Yoga is a direct experience of the vast interrelatedness of all life and of all things. It is about learning from direct experience. It is control of mind and its modifications. Yoga is intimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of the Indian religions.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is not running away from home and human habitation, but a process of moulding one's attitude to home and society with a new understanding. It is not a turning away from life; it is spiritualization of life.

Yoga is (definetely) not a religion, but a help in the search of truth, wich is a basic practice as in all religions. Yoga is not experienced through taking allucinating drugs or plants or mushrooms. Although Yoga is not a medical practice, it has been shown to be very helpful in many ways, so, Yoga is not just physical fitness training.

Meditation and Yoga

Besides the practice of Yoga's poses, a typical Yoga class can also include instruction on breathing, call and response chanting, meditation, or even an inspirational reading by the teacher. Here we can introduce the term of "power yoga" to differentiate the intense, flowing style of yoga they were teaching from the gentle stretching and meditation that many American people has largely associated with yoga. However, power yoga will mostly appeal to people who are already quite fit, enjoy exercising, and want a minimal amount of chanting and meditation with their yoga.

The practice of Yoga

Yoga practice can include the use of meditation, reflection, study and other classic elements, but the emphasis of the Yoga practice is on coordinating breath and movement. What is commonly referred to as "yoga" can be more accurately described by the Sanskrit word "asana", which refers to the practice of physical postures or poses.

Practice asanas that draw your attention inward; forward bends and restorative poses. Outside India, Yoga is mostly associated with the practice of asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga or as a form of exercise, although it has influenced the entire Indian religions family and other spiritual practices throughout the world.

It will not be out of place, therefore, for me to tell you frankly and clearly that not all that has been put across as Yoga is really Yoga. There are many signs that indicate that Yoga is being considered by many in the West to be the solution of the perplexing problems of their complex and speedy civilisation.

Eventually yoga is an all day long practice. While yoga is very effective in alleviating certain types of medical conditions, these are secondary benefits. The physical foundation of yoga is a series of structured poses (asanas) performed with breath awareness. Yoga is a complete practice that joins back mind, body and spirit. Decide if yoga is right for you.

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