healthhelp.in Click To TweetYoga

YOGA

“Yoga is not just physical exercises, It’s emotional integration, spiritual elevation, with a touch of a mystic element, which gives you a glimpse of something which is beyond all imagination.”

~Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Yoga originates from the Sanskrit root ‘Yug’. It means to bind, to join, to attach, to unite and yoke. It also means a union or communion with the universal power. Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India

Yoga has five principal meanings:

  1. Yoga, as a disciplined method for attaining a goal;
  2. Yoga, as techniques of controlling the body and the mind;
  3. Yoga, as a name of one of the schools or systems of philosophy (darśana);
  4. Yoga, in connection with other words, such as “hatha-, mantra-, and laya-,” referring to traditions specializing in particular techniques of yoga;
  5. Yoga, as the goal of Yoga practice.

Yoga is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline that includes breath control, meditation, and flexible bodily postures. It is widely practiced and beneficial for health and relaxation. Yoga has its origin in India.
International Day of Yoga is a yoga day celebrated on 21 June annually. Yoga’s main aim is to transform the body and mind, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Yoga is a complete science; it unites body, mind, and spirit, and also the universe. It brings peace and bliss to every individual. It also creates a significant difference in one’s behavior, thoughts, and attitude. Daily practice of yoga increases our tranquility, sensitivity, intuition, and awareness.

Click here for Yoga Asanas terms

1) Asana: Seat; yoga posture

2) Ashtanga: Eight-limbed yogic path;

3) Ayurveda: The ancient Indian science of health

4) Bandha: Internal lock; used for controlling the energy within the body during yoga practice; the three bandhas taught in some lineages of hatha yoga are root lock, abdominal lock, and throat lock

5) Bhakti: Devotion (as in Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion)

6) Buddha: A buddha is an enlightened one; “the Buddha” refers to Siddhartha Gautama, a spiritual teacher who lived, became enlightened, and taught in India a long time ago

7) Chakra: Energy center; the basic system has seven chakras (root, sacrum, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown), each of which is associated with a color, element, syllable, significance, etc.

 8) Dharma: Truth; the teachings of the Buddha; the path of truth

9) Dosha: Physical body type; there are three doshas in Ayurveda—pitta (fire), Vata (wind), and Kapha (earth)

10) Drishti: Gazing point used during asana practice

11) Ganesha: The Hindu elephant god often pops into yoga; also called “Ganesh”

12) Guru: One who brings us from darkness to light; a spiritual mentor

13) Karma: Action; the law of karma is the law of cause and effect. Karma is based upon the complex, esoteric web of conditions, individuals, and relationships in the universe. It is not just as simple as a notion like “steal from someone and you’ll be robbed.”

14) Karuna: Compassion

15) Kirtan: A community gathering involving chanting, live music, and meditation

16) Krishna: A Hindu deity; part of the Bhagavad Gita

17) Kula: Community

18) Mantra: A repeated sound, syllable, word, or phrase; often used in chanting and meditation.

19) Mudra: A hand gesture; the most common mudras are Anjali mudra (pressing palms together at the heart) and Gyan mudra (with the index finger and thumb touching)

20) Namaste: “I bow to you”; A word used at the beginning and/or end of class which is most commonly translated as “the light within me bows to the light within you”; a common greeting in India and neighboring cultures; a salutation said with the hands in Anjali mudra.

21) Niyama: Five living principles that (along with the Yamas) make up the ethical and moral foundation of yoga; they include Sauca (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (burning enthusiasm), Svadhyaya (self-study), and Ishvarapranidhana (celebration of the spiritual)

22) Om: The original syllable; chanted “A-U-M” at the beginning and/or end of many yoga classes

23) Prana: Life energy; chi; qi

24) Pranayama: Breath control; breathing exercises

25) Samadhi: The state of complete Self-actualization; enlightenment

26) Savasana: Corpse pose; final relaxation; typically performed at the end of every hatha yoga class, no matter what style

27) Shakti: Female energy

28) Shanti: Peace (often chanted three times in a row)

29) Shiva: Male energy; a Hindu deity

30) Surya Namaskar: Sun Salutations; a system of yoga exercises performed in a flow or series

31) Sutras: Classical texts; the most famous in yoga is, of course, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

32) Tantra: The yoga of union (much more than just tantric sex that is popularized in the media)

33) Yama: Five living principles that (along with the niyamas) make up the ethical and moral foundation of yoga; they include Satya (truth), Ahimsa (nonviolence), Asteya (not stealing), Brahmacharya (self-control and sexual responsibility), and Aparigraha (not grasping)

34) Yogi/Yogini: A male/female practitioner of yoga.

 

Yoga is a physical discipline that focuses on developing control of the mind and body through postures ( asanas ) and breath ( prana )

Tips for practicing Yoga:-  Wear loose cloth for the more comfortable movement Use a mat for sitting postures Come in with an open mind, relax and enjoy yourself Start with easy poses until you become more comfortable Follow your own level of ability

For every 30 minutes of asana (poses) practice, you must allow 5 minutes of rest (savasana or corpse pose) so that the nervous system has time to come back to normal and to center and so you are not over-excited throughout the day.

The vast storehouse of Vedic and yogic thought comprises a body of knowledge that espouses yoga as a complete and total path of liberation. The classical eight limbs of yoga enumerated by many great yogis include rules for:

  • Social behavior
  • Personal observances
  • Mind-body integration exercises
  • Breathing techniques
  • Focusing on the senses
  • Mastery of attention and intention
  • Meditation
  • Experience of pure awareness

Click here for Yoga Asanas name in English & Sanskrit

English Name Sanskrit Name
1. Standing yoga asanas:
Standing Sideways Bending One arm Konasana
Sideways Bending Using Both arms Konasana 2
Standing Spinal Twist Katichakrasana
Standing Forward Bend Hastapadasana
Standing Backward Bend Ardha Chakrasana
Triangle Pose Trikonasana
Warrior Pose Veerabhadrasana
Standing Forward Bend with Feet Apart Parsarita Padotanasana
Tree Pose Vrikshasana
Reverse Prayer Yoga Pose Paschim Namaskarasana
Eagle Pose Garudasana
Chair Pose Utkatasana
 
2. Sitting yoga asanas:
One-Legged Forward Bend Janu Shirasasana
Two-Legged Forward Bend Paschimottanasana
Upward Plank Pose Poorvottanasana
Sitting Half Spinal Twist Ardha Matsyendrasana
Butterfly Pose Badhakonasana
Lotus Pose Padmasana
One-Legged Pigeon Pose Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana
Camel Pose Ustrasana
Child Pose Shishuasana
Mill Churning Yoga Pose Chakki Chalanasana
 
3. Lying down on stomach yoga asanas:
Side Plank Pose Vasisthasana
Downward Facing Dog Pose Adho Mukha Svanasana
Dolphin Plank Pose Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana
Cat Stretch Marjariasana
Bow Pose Dhanurasana
Cobra Pose Bhujangasana
Sphinx Pose Salamba Bhujangasana
Superman Pose Viparita Shalabhasana
Locust Pose Shalabasana
 
4. Lying down on back yoga asanas:
Boat Pose Naukasana
Bridge Pose Setu Bandhasana
Fish Pose Matsyasana
Wind-Relieving Yoga Pose Pavanamuktasana
Shoulder Stand Sarvangasana
Plow Pose Halasana
Lying-down Body Twist Natrajasana
Lying-down on sides Vishnuasana
Corpse Pose Shavasana

 

Click here for Basic Poses of Yoga Asanas

1. Mountain – Tadasana

How to do it: Stand with feet together.

Ground down evenly through feet and lift up through the crown of your head. Lift your thighs. Lengthen up through all four sides of your waist, elongating the spine. Breathe easy. The benefits: It may seem like you’re, well, just standing there, but bear with us—this is the blueprint for all other poses. It promotes balance and directs your attention to the present moment.

2. Chair – Utkatasana

How to do it: Start in mountain pose.

Raise arms and reach up through fingers. Sit back and down as if sitting into a chair. Shift weight toward heels, and lengthen up through the torso.The benefits: This heating standing pose (you’ll feel the burn!) strengthens your legs, upper back, and shoulders.

3. Puppy Dog on Chair – Modified Downward Facing Dog 

How to do it: Place hands on the back of a chair with palms shoulder-distance apart.

Step feet back until they align under hips, creating a right angle with your body, spine parallel with the floor. Ground through feet and lift through thighs. Reach hips away from hands to lengthen the sides of your torso. Firm your outer arms in and lengthen through the crown of your head. The benefits: Downward facing dog is the bread and butter of yoga, but it can be challenging for beginners. This modification shares the same benefits as the classic pose—stretching the hamstrings, opening the shoulders, and creating length in the spine—without all the weight on your upper body.

4. Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana 

How to do it: From all fours, walk hands one palm’s length in front of you.

Tuck toes and lift hips up and back to lengthen your spine. (If you’re inflexible, keep your knees bent in order to bring your weight back into the legs.) Press into your hands, firm your outer arms, and reach your upper thighs back toward the wall behind you. The benefits: This classic pose opens your shoulders, lengthens your spine, and stretches your hamstrings. Since your head is below your heart, mild inversion creates a calming effect.

5. Warrior II – Virabhadrasana II 

How to do it: Stand with feet wide, about 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart.

Turn left foot in slightly, and turn right foot out 90 degrees to the side. Line up front heel with the arch of your back foot. Bend front knee to 90-degree angle, tracking the knee with the second toe to protect the knee joint. Stretch through your straight back leg and ground down into the back foot. Reach arms out to shoulder height, shoulder blades down and palms wide, and gaze over the front fingers. The benefits: A pose with a “warrior” in its name may not sound very zen, but this standing pose can help calm and steady your mind. Tougher than it looks, it also strengthens your legs and ankles and increases stamina.

6. Triangle – Trikonasana 

How to do it: Stand with feet wide apart.

Turn left toes in slightly and rotate right thigh open until right toes point directly to the side. Keeping both legs straight, ground through your feet and pull your thighs up. Spread arms wide at shoulder height, roll your front thigh open, and hinge at the front hip. Lengthen your spine toward the front foot and release bottom palm to the front ankle, a yoga block (placed outside the front ankle), or the seat of a chair. The benefits: While this pose can be challenging for inflexible people, it will help promote balance, stretch the hamstrings and inner thighs, and create a feeling of expansion in the body.

7. Tree – Vrksasana 

How to do it: Start in mountain pose.

Bend one knee, using hand to bring the foot into the upper inner thigh. (If this feels difficult, bring the foot to the shin below the knee, or use the wall for balance.) Press into your standing foot, and lengthen up through the crown of your head. The benefits: This pose helps improve concentration and your ability to balance by strengthening the arches of the feet and the outer hips.

8. Bridge – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana 

How to do it: Lie faceup with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms at sides.

Keep feet parallel and hip-width apart, heels stacked under knees. Roll upper arms open to expanding chest. Ground through outer upper arms, root down into heels and reach knees forward to lift the hips off the floor. Shimmy your shoulders under your chest and interlace your fingers. (Hold onto the sides of your yoga mat to create more space if your shoulders are tight.)The benefits: This energizing backbend opens your chest and stretches your neck and spine. It can calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and help improve digestion.

9. Bound Angle – Baddha Konasana 

How to do it: Sitting on the floor, bend knees, and open them wide like a book.

Join the soles of your feet together while sitting upright. Place fingertips on the floor directly behind you and lengthen up through the entire spine. You can also hold onto ankles and hinge forward at hips. (Sit up on blankets if inner thighs are tight.)The benefits: You’ll give your inner thighs and groins a nice stretch, while the forward bend creates a calming, cooling effect.

10. Corpse – Savasana 

How to do it: Lie faceup, separating legs and letting feet splay apart.

Place arms along sides, palms facing up. Close eyes and relax.The benefits: Yep, it’s as simple as it sounds. Every yoga class includes a savasana, which relaxes the whole body and gives you space to absorb the benefits of the practice. Namaste.

Click here for Intermediate Poses of Yoga Asanas

1. Plank 

How to do it: Start in a downward-facing dog.

Shift forward so your shoulders are stacked over wrists. Reach heels back as you lengthen the crown of your head forward. Ground down into hands, pull up through arms, and spread collarbones away from the sternum. Lift the front of your body up to support the pose. The benefits: Considered one of the best moves for core strength, plank pose strengthens your abdominals and promotes stability.

2. Chaturanga Dandasana 

How to do it: From plank pose, shift forward slightly.

Bend elbows to a 90-degree angle with upper arms parallel to the floor. Ground through palms and spread collarbones wide. Lift shoulders away from the floor as you pull your front ribs into the spine. Lift upper thighs toward the ceiling as you reach your tailbone toward your heels. Gaze forward. The benefits: Chaturanga is a key part of sun salutations, which you’ll find in most vinyasa classes. It promotes core stability and strengthens your abdominals and triceps.

3. Upward Facing Dog – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 

How to do it: Lie face down on the floor.

Bend elbows and place hands on the mat in line with lower ribs. Reach back through your legs, and pull yourself forward and up to straight arms. Lift thighs and knees away from the floor, spread chest wide, and lift breastbone up. The benefits: You’ll open up your chest and shoulders, and stretch the abdominals and hip flexors. This pose appears after chaturanga in a classic sun salutation.

4. Half Moon – Ardha Chandrasana 

How to do it: Start in a triangle pose.

Bend front knee, tracking it with your second toe. Step back foot in and walk bottom hand approximately 12 inches in front of you. Line up thumb with a pinky toe. Shift your weight into the front foot and liftback foot off the ground. Reach back leg strongly toward the wall behind you, then raise up the top arm. To challenge your balance, rotate your chest up toward the ceiling and gaze up at your top hand. The benefits: This balancing pose strengthens your legs and outer hips, stretches your hamstrings and inner thighs and promotes concentration.

5. Warrior I – Virabhadrasana I 

How to do it: Start in a downward-facing dog.

Step one foot forward between your hands. Turn back foot out approximately 45 degrees and ground into back foot. Line up heel to heel, or slightly wider. Bend front knee over the front ankle while you stretch through the straight back leg. On an inhale, lift torso and arms up to the ceiling. The benefits: This energizing pose strengthens your legs, arms, and back muscles. It also gives your chest, shoulders, neck, thighs, and ankles a nice stretch.

6. Warrior III – Virabhadrasana III 

How to do it: From warrior, I, hinge forward at the hips and rest your abdomen on your front thigh, arms alongside ears.

Step back foot in and shift your weight into your front foot. Liftback thigh up and reach through the back heel. Spin inner back thigh up to the ceiling. Press palms together and gaze forward at hands. (To modify, take arms alongside hips, or place hands on the floor or on blocks under shoulders.)The benefits: This heating pose strengthens your legs, outer hips, and upper back. It also helps improve balance and posture.

7. Intense Side Stretch – Parsvottanasana 

How to do it: Start in mountain pose.

Step left foot back and place it flat on the floor at an approximately 45-degree angle. Ground down into both feet and lift up through both thighs. Lift arms up to shoulder height. Turn arms in slightly and join the palms to touch behind upper back. (To modify for tight shoulders, join fists to touch, grab opposite elbows, or place hands on the hips.) Hinge forward at your hips and lengthen spine over the front leg. Lift shoulders away from the floor and spread chest wide. The benefits: The pose helps calm the mind and stretches your spine, shoulders, wrists, hips, and hamstrings.

8. Dolphin 

How to do it: Come to your forearms and interlace fingers, keeping elbows shoulder-width apart.

Tuck toes, lift knees off the floor and reach hips up and back. Allow the head to hang off the floor. Ground down into forearms and lift shoulders away from the floor. The benefits: This pose helps build strength in your upper body in preparation for headstand and forearm stand. It can also help calm your mind and relieve stress.

9. Bow – Dhanurasana 

How to do it: Lie face down, then lift chest, arms, and legs off the floor.

Bend knees and reach back to grab outer ankles. Lift toes toward the ceiling, spin inner thighs in the same direction, and lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of your knees. Spread and lift the chest. The benefits: This backbend stretches the whole front of the body, especially the chest and the fronts of your shoulders. It also gives a nice massage to your abdominal organs.

10. Camel – Ustrasana 

How to do it: Kneel with shins hip-distance apart.

Rest hands on the back of your pelvis. Press down strongly into shins and reach up through the torso. Lift chest up as you stretch arms back to reach hands to heels. (To modify, curl toes under so you don’t have to reach as far.)The benefits: This backbend stretches the entire front of your body, from your throat to your ankle, and even helps strengthen back muscles.

 

Click here for Advanced Poses of Yoga Asanas

1. Side Plank – Vasisthasana 

How to do it: Start in a downward-facing dog.

Turn onto the outer edge of your right foot, making sure that your right foot and right hand are in the same line. Stack left foot on top of right, shift weight forward, and lengthen through the crown of your head. Lift left arm up to the sky. Press down into the bottom hand and rebound up through the top arm. The benefits: This pose strengthens your shoulders, upper back, and abdominal. It also promotes core and scapular stability, which is helpful if you’re working on inversions or arm balances.

2. Wall-Assisted Handstand – Adho Mukha Vrksasana 

How to do it: Start in downward-facing dog, facing the wall.

Place hands one palm print away from the wall. Step one foot in a few inches, lifting the other leg into the air as in warrior III. Look toward the wall, bend the bottom knee, and hop off your bottom foot to bring both feet up to the wall. Join legs together and reach heels up to the ceiling. The benefits: This energizing inversion strengthens your shoulders, arms, and wrists. It helps to promote a sense of balance, confidence, and calm.

3. Wall-Assisted Forearm stand – Pincha Mayurasana 

How to do it: Start on all fours, facing the wall.

Place elbows on the floor and parallel forearms to one other, shoulder-width apart. Tuck toes, lift knees, and reach hips up and back into the dolphin pose. Spread the chest and gaze at the floor between your forearms. Step one foot in a few inches closer, and lift the other leg as in warrior III. Bend the bottom knee and hop off your bottom foot to bring both feet up to the wall. Squeeze inner thighs together, and reach heels up toward the ceiling. The benefits: This is a deep shoulder opener, making it a great preparatory pose for backbends. As an inversion, it also helps improve circulation.

4. Crow – Bakasana

How to do it: Come to a deep squat, with feet together and knees wide apart.

Shimmy side ribs down inside inner thighs and hooks upper arms underneath knees. Place hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, keeping palms under shoulders. Look forward and shift weight forward into hands in order to lift feet off the floor. Ground down into hands, pull up through arms and lower abdomen, and round your upper back. The benefits: Crow pose builds (and requires) serious strength in your arms, wrists, core, and hip flexors.

5. Wheel – Urdhva Dhanurasana 

How to do it: Lie faceup with knees bent, feet flat on the floor.

Position feet parallel to one another, hip-distance apart, with heels under the knees. Bring hands to the floor, framing ears, fingers facing toes. Press down into hands and feet, lifting hips and chest off the floor. Straighten arms and lift up through your shoulders. Spin your upper inner thighs down toward the floor as you lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of your knees. To come out of the pose, bend arms and look up toward the ceiling, slowly lowering the upper back down to the floor. The benefits: This backbend opens the entire front of the body. It strengthens the muscles in your back, shoulders, and hamstrings.

6. Seated Forward Fold – Paschimottanasana 

How to do it: Sit and straighten legs out in front of you, grounding thighs into the floor.

Hinge at hips to elongate torso over thighs. Grab hold of the outer edges of your feet. (If your hamstrings are tight, use a strap or sit up on blankets.) Bend elbows wide up toward the ceiling and lengthen the sides of your torso forward toward feet. The benefits: This feel-good fold elongates the back of your body, lengthens your spine, and stretches your hamstrings.

7. Revolved Triangle – Parivrtta Trikonasana 

How to do it: From mountain pose, step left foot back and place it flat on the floor, turned out 45 degrees.

Line up heel to heel, or wider for more stability and space. Ground down into both feet and lift up through thighs. Hinge forward at the hips and lengthen the spine over the front thigh. Release left hand to a block placed on the outer edge of the front foot. (To modify, place a block on the inside of the front foot.) Rotate torso to the right. Stretch right arm up. The benefits: This balancing posture stretches your hamstrings and outer hips. Twisting promotes the overall health of the spine and engages your abdominal oblique to facilitate the twist.

8. Boat – Navasana 

How to do it: Sit with knees bent. Place hands underneath the knees.

Tip back on the sitz bones and draw lower back in and up as you hug abdominals toward the spine. Lift shins parallel to the floor. Then stretch arms forward. Finally, straighten knees if you can. The benefits: You’ll strengthen your abdominals and hip flexors.

9. Headstand – Sirsasana 

How to do it: (Warning: If you have neck injuries or medical issues, check with your doctor before attempting this pose.

This pose is not appropriate for all practitioners and is best practiced under the watchful eye of a trusted teacher.) Start on all fours facing the wall. Interlace fingers, knuckles facing the wall. Place elbows on the floor shoulder-width apart. Tuck toes under, lift knees off the floor and reach hips up and back. Press down into your forearms and lift up through shoulders. Move your upper back into the chest. Walk feet in closer as you spread your collarbones wide. Place the crown of your head on the floor as you continue to press through forearms and lift through shoulders. (Most of the weight should be concentrated in your forearms.) Draw knees into the chest with control, place feet on the wall, and slide heels up the wall simultaneously. Reach up through legs. Come out of the pose with control, maintaining the lift of your shoulders. The benefits: This advanced inversion strengthens your upper back, shoulders, and arms, and benefits the circulatory, lymphatic, and endocrine systems.

10. Shoulderstand – Salamba Sarvangasana

How to do it: (Warning: If you have neck injuries or medical issues, check with your doctor before attempting this pose.

This pose is not appropriate for all practitioners and is best practiced under the watchful eye of a trusted teacher.) Neatly stack two blankets with the neat folded edges aligned with the short edge of your mat. Lay on the blankets and place the tops of your shoulders two inches from the edge of the blankets. Rest head on the floor behind the blankets. Roll upper arms open and spread chest wide. Ground down into upper arms to draw knees into the chest. Place feet on the floor behind your head. Be sure to keep your head still and neck relaxed. Interlace fingers behind you and roll inner upper arms open. Shimmy upper arms under the chest and draw shoulder blades in and up. Bend elbows and place both hands flat on the upper back. Press into upper arms, lift one leg at a time into shoulder stand, and reach up through legs. To come out of the pose, lower one foot at a time to the floor, release arms, and roll down one vertebra at a time.

The benefits: Like headstand, this inversion offers numerous benefits to multiple systems in the body. It’s a cooling and energetic way to end your practice.

 

“True yoga is not about the shape of your body, but the shape of your life. Yoga is not to be performed; yoga is to be lived. Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been; yoga cares about the person you are becoming. Yoga is designed for a vast and profound purpose, and for it to be truly called yoga, its essence must be embodied.”

  1. Yoga is not a work-out it is a work-in
  2. Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory
  3. Yoga is for greater self-control, for life, for posers,
  4. Discover yoga health. Discover yourself.

Hot Yoga :

The general name, HOT YOGA, refers to yoga exercises performed under hot and humid conditions.

In colder climates, hot yoga often attempts to mimic the heat and humidity of India where yoga originated.

Often, it can involve completing a strict series of 26 poses over a period of 90 minutes in a room heated to about 105 degrees and with humidity of 40%

The following chart shows 26 different asanas of Hot Yoga.

Power Yoga ( derived from Asthanga Vinyasa yoga ) :

Postures vary according to the design style of the instructor and presented in a challenging series under moderately heated temperatures. The duration can be of any length.

Click here for Reasons to do Yoga

  1. Improves your athletic performance
  2. Improves your overall quality of life
  3. Improves your short term memory
  4. Increases your muscle strength and tone
  5. Helps you Focus
  6. Increases your mental concentration
  7. Improves quality of sleep
  8. Relaxes your System
  9. Builds Muscle Strengths
  10. Maintains your nervous System
  11. Prevents cartilage and joint breakdown
  12. Gives you more energy
  13. Releases tension in Your Limbs
  14. Protects your Spine
  15. Gives your lungs room to breathe
  16. Betters your Bone Health
  17. Better mental clarity
  18. Builds awareness for Transformation
  19. Uses sounds to soothe your Sinuses
  20. Keeps Allergies and Viruses at bay
  21. Increases Your Blood Flow
  22. Drains your lymph and boosts your immune System Functionality
  23. Improves skin tone
  24. Increases your Heart Rate
  25. Improves self-esteem
  26. Drops you Blood Pressure
  27. Perfects your posture
  28. Regulates your Adrenal Glands
  29. Improves your balance
  30. Lowers Blood Sugar
  31. Eases your Pain
  32. Supports your Connective Tissue
  33. Improves your flexibility
  34. Greater physical stamina
  35. Helps to reduce excess fat
  36. Increases general productivity
  37. Slows down the aging process
  38. Improves ability to deal with stress
  39. Increases your Self Esteem
  40. Gives you Inner Strength
  41. Gives you peace of mind
  42. Helps you serve others
  43. Encourages self Care
  44. Reduces your risk of Memory loss, Anxiety, Obesity, Stroke, Cancer, Heart Diseases, Back pain, Depression, Excessive Health Care Costs, Etc.,

Shilpa Shetty

A renowned yoga practitioner and celebrity actor Ms. Shipla Shetty is also a Yoga trainer who has published many videos and conducts regular yoga classes online as well.

Bollywood actor & fitness enthusiast Shilpa Shetty Kundra has pledged to spread awareness about holistic wellness by encouraging a healthy lifestyle modification. As a 45-year old mother of two, her active lifestyle proves that she lives by her famous philosophy of ‘Swasth Raho, Mast Raho’ (Stay Healthy, Stay Happy).

Top yoga myths:

Myth #1. You have to be flexible to do yoga. Yoga requires a combination of strength, balance, and flexibility. Everyone has at least one of these in their favor and you can use that to help you improve the other areas of your practice.

Myth #2. Men don’t do yoga. Yoga was started by men and practiced exclusively by men thousands of years ago. Plus, the popularity of yoga among men is growing today. The ratio of men to women in some classes has grown from 1:10 to 1:2 in the past few years.

Myth #3. Yoga is too expensive. Most yoga studios offer introductory specials for new students. Plus, there are many DVD’s, affordable online yoga services available, and free youTube classes.

Myth #4. Yoga is a religion. Yoga is built on spirituality and the promotion of being kind and compassionate towards yourself and others. It is not a religion and does not judge religions. It is accepting of all religions.

Myth #5. Yoga is not a workout. There are many types of yoga. For those who want a more vigorous experience, try a power or ashtanga class. This class will get your heart rate up, build strength, and burn calories.

Myth #6. Yoga is just for 20-somethings.  If you have physical limitations, try a gentle yoga class or other class specific to your condition. Another option is a private class to establish a routine you can do on your own.

Myth #7. Yoga’s too much of a time commitment. Any practice of yoga will benefit you. Even a 10-minute routine first thing in the morning at home will strengthen your body and mind.

Myth #8. Yoga’s only for people who are fit and thin. A yoga class is a place of non-judgment. Everyone is there to better themselves physically and mentally. Take a beginner’s class or workshop and ease yourself into regular classes. Depending on your intention, yoga can help you attain a healthier weight or allow you to love and accept yourself as you are.

Myth #9. There is only one type of yoga. Vinyasa is the most popular type of yoga right now and involves using your breath with movement. Hatha yoga is slower with more static postures. Power yoga is more strengthening and cardiovascular. Hot yoga adds heat for an extra challenge. These are just a sampling of the many available styles today. Try each type of available classes near you and see what works best for you.

Myth #10. Yoga is not for people with injuries or chronic pain. This is the reason why you should practice yoga. Speak to your teacher before class about your special conditions so they can give you modifications and keep an eye on you. Yoga is healing and can help you with your pain relief.

Myth #11. Yoga is just a fad.  Although yoga may appear to be just another trendy exercise program that will be replaced by the next gimmick to hit the scene, it’s actually far from being a new thing, and it’s not likely to fade out of popularity anytime soon. Yoga has been around for thousands of years. While modern books, classes, videos, and workshops are relatively new methods of communicating its timeless teachings, yoga has been an established and proven means to integrate all the layers of life and awaken human potential for countless generations.

Myth #12. Yoga is just about stretching. While on the surface, yoga may appear to be a simple stretching, it is far, far more. The yoga poses or asanas that most people associate with stretching only make up a small portion of a very thoroughgoing philosophy, science, and way of life. The word yoga means union—the union of body, mind, spirit, breath, and environment. It forms an all-inclusive and comprehensive worldview.