Today is International Day of Yoga, a day to celebrate this ancient practice that India gave to the world. Yoga is not a fad. It’s not just an exercise. Yoga is much more than a trendy workout class – it’s a holistic approach to well-being and a way of life.
Today marks the 10th International Day of Yoga! This year’s theme, “Yoga for Self and Society,” encourages a holistic approach to health not only for individual well-being but for the collective good. Yoga promotes harmony between mind and body, balance between thought and action, and unity between self and society.
Still on the fence about yoga? Here are just a few reasons to incorporate yoga into your everyday life:
1. Strong and Flexible Body
Practising any form of yoga will bring positive changes to your body. Yoga goes way beyond weight loss (although it is one of the perks). Regular and consistent practice will increase your flexibility, strengthen and tone muscles, give you more energy, and improve your cardiovascular health. It can even enhance your athletic performance and help prevent injuries.
Surya Namaskar is known to have an immensely positive impact on your body’s natural mechanisms and lead to a state of optimal balance. It’s a full-body workout with a dynamic sequence of 12 postures linked with breathwork that:
- Improve strength, flexibility, and circulation.
- Improves blood circulation throughout the body
- Helps burn calories and contributes to weight loss
- Improves focus
- Reduces anxiety
- Better detoxification for your body
- Better quality of sleep
Read More: Benefits of Surya Namaskar: How It Transforms Your System
2. Stress Reduction
Practising yoga is not only an effective stress reliever but also a way to ease symptoms of anxiety. By focusing on your breath and bodily sensations, yoga quiets the mind and eases tension.
Daily breathing exercises and meditation can calm the nerves and put your mind at ease. Yoga is a practice, not a competition. Be patient and set your own pace.
3. Goal Setting
Yoga teaches you to find joy in the practice. It is also a reflection of the changing nature of the dynamic between self and action. For some of us, finding the balance between joy and achievement is a bit of a tightrope walk. What do you want to get better at? Choose something, and then do it. Yoga teaches you to enjoy the process.
Having a clear intention and clear goal is critical for your success whether in business or in yoga. Intention serves to inspire and focus you mentally and spiritually. Goals, on the other hand, help you apply the right physical effort to the task at hand.
Yoga can help you discover what brings you joy and empower you to take action towards your aspirations. The next time you unroll your mat, take a moment to check in with both your intention and your goals.
4. Pain Reliever
It’s no secret that yoga increases muscular flexibility and strength, but studies show that yoga is an effective treatment for back pain, knee pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other chronic pain conditions. A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that among 313 people with chronic low back pain, a weekly yoga class increased mobility more than standard medical care for the condition.
By strengthening the muscles around weak joints, yoga provides safe and gentle pain relief as opposed to weight-bearing exercises that could worsen weak joints.
5. Focus
Both recent research and yogic philosophy suggest that practising yoga is an excellent way to quiet the mind and improve concentration. In yoga, you develop concentration through practice, to being able to focus on one thing. You train the mind to become aware and present.
Practicing yoga quiets your mind and keeps distracting thoughts at bay. Patanjali, the sage who compiled the Yoga Sutras said, ‘yoga chitta vritti nirodha’, which means yoga reduces the fluctuations of your mind. This improved mental clarity clears your head and helps you concentrate better.
6. Better Life Choices
Your life is made up of the choices you make. Yoga gives you a sense of self-awareness that extends beyond the yoga mat. You will naturally choose things in life that support this positive journey. You will start having a more mindful approach to daily activities, practise healthier eating habits and have a more positive outlook on life.
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Combining regular yoga with healthy meals will support your yoga journey.Read More: 5 Reasons to Switch to a Healthy Cooking Oil | Nutriplus VCO
Easy Yoga Poses for Beginners
You don’t need to be a gymnast or an athlete to do yoga. You practice yoga to become more flexible, not because you already are. It’s a journey of self-discovery that strengthens and conditions your body while calming your mind.
Let’s check out some basic yoga poses that are perfect for beginners. Remember, there are many variations of each pose, allowing you to modify them to suit your unique body.
1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana) – Although it may look simple, it subtly engages your core and leg muscles while improving body awareness and alignment.
Guide: Stand with your big toes touching and heels slightly apart. Lengthen your spine by reaching your tailbone towards the floor, broaden your collarbones, and let your arms hang relaxed at your sides. Hold for up to 10 breaths.
2. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana – Bitilasana) – This stretches and mobilises your spine, helping to relieve tension in your back and improve posture.
Guide: Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly below your shoulders. As you exhale, round your spine towards the ceiling (Cat Pose), then inhale and arch your back gently upwards (Cow Pose). Repeat this flow 5 to 10 times.
3. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) – This pose can help improve lower back pain by strengthening your core and increasing flexibility.
Guide: Lie on your stomach with your palms flat on the floor. Gently press into your palms and lift your upper body off the mat, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Don’t worry about straightening your arms completely, especially if you’re new to the pose. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths before slowly lowering yourself back down.
4. Child’s Pose (Balasana) – This pose offers a gentle stretch for your lower back and hips.
Guide: Sit back on your heels and slowly walk your hands out in front of you, resting your forehead on the floor or a comfortable prop. Breathe deeply and stay in this position for 30 seconds to a few minutes.
5. Corpse Pose (Savasana) – The final resting pose in most yoga practices, Savasana allows your body to fully relax after the physical movements of the class.
Guide: Lie flat on your back with your arms by your sides and soften your entire body. This pose promotes deep relaxation and stress reduction. Aim to hold for at least 5 minutes.
Read More: Yoga for Beginners: The Ultimate Guide to Starting Your Practice
You can also follow along with the instructor in the video below for a quick full-body stretch:
These are just a few examples to get you started. There’s no excuses now! Yoga is not hard. As long as you start at your own pace and move upwards, you will notice the positive changes in your mind, body and life in next to no time.
