The Importance Of Yoga In Our Modern Fast-paced Lives
The human body is an integrated whole of five elements.
Whenever there is an imbalance in these elements the disease comes. A human being is a Part and Parcel of nature. As Sun, water, ether, air, and earth are present in the whole world, similarly there is the prominence of these elements in the human body.
A man cannot survive long if he stays away from nature.
Though the body is made up of different systems, each system influences the work of the other system and is simultaneously influenced by them.
The blood, for instance, in the course of its unceasing circulation carries materials to the various parts of the body and supplies them living tissues as well as oxygen which is so essential for life.
The heart, the lungs, the brain, will at once stop functioning if the blood circulation stops for a moment. But it is the heart which pumps up blood and keeps it in circulation while the lungs supply it with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from it.
“The harder a muscle is worked, the greater is its need of oxygen and nutritive material.”
By regular work, a muscle not only strengthens itself but also intensifies the activity of the organs of respiration and blood circulation and in this way exercises the muscles of the throat and heart.
Besides this, exercise increases appetite arouses a feeling of general vigor and as a result, the vital activity of the whole organism is increased. The muscular effort also influences the bones. It helps in developing ridges on which the muscles can be firmly attached, and then the activities of the muscles are also responsible for the proper development of the bones.
Thus all systems depend upon one another for maintaining the normal functions of the human body.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING OUR HEALTH
Human physiology is the study of the functions of the human body, of the life activities of the organs and the organism as a whole.
Likewise, to understand the structure of the organs of the body, it is necessary to have a correct understanding of their functions.
Any change in the function of an organ results in the change of its structure, and vice versa. For example, all the muscles which are properly exercised become stronger and increase in size, but the muscles which are not worked often, are enfeebled and start weakening.
Thus maintaining all the muscles of the body in the fit fettle, they have all to be properly exercised.
And Yoga is perhaps the only system of exercise which can work up all the muscles and thus have an all-round effect.
Muscular work usually requires sustained effort on the part of the organism but when the effort is combined with pleasure, the organism can do the work without minding strain of the hard work. Yoga exercises combine pleasure with muscular work.
Exercises help to strengthen the muscles of the heart. The degree to which one can do hard physical work depends upon one’s age and physical condition.
Naturally, a younger person in good health can do a greater amount of physical work than an aged man or a young man with weak physique.
YOGA IS AN INVALUABLE TREASURE OF INDIAN CULTURE
Ancient Indian saints and seers developed it during the past several years. Yoga is the bridge for the union of the Jeevatma and Paramatma.
Yoga is so ancient that we have no definite knowledge of its origin.
We find its mention in the Vedas, which was created some 2,500 years before Christ. Yet figures of yogic asanas in meditation have been traced in rock paintings from times even earlier than the Vedic period.
There is mention of the meditational yoga even in the pre-Aryan culture but there is no mention anywhere of its practical aspect, which must have come later with the Yogis having to find easy and effective exercises to work their cramped muscles after sitting for a long period in meditational postures.
Thus Yoga is developed into a complete system of self-culture to strengthen body and mind. Yoga has also been described as skillful living amongst activities or wisdom of work, moderation, and harmony.
The word Yoga is derived from Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’ to unite or to combine with Supreme Being.
Yoga means discipline of the mind and body. The absolute aspect of sex and health lies in yoga and it provides a spiritual yet radiant outlook on life. One might choose its physical, scientific and spiritual aspect according to one’s approach towards yoga.
Yoga is neither acrobatics nor mere physical fitness but an all-round beneficial system to provide both physical and spiritual health.
The practice of yoga is not meant just for the benefit of the physically weak or psychologically imbalanced but more so for the smooth running and efficient working of the psychosomatic machine.
One of the greatest benefits of yoga lies in its potential to strengthen the nervous system which is controller and coordinator of all the systems in the human body.
Through the practice of yoga, the restless mind is calmed down and energy is diverted from the destructive in constructive channels.
The mind is restless and hard to control.
Mind causes pain and agony by its unbridled acts. Yoga helps in controlling the waywardness of mind and thereby destroying all pains and sorrows and bringing peace and harmony of mind.
WHERE SHOULD YOU BEGIN?
This could be one of the easiest and one of the toughest questions. Since it is unreasonable and unfeasible to go to India(!) to learn Yoga, the best source to learn it would be a good teacher right here at home.
Of course, this poses another problem, finding the right teacher. There are many self-certified teachers in the U.S. who hardly have any training yet go about calling themselved experts.
In such a scenario, we might recommend to sources for you to begin your Yoga journey. One would be a combination of an online/offline Yoga program called Yoga Burn, which is run by an experienced yoga teacher, Zoe Bray-Cotton.
This is an online program (physical DVD version also available) that teaches you the basics of Yoga, with an extra emphasis on losing weight. Double yay!
The second source would be to learn the different beginner poses that you can start mimicking and learning.
We are adding links to both these resources below. You can have a look at them.
So that’s that folks. Yoga for the win, eh?
We certainly think so, and wish you all the best in your new journey!
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