What Yoga Actually Is?

We asked a yogini from Pakistan, and here is the answer:

Yoga word comes from Sanskrit meaning yoking union or joining together. In beginning, yoga was usually considered a practice involving mental and physical activities along with spiritual thoughts to relief mental pressure or tension. Yoga has deep roots in Hinduism in ancient India science 5000-6000 years ago. Since the late 90s in the 19th century, it has become a common practice throughout the world. Yoga involves a complete control of breathing, body musculature, posture and mental concentration to perform some specific physical workout. Yoga is mostly concerned with relaxation, mental stress relief, improvement of stamina and general physical health maintenance. However, it has been practice resolving problems related to:

• High blood pressure
• Migraine, headache
• High cholesterol level
• Unwanted weight gain
• Heart diseases
• Asthma (and other issues related to breathing)
• Backaches
• Constipation

The health benefits of yoga

Physical therapists and sportsmen mostly prefer yoga to cope with physical strain or muscle strain. Furthermore, it has a soothing effect on our nervous system, many psychiatrists advise yoga to alleviate mental stress and frustration. Many schools of medicine imply yoga techniques for mental and physical illness. Now a day many yoga teachers are available for the instruction of different yoga techniques. Yoga practice is like an exercise and has same health effects as exercise. Yoga practice may last for 20 minutes to hours depending on the activity and satisfaction of the person. Effects of yoga will be long-lasting and effective if it is practiced on the daily basis. Health benefits related to yoga are given below:

• Stress relief and inner satisfaction
• Weight loss and balanced cholesterol level
• Improved breathing
• Physical flexibility and posture balance
• Improve mental concentration and focus
• Hypertension relief
• Self-esteem attainment
• General health improvement

The different types of yoga

Yoga has many types that are differentiated based on mental and physical activities. However, all the types are strictly confined to the goal of maintaining mental and physical health in person practicing yoga. Types of yoga are being discussed here briefly.
Hatha yoga: It is the easiest form of yoga and yoga beginner start with this type of yoga. So, that they may gain perfection in other complex forms of yoga. It is
based on physical activity and is the most common and practiced yoga. It depends on the body posture and breath control improving flexibility and mental concentration ability. It involves the movement of each part of the body from head to toe improving blood circulation in the body.

Iyengar yoga

This is related to hatha yoga, it also involves physical alignment with the use of some probes like boxes and strips. This emphasis concentration power of brain along with physical activity. Yoga practitioner gain perfection on body postures, breath and body alignment in this type.

Vinyasa Yoga

It is the type of yoga that involves body fluent and coordinated body movements along with breath control. It involves specific body movements as in dance. One who has perfection in hatha yoga can easily go for vinyasa yoga as he/she has enough control on his/her muscles and breath that is required for vinyasa yoga.

Ashtanga yoga

This type of yoga involves control of muscles and breath with the continuation of some workout that produces internal heat, improves the blood circulation and increases the metabolism of the body. It aims at maintaining the general physical health of yoga practitioner.

Kundalini yoga

It is also known as the yoga of awareness as it involves mental consciousness along with physical activity. It results in improved physical health along with improved thinking abilities. It provokes a sense of self-confidence and self-awareness. It improves both mental and physical health

Yin Yoga

It is the most sluggish or slow-paced type of yoga with extended periods of time. It aims at strengthening the musculature of the body, improving blood circulation and mitigating stress on the body and brain. In short, it improves both mental and physical health.

Hot yoga

Hot yoga involve continuous physical activity just like in vinyasa yoga. However environmental conditions are different in hot yoga (temperature,90-100℉ and humidity, 40-45%). Its results involve extensive muscle movement and sweating resulting in loss of fat. Most of the people who want to lose body weight prefer hot yoga.