As an ardent yoga practitioner for many years, I have found a yoga class to greatly relax my mind and body and greatly reduce the stress in my life. This effect has increased with practice. Though the studies show most people begin to show reduced stress from the onset of a yoga practice, in my experience it takes much practice to get to the more spiritual aspect of yoga. Concentrating on controlled breathing, assuming the postures correctly and eliminating thoughts and focusing the mind is initially difficult to manage.
It takes a long time, even years for some, before the postures can be done correctly enough to reap the physical benefit and to free the mind to concentrate on the breathing and mindless, concentrated focus. Further, it took me several years of practice before the “Ujjaai” breathing – a deep inhale and extended exhale that takes on a whooshing sound – became a spontaneous part of my practice. In fact, today I can’t imagine practicing without the controlled breathing component. As such, I find today far greater benefits from my yoga practice. The yoga I practice is called flow or vinyasa and is based on Ashtanga yoga.
We end class by lying in savasana, or corpse pose, for a brief 5-10 minute “meditation. ” I find this brief meditation frustrating as, by the end of class, I am prepared me for a deep meditative state for at least 30-minutes or longer. And this is the actual goal of yoga. The exercises were designed to strengthen the body and improve the posture so the yogi could sit comfortably upright in meditation for a prolonged period. Unfortunately here in the United States people seem less inclined to take the time for the spiritual side of yoga, the side of yoga which has the greatest power to relax the body and deepen the soul..
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