Yoga is a 5,000-year-old art, if not a science, that originated in India. It is derived from the word ‘Yuj’ which means union of our own consciousness with the ultimate or divine consciousness. Many have notions that yoga is a physical exercise in which people stress their body in the most complex way, but this is the most superficial aspect of this science that develops the countless potentials of the human mind and soul.

• Full Health:

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said and I quote: “Health is not a mother absence of disease. It is a dynamic expression of life, in terms of how joyful, loving and enthusiastic you are.”

This means that health depends on physical, mental and social well-being. And from practices like asanas to meditation, yoga helps you achieve a well-rounded fitness.

• Stress relief:

Stress induces a hormone in the body called cortisol. Excess cortisol in the body can suppress thyroid function, increase blood pressure, and decrease muscle tissue. Yoga helps our body reduce this hormone as it has been medically proven that yoga can activate the parasympathetic nervous system. We accumulate a lot of stress during the day at work and at home and we must get this stress out of our body as soon as possible.

• Mind Awareness:

Our mind constantly plays tricks on us. Either you wonder about the future or you’re stuck in the past. We must first accept the fact that the most important time is now and we must not let our minds be tense by events that have not yet happened or something that happened a long time ago.

Yoga helps your mind stay in the present and helps you clear negative thoughts. It helps you believe that the most important moment is now and that it is the best place for your mind to be.

• Have better relationships:

Dealing with emotions is a delicate matter and a tense mind surely cannot do that. Yoga can help you keep your mind happy and at peace. A happy and content mind would be a better choice when it comes to sensitive issues than a stressed one.

• Energy boost:

At work or at home, people are often tired in the middle of the day. Whenever you feel this way, a 10-15 minute yoga session with a renowned teacher (physical or virtual) can energize you and help you get through the day with the greatest efficiency.

• Better flexibility:

Most people who start yoga can’t even touch their toes, but as you progress through the sessions, you realize that you can now achieve poses that you could never dream of when you started. Your back no longer hurts like the first few weeks. That is what yoga does, it gives your body a better shape, makes it more flexible and strengthens your muscles.

• Makes you better at work:

Yoga takes you to a place of stillness and peace. This gives you a lot of time to think. And it’s no surprise that a creative and active person excels at their job. Yoga according to many studies increases your brain capacity because when you do breathing exercises you ensure a good supply of oxygen to your brain.

Read more: http://aksharayogaschool.com/