What is yoga and how does it work?

Yoga is an ancient and complex practice, rooted in Indian philosophy. It began as a spiritual practice but has become popular as a way of promoting physical and mental well-being.

Although classical yoga also includes other elements, yoga as practiced in the United States typically emphasizes physical postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation (dyana).

There are many different yoga styles, ranging from gentle practices to physically demanding ones. Differences in the types of yoga used in research studies may affect study results. This makes it challenging to evaluate research on the health effects of yoga.

Benefits of yoga

• Help improve general wellness by relieving stress, supporting good health habits, and improving mental/emotional health, sleep, and balance.
• Relieve low-back pain and neck pain, and possibly pain from tension-type headaches and knee osteoarthritis.
• Help people who are overweight or obese lose weight.
• Help people manage anxiety or depressive symptoms associated with difficult life situations.
• Help people with chronic diseases manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

What are the risks of yoga?

Yoga is generally considered a safe form of physical activity for healthy people when performed properly, under the guidance of a qualified instructor. However, as with other forms of physical activity, injuries can occur. The most common injuries are sprains and strains, and the parts of the body most commonly injured are the knee or lower leg. Serious injuries are rare. The risk of injury associated with yoga is lower than that for higher impact physical activities.

Types of Yoga

There are four fundamental types of Yoga - Karma Yoga, Gnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Kriya Yoga. This is because a human being is a combination of these four aspects - Body, Mind, Emotion, and Energy. Whatever kind of spiritual path one walks falls into one or more of these four categories.

• Gnana Yoga:Gnana Yoga is the path of intelligence. Sadhguru describes it as a process of sharpening one's intelligence to a point where it penetrates through the process of life and shows you what is true and what is not true.


• Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga is the path of selfless action. It is the path of service, where one uses physical action to evolve spiritually.


• Bhakti Yoga Bhakti Yoga is the path of devotion, where one uses their emotions to try to reach the ultimate. Sadhguru describes this path as the fastest and sweetest way to grow.


• Kriya Yoga Kriya Yoga is the path of using one's inner energies to reach the ultimate. Following the path of pure Kriya Yoga is a very demanding but powerful way to walk the spiritual path.

Types of Poses

Yoga has various pose types based on how you move your body to complete them. Here are the basic types of yoga poses.

• Standing poses: Standing poses are often done first in a yoga class to "build heat" and warm you up.


• Balancing poses: Beginners' balances are an important way to build the core strength necessary for many of yoga's more advanced postures. Though balances may seem difficult at first, you will find that you can improve markedly with regular practice.


• Backbends: As a beginner, you will generally begin with gentle spine flexion and extension, eventually moving to deeper bends. Since you rarely move like this in daily life, backbends are essential for spinal health and longevity.


• Seated poses: Seated stretches, which often focus on stretching the hips and hamstrings, are usually done toward the end of a yoga class after the body is warm. Placing a folded blanket or a block under your seat is an excellent way to make yourself more comfortable in these postures.


• Resting or supine poses: It's essential to get to know your resting poses, especially child's pose, which you are encouraged to do whenever you need a break during a yoga session. These resting poses continue the hip and hamstring work of the seated poses and provide gentle back-bending, twisting, and inversion.

TYPE OF ASANAS

The asanas are poses mainly for health and strength. There are innumerable asanas, but not all of them are really necessary, I shall deal with only such asanas as are useful in curing ailments and maintaining good health.

ARDHA CHAKRSANA (HALF WHEEL POSTURE): This posture resembles half wheel in final position, so it's called Ardha Chakrasana or half wheel posture.

TADASANA (PALM TREE POSE): In Sanskrit 'Tada' means palm tree. In the final position of this posture, the body is steady like a Palm tree, so this posture called as 'Tadasana'.

TRIKONASANA(TRIANGLE POSTURE): The final position of this posture looks like a 'triangle' in shape, so it's called Trikonasa or triangular stretch pose.

VEERABHADRASANA -2: 'Veera Bhadra' is one of the Gana (can call as Soldier) of Lord Shiva. This pose dedicated to him, so this posture is called as Veerabhadrasana. This posture also called as Warrior pose.

PARSHWA KONASANA (SIDE ANGLE POSTURE): In Sanskrit 'Parshwa' means Side, 'Kona' means angle. In the final position of this posture, the body forms a side angle, so this posture called as Parshwa Konasana.

BHUJANGAASANA: The final position of this posture emulates the action of cobra raising itself just prior to striking at its prey, so it's called cobra posture or Bhujangasan.

PADAHASTASANA: "Pada" means foot, "hasta" means hand. So the exact English translation is the foot hand pose. This asana widely called as the forward bending posture.

USTRASANA: The final position of this posture looks like Camel, so its called camel posture or Ustrasana.

MARJARASANA: 'Marjara' means Cat, this posture imitates the periodical upward and down word stretching of the Cat, so it's called Marajarasana.

PASCHIMOTTANASANA: Paschima means back or west, 'uttana' means to stretch, in this posture back stretches nicely, so-called back stretching pose. This posture also called as Ugrasana.

ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA (HALF-SPINAL TWIST POSE): Great yogi Matsyendra Nath did meditation in this posture. So this posture called as Ardha Matsyendrasana.

PADMASANA: 'Padma' means lotus, the final position of this posture looks like lotus, so it is called Padmasana.

ANANTA SHAYANASANA: 'Ananta shayana' refers to Lord Vishnu. During 'maha pralaya' Lord Vishnu slept above 'Adishesha'(1000 headed serpent) in this position. So this posture called as Ananta Shayanasana.

PAVANA MUKTASANA: In Sanskrit 'Pawan' means wind, 'Mukta' means release. This posture is very useful in removing wind from the intestines and stomach. So this posture called as "Pawan muktasana".

PURVAUTTANASAN: 'Purva' refers to the front part of the body.'Uttana' means raising. The front part of the body is rising in the final position of this posture, so it's called "Purvottanasana".