Yoga: How You Can Transform Your Mind, Body, and Soul
AROHAN YOGA blog, Yoga, Yoga Teacher Training 0
Yoga is one of the oldest art forms in the world, offering a holistic approach to yoga for mind body and soul. Most people think yogic practice is an exercise – and it is – but it’s also so much more. It is a complete way to transform yourself.
Just a few minutes of practice every day can help relax and stretch sore muscles. Practicing regularly, yoga can be a powerful way to tackle daily stress and relieve anxiety. Over time, it also can transform your body, building stronger muscles while improving joint mobility and flexibility.
Though many people think of yoga as a fitness exercise, actually it is a complete life philosophy that originated more than 5,000 years ago in India. The word “yoga” means “to unite” and refers to the fusion of mind, body, and spirit through meditation, physical postures, and breathing. The posture is also called asana. They were developed to improve health, strengthen the body, and prepare for meditation. Additionally, in modern yogic practice, the postures may serve any or all of these purposes.
Want to find out the connection between yoga and spirituality? How about learning for the mind? Here are the many transformational elements, each contributing to the balance of yoga for body, mind and soul.
Yoga for the Mind, Body and Soul
Mental Benefits
In recent years, scientific research has proven what ancient yogis knew centuries ago: that the mental benefits are unlimited.
On a fundamental level, people have known for years that it helps calm the mind. By helping you focus on your breath and movements, it lowers the volume of the endless chatter in your brain during your practice and also helps increase attention and focus throughout the rest of your day.
While these things are extremely beneficial, scientists have recently proven the mental benefits beyond what was originally believed. Practicing yoga helps reduce the symptoms related to major mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The scientists discovered that regular practice helps reduce the quantity of cortisol – a hormone related to depression and stress– in the body. Moreover, what the researchers discovered was amazing: that doing yoga could help people relieve stress and manage stressful situations in a much more positive way.
Physical Benefits
How does yoga transform your body?
The physical benefits are almost infinite. Not only will you get a stronger, healthier body, but also you’ll find yourself more flexible and generally in a better mood.
Some of the basic physical benefits include:
- Increased muscle tone
- Increased muscle strength
- Helping to maintain or reduce weight
- Lower blood pressure
- Improved respiratory and circulatory health
- Improved heart health
Remember to prepare by stretching for a few minutes. This doesn’t have to be intensive, but takes a little bit of time to start with a few rounds of sun salutations (if practicing in the morning) or moon salutations (if practicing in the evening).
Spirituality
The benefits of our spiritual well-being are profound. This phenomenon is very difficult to quantify objectively. While completely praised as a way to get your body and mind in shape, yoga shines when you consider its philosophical influence and benefits on our whole being, fostering the alignment of body, mind, and spirit.
It has been practiced as a form of meditation from the beginning. Not only does it help your mind slow down and focus on what’s happening within your body, but it also helps you connect to something greater than yourself. Spirituality doesn’t have to mean religion and it doesn’t have to mean chanting and crystals. While both of those are great, sometimes the spiritual is as simple as focusing and building breath awareness.
Yoga and spirituality go hand-in-hand. One of the ancient forms – also one of the greatest paths a yogi can take – is to practice Raja Yoga, encompassing the unity of yoga connecting the mind, body and spirit. This is a type that combines many other forms (Mantra, Karma, Hatha, etc.) to help you attain a state of harmony with spiritual forces.
Let Arohan Yoga Help to Transform Your Mind, Body, and Soul
Now that you know how mind, body and soul transformation is possible through yoga, look into some of our yoga teacher training and retreats! Find the perfect course for you and take the next step to become a certified yogi today. Start your journey with Arohan Yoga today, embracing the transformative power of yoga.
