I always told myself I wanted to start practicing yoga, but I never thought I had the patience for it. Fortunately, this year I’m taking a yoga class at school, and while I didn’t initially choose this option, I’m super grateful I get to experience it. Because it is a class in my timetable I don’t get to quit when I don’t feel like doing it anymore, so this is the first time I’ve actually stuck to it for more than two days haha. The first week was challenging since I’m very out of shape, but with doing it more often it is getting easier and easier, and now I’m actually starting to enjoy it. Also, I am learning more about the history and origins of yoga, and how important it is to go through every yoga practice with an intention, rather than just doing it for the aesthetics. Even by just doing this for a month I have noticed improvement in both physical and mental aspects of my life, so I would like to share some of my ideas with you, and hopefully you think about trying it out for yourself sometime.
Origin of Yoga
The origin of yoga can be traced back to Northern India over 5,000 years ago, it was first mentioned in the ancient text of the Rig Veda. This is a set of four sacred texts written in Sanskrit, we see evidence of this as all yoga poses have a Sanskrit name behind the common name we use today. For example, one of the most famous yoga poses is the Downward-Facing Dog, this is the name we use, but the Sanskrit name of that is Adho Mukha Svanasana.
Yoga can be performed by anyone, but it does have deep religious ties to the practice of Hinduism. Hinduism contains six major schools of thought, with yoga being one of them. This is because people believe there are many different paths that exist to reach liberation, or a oneness with the gods. Yoga in particular is used to control, or unite the senses, and ultimately the mind.
With that being said, it is important to know the meaning behind the way of yoga, so that we can accurately give credit to the people and practices that created it. An interesting article I read about this idea is called Yoga: The True Hindu Roots Behind the Western Trend, by Rutu Patel. She talks about how yoga has been rooted in her religion for thousands of years, and how she has seen yoga become more and more westernized. She mentions things such as sacred prayer beads, also called mala, being sold as knockoffs made of plastic. She admits that she let things like this slide at first, but she has realized that this leads to bigger discrepancies. Ultimately, the practice of yoga is sanctified, and it should be treated as such. She concludes it by saying that her culture welcomes everyone, but it asks people to acknowledge and understand these importances before taking part.
Mental Benefits
I’ve personally noticed that yoga has helped me release, or at least find ways to deal with anxiety. There was actually a study done where 2 groups of people participated. One did yoga and the other did not, the ones who practiced yoga recorded a significant decrease in stress compared to the other group. It has also helped me fall asleep faster by doing breathing exercises and meditation to clear my mind. It has been proven that yoga decreases the primary stress hormone called cortisol, this also influences levels of serotonin, the neurotransmitter often associated with depression.
Physical Benefits
There are also many physical benefits of yoga, for me it has really helped with my balance, flexibility, and so on. Yoga also helps to improve strength in many areas, and can release tension and stiffness. There was also a study done that found participants over 40 years of age who practiced yoga for five years or more had a lower blood pressure and pulse rate than those who didn’t. These types of studies have also been done in relation to inflammation and chronic pain.
Types of Yoga
There are many different types of yoga out there, they all do different things and are used to achieve different outcomes. If one type does not fit you, you can also try another one. Experts say you should try at least 3 different classes before you decide that yoga isn’t for you.
- Hatha yoga: Ha means sun and tha means moon, so this hopes to connect these 2 elements together and create a balance. Hatha yoga practices more still postures, thus working on your strength both physically and mentally. It also focuses on your breathing throughout the practice.
- Yin vs yang yoga: Yang yoga focuses more on your muscles and stamina, while yin yoga is slower and focuses on the connective tissues such as fascia, ligaments, and joints.
- Bikram yoga: Also known as hot yoga, this is practiced in a hot room where the floor is carpet so it is more forgiving on your hands and knees. In these classes it is important to listen to the instructor as they orally guide you through the practice, and the most important part is to get sweaty.
- Iyengar yoga: This was named after B.K.S Iyengar, Indian writer and yoga teacher, it places the emphasis on precision and alignment, as well as breath control and mental clarity.