jayasinghe 370).
The still growing popularity of yoga may be attributed to the lifestyle changes the program promotes. Not only is yoga a cure for stress and anxiety, it is proven to lower hypertension, fat levels and improve blood circulation. Yoga is a practice that attempts to relax the mind, body and spirit. The goal of hatha yoga, the most popular type in the western world, is to balance a person’s gunas, or present energy (Raub 797). There are many varieties of yoga which focus on different aspects: bhakti yoga deals with one’s spirit and inner-self, while raja yoga deals primarily with focusing the mind on certain goals (Mamtani 155). Chanting and meditation help the mental parts of the practice by promoting focus (Raub 798). Yoga is a form of exercise that requires a “warm-up” for the mind and body. Breathing and stretching exercises are followed by challenging moves and techniques. The last segment focuses on meditation (Mamtani 155). Finally, the breathing technique used in hatha yoga, known as pranayama, helps unite the physical and mental aspects. Not only must one practice these techniques, but control and learn about them as well (Raub 798).
By combining the physical and mental aspects of the yoga meditation, it creates a system that can greatly reduce stress and improve physical health. One study proved that endocrine levels dealing with stress were lowered as a result of yoga (Lee 760). The fact that people still practice yoga is a clear example of the positive aspects of the ancient practice.