Yoga is a Sanskrit word, which is meant for certain meditative practices. There are various forms of yoga. In India yoga is being practiced from very ancient period(Right from Veda period-2500 BC).
The following are some of the ancient forms of yoga that has been practiced since the past 1000 years.
- Pathanjali Yoga
- Hata Yoga
- Bakthi Yoga
- Karma Yoga
- Gnana Yoga
and many more.
Learning yoga is not so easy. It is an art to practice. You need a guru or a teacher to learn yoga and practice the yoga in the right way with his guidance. I would not recommend any CD formats or any audio-visual media that teaches yoga.
Yoga can only be taught by the right teacher in the right manner.
Practising yoga will definitely increase your life and you will feel fresh and never become tired. There are many religions that follow yoga in various forms. In India yoga is being followed majority of Hindus then Buddhists, then Jain.
“Bagavt Gita”, a sacred book of Hindus teaches and explains Bakthi Yoga (Yoga of Bakthi through which you can attain eternity), Karma Yoga, the art of attaining eternity through your karma (Work), Gnana Yoga, attaining eternity using your wisdom.
The poses of yoga are called “Asanas”.
The first exercise you practice is Breathing, called “Pranayama”. Breathing is the most significant thing in yoga. Proper Breathing exercises will fill your lungs with oxygen and thereby increase the oxygen content in the blood, which makes you feel fresh and energetic. These practices even cure certain bronchial diseases like Asthma, Allergies etc.
Pranayama is nothing but using your nostrils alternatively. If you breathe deeply using your right nostril, block your left nostril and hold the breath in your lungs for a certain count. In India, some Vedic chanting like “Gayatri Mantra” will be used for the counting. Once your count is over, the alternate nostril will be used to exhale. Next time you reverse the nostril to practice. This helps you to increase Oxygen content in your blood. For beginners, Pranayama is recommended to practice at least 25 times a day during your yoga class.
There are similar forms of breathing exercises which include long Breathing, short Breathing, Broken Breaths etc.
Learn Pranayama from a proper guru or a teacher to get the following benefits:
- All your blood toxins will be cured.
- Your Blood will have more oxygen content and hence your body will be fresh.
- Your lung capacity will be expanded, thereby reducing the chances of heart disease.
- Your nervous system will be strengthened