Developed at least 5,000 years ago in what is now India, yoga is more than just stretching or acrobatics. It’s a wellness system that includes meditation and breathing exercises.
If you’re feeling run down or stressed, then yoga may well help you find your balance again. It is more than just a workout, says personal trainer and author Uschi Morabadi.
Yoga was initially very spiritual and closely linked to Indian rituals, and yet in the Western world, it has lost this association to some extent.
Physical exercises called asana are designed to help bring your muscle and bone structures into harmony, help your blood circulation, for example, and harmonize the nervous system.
Yoga can also include breathing exercises called pranayama. And mediation may also be an inner satisfaction, she says.
Concentrating on the exercises can reduce stress and help you relax and live a healthier life, be more balanced and happier in the present moment.
If you are thinking of taking up yoga, then you may want to seek some medical advice before your first session, she says, especially if you have a chronic illness or are pregnant. It is important to have a good teacher, particularly for beginners, she adds. So make sure you have a trained yoga teacher who is experienced and sensitive, says Moriabadi.
Beginners should be careful, she says, particularly given the wide range of services you can find online. That can quickly be overwhelming, she notes. Be careful as you don’t want to hurt yourself or find yourself unable to benefit from yoga’s positive effects.
There are various styles of yoga, and each one has a different emphasis, some being more meditative, others more athletic.
Those looking for a physically demanding style can try hatha yoga, ashtanga yoga or Iyengar yoga, while the more meditative kinds are raja yoga and jnana yoga.