Every Day is Yoga Day

Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle science that focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art and science for healthy living. The word “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root Yuj meaning “to join”, “to yoke” or “to unite”.

According to Yogic scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness. According to modern scientists, everything in the universe is just a manifestation of the same quantum firmament. One who experiences this oneness of existence is said to be “in Yoga” and is termed as a yogi who has attained a state of freedom, referred to as Mukti, nirvāna, kaivalya or moksha.

“Yoga” also refers to an inner science comprising of a variety of methods through which human beings can achieve union between the body and mind to attain self-realization. The aim of Yoga practice (sādhana) is to overcome all kinds of suffering that lead to a sense of freedom in every walk of life with holistic health, happiness, and harmony.

Brief History :

The science of Yoga has its origin thousands of years ago, long before the first religion or belief systems were born. According to Yogic lore, Shiva has seen as the first yogi or ādiyogi and the first guru or ādiguru. Several thousand years ago, on the banks of lake Kantisarovar in the Himalayas, ādiyogi poured his profound knowledge into the legendary saptarishis or “seven sages”. These sages carried this powerful Yogic science to different parts of the world including Asia, the Middle East, northern Africa, and South America. Interestingly, modern scholars have noted and marveled at the close parallels found between ancient cultures across the globe. However, it was in India that the Yogic system found its fullest expression. Agastya, the saptarishi who traveled across the Indian subcontinent, crafted this culture around a core Yogic way of life.

Yoga is widely considered as an “immortal cultural outcome” of the Indus Saraswati Valley Civilisation – dating back to 2700 BC – and has proven itself to cater to both material and spiritual uplift of humanity. A number of seals and fossil remains of Indus Saraswati Valley Civilisation with Yogic motifs and figures performing Yoga sādhana suggest the presence of Yoga in ancient India. The seals and idols of mother Goddess are suggestive of Tantra Yoga. The presence of Yoga is also available in folk traditions, Vedic and Upanishadic heritage, Buddhist and Jain traditions, Darshanas, epics of Mahabharata including Bhagavadgita and Ramayana, theistic traditions of Shaivas, Vaishnavas and Tantric traditions. Though Yoga was being practiced in the pre-Vedic period, the great sage Maharishi Patanjali systematized and codified the then existing Yogic practices, its meaning, and its related knowledge through Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

After Patanjali, many sages and Yoga masters contributed greatly to the preservation and development of the field through well-documented practices and literature. Yoga has spread all over the world by the teachings of eminent Yoga masters from ancient times to the present date. Today, everybody has a conviction about Yoga practices towards the prevention of disease, maintenance, and promotion of health. Millions and millions of people across the globe have benefited by the practice of Yoga and the practice of Yoga is blossoming and growing more vibrant with each passing day.

Fundamentals of yoga :

Yoga works on the level of one’s body, mind, emotion, and energy. This has given rise to four broad classifications of Yoga: Karma Yoga where we utilize the body; Jnāna Yoga where we utilize the mind; Bhakti Yoga where we utilize the emotion and Kriya Yoga where we utilize the energy. Each system of Yoga we practice falls within the gamut of one or more of these categories.

Every individual is a unique combination of these four factors. Only a guru (teacher) can advocate the appropriate combination of the four fundamental paths as is necessary for each seeker. All ancient commentaries on Yoga have stressed that it is essential to work under the direction of a guru.

Traditional schools :

The different philosophies, traditions, lineages, and guru-shishya paramparas of Yoga led to the emergence of different traditional schools. These include Jnāna Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Pātanjala Yoga, Kunḍ ạ lini Yoga, Haṭha Yoga, Dhyāna Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, Rāja Yoga, Jain Yoga, Bouddha Yoga, etc. Each school has its own approach and practices that lead to the ultimate aim and objectives of Yoga.

Yogic practices for health and wellness :

The widely practiced Yoga sadhanas are Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prānāyāma, Pratyāhara, Dhārana, Dhyāna, Samādhi, Bandhas and Mudras, Shatkarmas, Yuktāhāra, Mantra-Japa, Yukta-karma, etc. Yamas are restraints and Niyamas are observances. These are considered to be pre-requisites for further Yogic practices. Āsanas, capable of bringing about the stability of body and mind, “kuryat-tadasana- sthairyam”, involve adopting various psycho-physical body patterns and giving one an ability to maintain a body position (a stable awareness of one’s structural existence) for a considerable length of time.

Prānāyāma consists of developing awareness of one’s breathing followed by willful regulation of respiration as the functional or vital basis of one’s existence. It helps in developing awareness of one’s mind and helps to establish control over the mind. In the initial stages, this is done by developing awareness of the “flow of in-breath and out-breath” (svāsa-prasvāsa) through nostrils, mouth, and other body openings, its internal and external pathways and destinations. Later, this phenomenon is modified, through regulated, controlled and monitored inhalation (svāsa) leading to the awareness of the body space getting filled (puraka), space(s) remaining in a filled state (kumbhaka) and it getting emptied (rechaka) during regulated, controlled and monitored exhalation(prasvāsa).

Pratyāhara indicates dissociation of one’s consciousness (withdrawal) from the sense organs which connect with the external objects. Dhārana indicates a broad-based field of attention (inside the body and mind) which is usually understood as concentration.

Dhyāna (meditation) is contemplation (focussed attention inside the body and mind) and Samādhi (integration).

Bandhas and Mudras are practices associated with Prānāyāma. They are viewed as the higher yogic practices that mainly adopt certain physical gestures along with control over respiration. This further facilitates control over the mind and paves the way for higher Yogic attainment. However, the practice of dhyāna, which moves one towards self-realization and leads one to transcendence, is considered the essence of Yoga Sādhana.

Śaṭkarmas are detoxification procedures that are clinical in nature and help to remove the toxins accumulated in the body. Yuktāhāra advocates appropriate food and food habits for healthy living.

On 11 December 2014, India’s Permanent Representative Asoke Mukherji introduced the draft resolution in UNGA. The draft text received broad support from 177 Member States who sponsored the text, which was adopted without a vote. This initiative found support from many global leaders. A total of 177 nations co-sponsored the resolution, which is the highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UNGA Resolution of such nature and was passed with an overwhelming majority.  “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition.” The UN declaration of Yoga Day would make people more aware of his surroundings and help him to lead a better and stress-free life.

The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by the current Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi during his UN general assembly speech at the UNGA, on 27 September 2014. The importance of yoga can be summed up in the words of Narendra Modi “Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.”

India’s soft power ( India is a repository of an astounding wealth of living patterns and modes of heritage. With about 1,400 dialects and 18 officially recognized languages, several religions, various styles of art, architecture, literature, music, and dance, and several lifestyle patterns, the country is the largest democracy with a seamless picture of diversity and unity, perhaps unparalleled anywhere in the world ) and its new global outreach became apparent after the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015 responded positively to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion that June 21 every year be commemorated worldwide as International Yoga Day.

Following this initial proposal, the UNGA held informal consultations on the draft resolution entitled “International Day of Yoga”, on 14 October 2014. The consultations were convened by the delegation of India. The UN proclaimed 21st June as the International Day of Yoga by resolution 69/131 on 1st December 2014 proposing a dedicated day for highlighting the virtues of practicing yoga.  In 2015 Reserve Bank of India issued a 10 rupees commemorative coin to mark the International Day of Yoga.

When proposing 21 June as the date, Modi said that the date was the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere (shortest in the southern hemisphere), having special significance in many parts of the world. From the perspective of yoga, the summer solstice marks the transition to Dakshinayana. The first full moon after summer solstice is known as Guru Poornima. Shiva, the first yogi (Adi Yogi), is said to have begun imparting the knowledge of yoga to the rest of mankind on this day and became the first guru (Adi Guru). Dakshinayana is also considered a time when there is a natural support for those pursuing spiritual practices.

About the logo :

• Folding of both hands in the logo Symbolise Yoga, the union, which reflects the union of individual consciousness with that of universal consciousness, a perfect harmony between mind & body, man & nature; a holistic approach to health & well being.
• The brown leaves symbolize the Earth element, the green leaves symbolize the Nature, blue symbolizes the Water element, brightness symbolizes the Fire element and the Sun symbolizes the source of energy and inspiration.
• The logo reflects harmony and peace for humanity, which is the essence of Yoga.

Following the adoption of the UN resolution, several leaders of the spiritual movement in India voiced their support for the initiative. The founder of the Isha Foundation, Sadhguru, stated, “this could be a kind of a foundation stone to make a scientific approach to the inner well-being of the human being, a worldwide thing… It’s a tremendous step for the world.” The founder of Art of Living, Ravi Shankar, lauded the efforts of Modi, saying, “It is very difficult for any philosophy, religion or culture to survive without state patronage. Yoga has existed so far almost like an orphan. Now, official recognition by the UN would further spread the benefit of yoga to the entire world.”

“Yoga, according to me, is a science and an art that is performed by the body, but it actually satisfies our soul. That is the reason I have taken it up so seriously. I want to be connected with my soul,” shares Shilpa. The actor also says that Yoga plays an important role in maintaining one’s mental health and she wishes more people would take it up as a regular practice. Shilpa Shetty is known for her ageless looks and one can say that Yoga can surely be credited for that.

International Yoga Day aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga. Yoga was added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2016.

Maharishi Patanjali

Maharishi Patanjali is the ‘father of Yoga’ who compiled 195 Yoga Sutras that became the foundation of Yoga philosophy. The commentary on these sutras is called Bhasya. The core essence of Patanjali is the eightfold path of Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) that focusses on healthy living through Yoga.

Swami Vivekananda

Born in Calcutta in 1863, Swami Vivekananda showed a desire to unravel the spiritual and realize God even when he was a child. This is why he chose Ramakrishna as his Guru because he was sure that Ramakrishna would be able to demonstrate for him the reality of God. Ramakrishna introduced him to Advaita Vedanta and also told him that all religions are true. However, the best form of worship is service to man. The credit of introducing Vedanta and yoga to Europe and America goes to Swami Vivekananda. He raised Hinduism to the pedestal of a world religion by introducing it at the Parliament of World’s Religions at Chicago in 1893 where he also gave an inspiring speech and called the people of America his brothers and sisters. Vivekananda also raised interfaith awareness. He founded the Ramkrishna Mission and Math.

Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo was one of the brilliant prolific spiritual personalities of India. Sri Aurobindo Ghose was a great yogi, philosopher, and poet. Sri Aurobindo penned down a total of 68 books on different domains of spirituality. His best publication is ‘The Life Divine’, which focuses upon theoretical aspects of Yoga, another one is ‘Synthesis of Yoga’ that throws light on practical facets of Yoga. Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry is a great seat of spiritual practice, which is known as Integral Yoga. Auroville or Aurobindo Ashram spread the spirit of universal brotherhood. He was born in Kolkata on 15th August 1872 and sent to London for study at the age of seven.

Swami Sivananda Saraswati

Born in 1887 at Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu in 1887 Swami Sivananda was a Doctor in Malaysia, but he renounced his medical practice in 1924 when Swami Vishwananda Saraswati initiated him into Dashnami Sannyasa. He practiced intense sadhana, yoga, and learned the scriptures. He became a wandering monk and toured the length and breadth of India. Wherever Sivananda went, he tried to awaken the moral and spiritual consciousness of people. In 1936, he founded the Divine Life Society at Rishikesh with the main aim of spreading spiritual knowledge and serving mankind. Being a doctor he started the Sivananda Ayurvedic Pharmacy in 1945.

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (November 18, 1888 – February 28, 1989) was an Indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer, and scholar. Often referred to as “The Father of Modern Yoga,” Krishnamacharya is widely regarded as one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century and is credited with the revival of hatha yoga. Krishnamacharya held degrees in all the six Vedic darśanas or Indian philosophies. While under the patronage of the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, Krishnamacharya traveled around India giving lectures and demonstrations to promote yoga, including such feats as stopping his heartbeat. He is widely considered as the architect of vinyasa in the sense of combining breathing with movement.

Paramahansa Yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda is one of the pioneer Indian Yoga masters who introduced meditation and Kriya Yoga to the western world through his book ‘Autography of a Yogi’. In one of his other books, The Self-Realisation Fellowship Lessons, Paramahansa Yogananda stressed upon the realization of God through Yogic practices.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was born on 12th January 1918 and is one of the great Indian Yoga gurus famous across the globe equally. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the founder of ‘Transcendental Meditation Techniques’. He trained many teachers in ‘Transcendental Meditation and taught Transcendental Meditation Techniques to more than 5 million people across the globe.

BKS Iyengar

B.K. S. Iyengar is popularly known as Guruji, who genuinely explains the meaning of Yoga sutras. Born in 1918, he is one of the leading Yoga personalities in the world and popularises yoga across the globe. Yogacharya Iyengar’s style of teaching Yoga is unique and termed as ‘Iyengar Yoga’. B. K. S. Iyengar has command over Yogasanas, in fact, has the authority over asanas. Iyengar ji has written many books on Yoga Philosophy such as ‘Light on Yoga’, ‘Light on Pranayama’, ‘Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’, ‘Patanjali Yoga Sutra Paricay’, etc. He is the recipient of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. In a survey of Times Magazine, Iyengar ji is named as one of the 100 most Influential People in the World in 2004.

According to the statistics, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) & Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) have dramatically increased in the past years, since the evolution of the personal computer.

Checklist for Prevention

1. The most important thing to do is to take your eyes off, your computer screen and gaze into the far distance every half an hour.
2. Drink a glass of water at a regular interval of time.
3. Stay aware of your posture while you are sitting on your chair.
4. During the lunch break involve yourself in physical exercises.
5. Include full-body stretch in your daily activity.
6. Check that your workstation is set up correctly.
7. The computer screen should be at eye level or below the eye level.
8. Follow some exercise programs that include upper body strength.
9. The program must also include exercise for flexibility, to stretch out the contracted muscles of the wrist, arm, shoulder, neck, and upper back.
10. Stretch your body before you go to bed at night.
11. Observe your sleeping positions.
12. Make sure that you have the right pillow height for sleeping.
13. The neck should be supported, but too many pillows will create problems as well.
14. The neck should be in line with the rest of the spine.

What are the solutions?
Easy Desktop Yoga is a series of exercises based on yoga and designed specifically for working people. Simple and easy modified yoga exercises help you to calm, invigorate, and relax. Desktop Yoga is the perfect solution for those who want a simple, relaxing workout which they can perform while sitting at their desks. It is excellent for reducing stress during a long workday. This program targets the muscles that are mostly affected while sitting for a long period of time. It is divided by body part, so you can choose how long you want to work out.

Recommended Yoga Exercises
Here are some desktop yoga-based exercises which can be done in the office during the course of the day to help prevent CTS and RSI. Hold the positions for a few breaths and let the stretch increase, but do not force it. The most important part of each exercise is to become aware of your body and breathe.

Full body stretch-Tad Asana (Tree Pose): Exhale and inhaling take both the arms up above the head from the sides and join the palms at the top. Lift the heels and stand on the toes and pull the whole body upward. Continue smooth breathing. Pull the hands upward as much as possible.

Internal Effects: In this asana all the muscles stretch in one direction at one time and then relaxed. This process helps to remove all the strains. The muscles get rest and relaxed.

Hand Exercise: Sit straight. Keep both your hands straight forward. Make a strong fist & open it. Repeat it 10 times with enough strength. Make a strong fist and rotate clockwise 10 times and anti-clockwise 10 times. Pull your both hands with strength while inhaling and push you are both hands forward while exhaling.

Shaking out Tension: Shake out your wrists and arms, letting them dangle from your shoulders. Rotate your shoulders forward and back.

Neck Exercises: Sit straight on your chair with feet firmly on the floor. Keep your hand straight on the seatback. Extend the torso and drop the chin into the chest.

First set: While inhaling turn your head to the left side and hold for 10 seconds. Exhaling turns your head to the right side and holds for 10 seconds. Repeat it twice. Come to the center while inhaling. Tilt your head down to the right and hold for 10 seconds. Tilt your head left and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat it twice and come to the center. While inhaling tilt your head back and hold for 10 seconds. Exhaling tilts your head down and holds for 10 seconds. Repeat it twice and come to the center. While inhaling tilt your head back and rotate your head slowly clockwise and anticlockwise for 5 rounds. Come to the center.

Second set: Place your right palm on your right side of the head and resist. Repeat from the left side as well. Place both your palms on your forehead and resist. Interlock your fingers to place it in your back of the head and resist.

Release the Neck: Shrug the shoulders high up to the ears and then release and drop. Repeat at least 3 times.

Back Exercise (Forward Bending): Sit on a chair, spread the legs apart. Stretch both arms up and then bend forward, placing both palms on the floor. Hold on to the posture for 10-25 seconds and release. Repeat the same movement 5 times.

Opening the Chest: Interlock your fingers behind your back with the palms facing the torso. Roll the shoulders back, but keep the ribs from poking forward. Stretch your elbows and arms on the exhale and hold it for a few breaths. On the exhale, bend your elbows and bring your wrists to the right side waist, gently pressing the right elbow towards the left. Release and do the other side.

Opening the mid-back (Hug your body): Hug your body, placing the right hand on your left shoulder and left hand on your right shoulder. Breathe into the area between your shoulder blades. Exhaling brings the arms straight down, the palms facing each other. Stretch the fingers up, and on the next exhale, raise the elbows up to shoulder height. Hold for a few breaths and then repeat on the other side.

Back Exercise (Side Stretching): Hold chair with one hand. Stretch the other arm up and bend sideways. Hold on to the posture for 10-25 seconds and release. Come back to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Repeat it thrice.

Pawanmuktasana (Abdominal Massage): Sit straight on a chair, bend your right leg, interlock your fingers, and hold your knee. While exhaling pulls your knee up to the chest. Hold for 20 seconds, release it while inhaling. Repeat it with the left side as well.

Ardhamatsyasana (Twisting the Torso): With the feet planted firmly in the ground and the thigh bones pressing into your chair, inhale to take your right leg up and cross it to the left side. Place your right hand straight on the chair. Hold your knee with the left hand and press on the abdomen while exhaling. Inhale to take it up and exhale to bring it down. Repeat it with the other leg as well. Remember to keep breathing slowly and deeply as you twist.

Leg Exercise: While standing place your one leg on the chair and stretch your toes hamstring muscle by pulling your toes in. While inhaling takes both your legs up and exhaling bend forward keeping your back straight. Try to hold your toes with both hands. Hold for 20 seconds. Inhaling come up. Repeat it with the other side as well.

Relax the Eyes: Turn your head right and left, looking into the far distance with your eye gaze. Close your eyes and take some deep, slow breaths with your belly soft. You can do it without moving your head as well.

Sahaj Pranayama: Sit in a chair with a straight back. Close the eyes and relax, keeping the spine and body straight. Focus all attention on the navel region – the point of fire in the body. Inhale deeply; tilt your chin down to touch collar bone. Hold your breath for a count of 10. Raise your chin up and exhale through the mouth. Repeat the three stages of this cycle in a rhythmic fashion. Practice up to 5 rounds.

Don’ts: People with cervical spondylosis should not press the chin down. They can keep their chin up.

Kapalabhati: Sit in a comfortable position with a straight spine. Take two or three deep inhales and exhales. Inhale deeply to exhale sharply and forcefully through the nostrils, drawing the belly in as you exhale and producing a puffing sound. Let the inhalation happen passively, and continue this cycle of forceful exhalation and passive inhalation at a fast pace so that the belly is pumping continuously. At the same time, receive an auto-suggestion about the increased flow of blood circulation, detoxification, and vitalization of the vital organs viz. kidney, small intestine, large intestine, prostate gland, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, and lungs, etc.
Practice the process for 2.5-15mins. You may take short breaks when you start out on this yogic breathing exercise.

Benefits: Kapalbhati means the exercise which makes the forehead luminous & lustrous. This Pranayama supplies pure life energy to the brain. It increases the blood circulation in the brain and removes blood clots, thereby improving the memory power. Other than this the toxins and foreign substances from the body are evacuated. It cures a cold, sinusitis, allergy, tension, and other diseases. It is very useful in case of phlegm, skin disease, asthma, heart diseases, low blood pressure, depression, tiredness, laziness, sleeplessness, migraine, joint pain, obesity, diabetes, constipation, indigestion, acidity, gastric problem and other diseases pertaining to the kidneys and prostate gland, etc. are also cured. As a result, the whole body becomes healthy and disease-free.

Many people assume that since yoga is a passive fitness activity it may not give us the desired weight loss results. However, that is not true. Though yoga doesn’t involve vigorous, HIIT-like movements or fast-paced aerobic activities, it can still help your body burn fat fast.

The subject of weight loss with yoga is often looked at with uncertainty because it doesn’t exactly seem so laborious or physically intensive. And yoga works not just on our bodies but also on our minds. It helps promote flexibility in your body, boost concentration, and more importantly release stress.

If you are planning to lose weight, there is nothing more effective than yoga. The evidence of its effectiveness is in yogis who have been lean and healthy for centuries. In fact, the weight loss yoga trends like hot yoga and hath yoga are all based on the traditional form of yoga, Apart from a regular practice of yoga, one must also follow mitahara (measured eating), which is not the same as dieting. To follow mitahara, one must eat as a form of devotion to the temple that is our body.

1. Atmantan, “Suryanamaskar, or the sun salutation, is the best yoga asana for weight loss. It is usually practiced as a warm-up exercise as it works on every body part.

Suryanamaskar (Sun salutation): Here’s how to get it right.

1. Start with the prayer pose,
2. Move to raised arms post,
3. Hand to foot pose,
4. Then the equestrian pose,
5. Then the stick pose,
6. Slowly move to salute with eight points post,
7. Then cobra pose,
8. Follow it up with mountain pose,
9. Back to the equestrian post,
10. Hand to foot pose,
11. Raised arms and back to where you started at the prayer pose.
12. This is a great way to speed up metabolism, activate digestion, and strengthen abdominal muscle. Apart from these, it also promotes good sleep and keeps anxiety at bay.

Make sure to stay in form when practicing naukasan

Naukasan (Boat Pose): Lie down on your back bring the legs together, hands on the thighs, or next to the thighs on the floor. Once in position, inhale and raise your head, arms in a straight line off the floor at 30-degree angle, toes pointing upward. This asana engages the core, increases the efficiency of abdominal muscles, and helps reduce belly fat.

Try to stay in this position and stretch your hamstrings.

Paschimottanasan (head to toe): Sit with legs stretched out and together, inhale and raise the arms alongside your ears, exhale and pull the navel in, stretch the spine forward from the hips. Attempt to hold the toes with hands, bending the elbow outward or downward. This pose helps elongate the spine and give it a good stretch.

This pose will help burn fat faster.

Dandasana (plank post): This pose has been translated into many fitness routines, but it won’t be wrong to say that it originated in the centuries-old yoga practice. Lie down on the abdomen, bring the elbows under the shoulders, get in the pushup position and place your forearms on the ground. Inhale and lift your body off the floor, with toes and hand support. Squeeze the glutes, tighten your abdominal muscles. Hold the post for 5-7 normal breaths. This pose is an excellent way to engage and strengthen the core, help burn fat and calories from the abdomen.

The benefits of yoga provide both instant gratification and lasting transformation. In the fitness world, both are extremely important. Too much time with too few results can be incredibly discouraging, and monotonous routines week after week can lead to stagnation. Yoga can change your physical and mental capacity quickly while preparing the mind and body for long-term health.

Yoga is very necessary and beneficial for all human beings if it is practiced by all on a daily basis in the early morning. The benefits of Yoga include:-

• Increased muscle strength and tone
• Increased flexibility
• Improved respiration, energy and vitality
• Maintaining a balanced metabolism
• Weight reduction
• Cardio and circulatory health
• Improved athletic performance
• It tones the skin, improves oxygenation to the skin, imparts a beautiful glow, and keeps the skin youthful and free from problems.
• Prevents cartilage and joint breakdown.
• Protects your spine.
• Betters your bone health.
• Increases your blood flow.
• Drains your lymph and boosts immunity.
• Drops your blood pressure.
• Regulates your adrenal glands.
• It lowers blood sugar.
• It helps your focus.
• It helps to promote blood circulation and oxygenation to the scalp and hair follicles.
• Many beauty problems are triggered off by stress. Since yoga helps to induce relaxation and reduce stress
• It certainly helps in dealing with stress-related conditions like acne, hair loss, dandruff, etc.
• yoga has shown that positive changes also occur in the personality, in attitudes, emotional stability, self-confidence.
• It helps you concentrate.
• Relaxes your system.
• Improves your balance.
• It helps you sleep deeper.
• Gives your lungs room to breathe.
• Increases your self-esteem.
• It gives you inner strength.
• Uses sounds to soothe your sinuses.
• Releases tension in your limbs.
• Eases your pain.
• It has a direct effect on the mind, emotions, and mood.
• It is a regular stress-buster and puts the glow back on the skin.
• It helps oxygenation.
• Perfects your posture.
• It imparts a feeling of physical and mental exhilaration.
• Yoga improves blood circulation, including the circulation of blood to the skin surface.
• It also promotes the removal of toxins through the skin.
• Encourages self-care.
• Fosters mental calmness.
• Relieves Anxiety.
• Hip flexors are stretched and strengthened.
• Imparts a beautiful glow and keeps the skin youthful and free from problems.
• You will feel instantly rejuvenated and good about yourself.

Yoga is a mirror to look at ourselves from within.

• You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside… So start yoga to control your inside world … !.
• Yoga is the practice of quieting your mind. Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, the science of youthfulness, the science of integrating body, mind, and soul.
• Yoga is not a workout, it is a work in and this is the point of spiritual practices to make us teachable, to open up our hearts and focus our awareness so that we can know what we are already and what we already know.
• Yoga is not about self-improvement, it’s about self-acceptance.
• Yoga imparts a lasting sense of joy, peace, and fulfillment.
• Yoga enhances vitality, focus, and productivity; it stabilized the human body, mind, and emotion of a human being.
• Yoga is a light, once lit, will never dim. The better you practice the brighter the flame will be.
• Yoga is the golden key that unlocks the door to peace, joy, and happiness.

Yoga can contribute to resilience against non-communicable diseases.

Yoga can bring communities together in an inclusive manner that generates respect.

Yoga can contribute to development and peace. It can even help people in emergency situations to find relief from stress.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

“Yoga lets people discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature” Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi

“Through the practices of yoga, we discover that concern for the happiness and well being of others, including animals, must be an essential part of our own quest for happiness and well being. The fork can be a powerful weapon of mass destruction or a tool to create peace on Earth.”
Sharon Gannon

“You cannot do yoga. Yoga is your natural state. What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state.”
Sharon Gannon

“A photographer gets people to pose for him. A yoga instructor gets people to pose for themselves.”
T. Guillemets

“In theory, practice and theory are the same. In practice they are not.”
Yogi Berra

“When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.”
Hatha Yoga Pradipika

“You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside.”
Mr. Yoga

“Before you’ve practiced, the theory is useless. After you’ve practiced, the theory is obvious.”
David Williams

“The most important pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind.”
Rodney Yee

“Exercises are like prose, whereas yoga is the poetry of movements. Once you understand the grammar of yoga; you can write your poetry of movements.” -Amit Ray

Yoga has a sly, clever way of short-circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety.
Baxter Bell

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”
B.K.S. Iyengar

“Yoga, an ancient but perfect science, deals with the evolution of humanity. This evolution includes all aspects of one’s being, from bodily health to self-realization. Yoga means union – the union of body with consciousness and consciousness with the soul. Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day to day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions.”
B.K.S. Iyengar

“When you listen to yourself, everything comes naturally. It comes from inside, like a kind of will to do something. Try to be sensitive. That is yoga.” –Petri Räisänen