The Benefits of Yoga

Practicing yoga provides us with many physical, emotional, and energetic benefits.
Here are some of the wonderful benefits that yoga provides:

Body Strength and Stamina

muscle tone and improving our posture.

Flexibility

Yoga focuses on improving flexibility, both in the physical and in the mental sense. A flexible body is a more comfortable place in which to live and enables us to be more resilient to the jolts and shocks of everyday life.

Reducing Everyday Aches and Pain

Repetitive movements and postures from our daily life cause many of our pains. Our daily habits may, in many cases, be “incorrect” and lead to aches and pains, both in the physical, emotional and mental sense.
When we follow the yogic principle of listening to our breath and treating our body to new and ergonomically-correct activities, we can correct and compensate for other less-healthy physical habits.
Here lies the importance of practicing yoga with an experienced certified yoga instructor who can guide and give different variations to different students, according to their individual body type, limitations and ability.

Stress Reduction and Relaxation

One of the most common complaints of modern life is stress. An estimated 60% to 70% of all illnesses are caused by stress and body imbalance. High stress levels result in excess secretion of cortisol hormone which activates the sympathetic nervous system. This system causes the body to be in a state of “fight or flight”, which is very important in times of danger and attack.

However, being in high stress state for long periods of time is detrimental since there is an excess amount of cortisol in the body and this leads to body imbalance. These factors may lead to the development of many diseases.

Regular yoga practice calms the body and mind, activates the parasympathetic nervous system which reduces stress and helps prevent many stress related illnesses. When practicing YogaFlow, a dynamic yoga style, we move and practice different poses while maintaining slow, controlled breathing, thereby, enabling the body to remain calm even in intense movement.

There is no need for complicated advanced poses that are not suitable for us (and can even harm us if our body isn’t prepared for them), it is enough to practice basic poses, breathe and enjoy the numerous benefits of yoga.

A regular yoga practice calms the mind and body, reduces stress, strengthens the nervous system and aids in disease prevention.
(See article: “Yoga for Disease Prevention”)

Better General Health

Yoga practice improves our general health by the breathing exercises which lead to better oxygenation of the blood and cleansing of toxins. The physical exercises increase blood circulation and improve the function of the organs and glands, strengthen the nervous system and improve digestion and elimination. In addition, the immune system is pumped up to increase the over-all level of health and well-being.

Mental and Emotional Benefits

Yoga makes us feel good! It is an opportunity for self-reflection and inner awareness, leading to a more positive outlook on life, a sense of balance, and a feeling of internal harmony.

Greater mental performance and clarity gives us a clearer sense of priorities. Most importantly, our yoga practice is something that we do for ourselves. It is a personal affirmation that we are a worthwhile human being, worth spending time with, and worthy of being cared for.