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What is Yoga? Three Part Series: Part 1/3

So the Army’s been using Yoga to help Vets with PTSD; but a lot of people aren’t familiar with the practice, so I figured I’d spread the info for those who are interested.

Yoga is an ancient practice. It originated more than 5000 years ago. It is part of many Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. The most known types of yoga are: Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga. They are practical ways to achieve enlightenment. Yoga is known in the western world for its Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is the beginner’s yoga. (My girlfriend and I’s first date was doing Hatha Yoga.)  It is mainly used for achieving mental and physical health. The name “Yoga” means union between your body, mind and spirit.

The most important yoga facts and principles are:

#1: Exercise.

The Yoga’s exercises are called Asanas. They are certain positions of the body that you need to maintain for a short period of time. They will improve your health.

#2: Breathing.

Breathing is truly important for the health of your body. Through breathing your body receives oxygen. And the oxygen makes you think better. With the use of oxygen, your body can heal itself much quicker.

#3: Relaxation.

One of the Yoga’s purposes is to reduce and eliminate the ego based effort. By practicing Yoga, you will become more at ease with everything around you.

#4: Diet.

What you eat influences how you think and feel. It has a direct effect on your productivity. This is why you need to eat only healthy foods.

#5: Meditation.

The art of meditation involves focusing on only one thought at the exclusion of all the other thoughts. The more advanced meditation techniques involve completely emptying your mind from all distractions and thoughts. This is quite hard to do for most people in our fast paced society.

#6: Practice each day.

To get the most of Yoga, you need to stick with it. Yoga is not a magic pill that needs to be taken only 1 time. Practice each day. And with time you will achieve greater and greater levels of freedom.

Yoga is a great set of practices that will improve your mental, emotional and spiritual lives. You will reduce your stress and feel better with each day.

Check out parts one and two of the series.

Part 1: What is Yoga

Part 2: How to Incorporate Yoga into Your Daily Life

Part 3: How Yoga Can Help Soldiers with PTSD

3 thoughts on “What is Yoga? Three Part Series: Part 1/3”

  1. Wow, I didn’t realize that yoga was strongly advocated in the military! I guess it is a great way to relieve the stress of the day as well as to create a balance due to everything that has happened in the past.

    1. It’s a new thing. Usually yoga isn’t on the schedule for PT. But studies have been done by the Pentagon showing the benefits, both mentally and physically.

  2. Those are all great ways to relieve stress in everyone’s lives, whether you were in the military or not.

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