Yoga has been practised for thousands of years as a gentle yet powerful means of achieving flexibility, strength, stillness and balance of body & mind. Yoga originated on the subcontinent of India thousands of years ago however more and more people in the western world are turning to yoga as a way of dealing with the stresses and strains of modern day living.
For example Science supports several possibilities for how yoga helps with depression. Studies have found that it reduces the levels of cortisol (stress hormone secreted by the adrenals) This hormone is often elevated in people with this dis-ease. A study in India found that a yoga program that included asana (postures) pranayama (breath) and meditation raised levels of serotonin and lowered levels of monoamine oxidase – two chemicals involved in depression.
Most of us are in jobs that affect our posture, over tightening of muscles and over lengthening of other muscles bring imbalance and instability to our bodies. Heavy work loads bring on high levels of stress, combine this with a round shouldered closed chest position we often adopt at work and we are restricting the depth and width of our body's vital energy source - our breath.
Asana is the practise of postures to bring about a strong and sound body which in turn can contribute to a balanced approach to training the mind. Asanas give the body a sense of grounding, which in turn leads to a release of energy.
Pranayama – Because of the close relationship between the flow of breath and a person's mental state, balanced breathing can promote mental equilibrium and clarity.
Meditation – If you practise yoga asanas and pranayama you will experience the attentiveness and quietness it brings lead inevitably to the deeper concentration of meditation, a celebration of just being.
