Hello fellow Kamazooie members!

I have been practicing yoga for several years; I find it to be very rewarding physically but at the studio I attend, they don’t focus on the more spiritual or metaphysical aspects so I decided to do some research and use the topic for this week’s community post.

Firstly, I found that Yoga is a Sanskrit or Hindu word for union which implies that yoga is an exercise to unite our body, soul and mind into one “centre” which can also be thought of as the universal centre, or ultimately to unite with God. I also found out that what we commonly call yoga is more technically Hatha Yoga which focuses on the physical aspects as opposed to the more spiritual aspects taught in Raja Yoga that has more to do with the study of the philosophy of Hinduism.

Still, if we stick with our modern western concept of yoga, it is definitely promoted as an exercise for the mind, soul and body. To find out more, I did review an excellent book by yoga expert Tara Stiles*. In her book Yoga Cures, Tara outlines the many benefits of yoga which are reviewed below.   

• Physical: The movements of yoga will carve out a long, lean, strong, and confident body.
• Mental: All those deep breaths reset your mind back to its natural state: calm, focused, and sharp.
• Psychological: All the focusing inward illuminates our behaviors and tendencies. The same habits we have on our mat are the ones we have in our lives. We see this, and we gain the freedom of choice. Who do I want to be? We get to create or re- create ourselves each day. Regular practice gives you a clear mind and the inspiration and courage to be constantly expanding and improving your life.
• Neurological: When your brain is "on yoga" your neurological system is brought back into balance and is conditioned to steer you naturally toward a healthy lifestyle. Our bodies are constantly rewired to make whatever we practice get easier. When we practice healthy, balanced living we get more healthy, balanced living.
• Intuition: When there is tension in the body and mind, your intuition gets buried and your body switches to survival mode. Your yoga practice makes space in your body physically, releases tension, and calms your mind, making room for your intuition to float to the surface and guide you.
• Creativity: Creative juices start to flow when your body and mind begin to release mental blocks. Creativity doesn't like to come out when there are stressors, whether from physical tension or mental cloudiness. When the stress melts away, creativity can come out to play.
• Connecting: Yoga is the practice of getting connected. However you choose to view your spirituality, when you practice yoga, you remember that we all are connected, here to help each other, and that we have so much potential when we are kind to others

From the above, it is clear that yoga, in its most pure sense, is much more than an exercise to keep you toned or lose a few pounds. I would love to hear more from our members about their experience with yoga.

Have a great weekend and be sure to squeeze in some time to soak up the beautiful spring weather if you’re lucky enough to have it.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

*Tara Stiles is the author of Yoga Cures: Simple Routines to Conquer More Than 50 Common Ailments and Live Pain-Free