Yoga as a Preventive Therapy

Yoga is an ancient discipline which attempts to unite the individual self with the pure life force or a higher consciousness. The sole purpose of this discipline is union - the union of body, mind and soul or the union of the individual and the almighty. In accordance with ancient Hindu literature, yoga stresses on the cyclical concept of karma. Karma is considered cyclical because it has a cause and effect relationship in which your actions invite results and the results lead to further action, paving the road of your life and your destiny.

While this is the inherent philosophy of yoga, it can even be viewed in terms of health. A person, who works in order to improve health naturally, will be full of vigor and good health that will help further his causes. His good health will be instrumental in achieving not only an industrious life but also a happy and peaceful one. Whereas, a person who gets trapped in the cycle of ill health, will only have more ill health to reap.

Yoga and You

Today, it is easy to fall into the trap of ill health because of the often hectic lives that we lead and the constant stress that we expose ourselves to. Yoga and meditation can help us break this cycle of ill health and make conscious efforts in order to remedy our health. Meditation helps to increase concentration while also easing tension out of both the body and mind.

Yoga health benefits are many. It is a healthy form of exercise with which you can cure diseases and make your body strong enough to resist potential health risks. Yoga also helps you control the aging process by keeping both your mind and body stress free, and fresh. Yoga also helps to convert both, your psychological and physical force into spiritual energy.

Yoga as therapy

The postures practiced in yoga help activate accumulated energies or ‘Prana’ in the body. These energies, more commonly known as the life energy, when left accumulating, can cause ailments. The yogic breathing exercise known as Pranayama attempts to clear out blockages in the body which prevent the free flow of this life energy. The toxins that act as blockages can be flushed from the body and mind not only through breathing techniques but also by using various postures and techniques. Physically, yoga acts as a preventive therapy that helps to eliminate free radicals from the body, massage the internal organs, realign the body, relieve stress, rejuvenate and reinvigorate both body and mind, and finally increase stamina and immunity.

Yoga and meditation for living a healthy life

Yoga is a holistic ancient tradition. Through a series of gentle exercises, known as asanas, deep breathing techniques and meditative practices it delivers the promise of living a healthy life.

Yoga benefits go much beyond simply the physical strength. Yoga and meditation teach the body the physical and mental discipline it needs to experience and lead a productive and happy life. While the physical aspect of yoga is easy to learn, meditation requires a lot practice and a ton of patience to master.

Meditation is one of the most significant yogic concepts for living healthy life. The mind is a chaotic and noisy place. At any given point of time is it cluttered and crowded with thoughts and noise. Over time the increasing levels of mind noise lowers the mind’s ability to focus and stay in control of a situation.

Meditation teaches you how to focus the mind’s attention on a single point of reference. It teaches you how to hold your mind to that one focal point without wavering. Meditation teaches you how to block out distraction and stay true to the task at hand. Meditation instills a sense of relaxation in the mind which then seeps through to the entire body. It leaves you feeling rejuvenated and flushed with energy.

One of the health benefits of yoga and meditation is that it is very effective in combating stress and anxiety disorders. It is a highly therapy for depression. When you are faced with a stressful situation the body panics. It floods the body with stress hormones and hampers regular breathing. The result is more stress and inability to react in a cool and calm way. By learning how to meditate, you learn how to detach from the stressful situation and handle it with inner poise. On the physical side, meditation incorporated deep breathing exercises. These maintain proper oxygen flow to the brain even during a crisis enabling you to think and act rationally.

Regular practice of yoga and meditation cuts down on stress and anxiety; this in turn reduces the rise of high blood pressure and heart trouble. Meditation thus addresses the root problem to an illness, not just its symptoms, allowing you to heal completely. Meditation also helps individuals suffering from chronic illnesses. For patients undergoing cancer therapy for example, yoga and meditation can provide a little bit of calm and confidence. It can take your mind off the pain and maintain positivity in the face of pain.

Learning how to meditate isn’t easy. It takes dedication to master the practice. However once you do, even a small fifteen minutes of daily meditation will significantly improve quality of life.

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