Aug 01, 2020
Yoga is a philosophy of life with a lot of tradition. It has been practised for more than 2000 years to create a balance between emotional, physical and spiritual health. With increasing interest in a balanced lifestyle in the Western world, science has also taken a closer look at the health effects of yoga in recent years. Research results from universities such as Harvard or the Charité, confirm that yoga is a real miracle cure.
In this article, we will introduce you to the many physical, mental and spiritual benefits of yoga that have been proven by both scientists and yogis.
Regular yoga practice reduces stress and generally makes you feel more relaxed. But why is that?
The different asanas stimulate your vagus nerve, which activates your relaxation and regeneration system. At the same time, the release of cortisol, the primary stress hormone, is reduced.
Many of us are under constant stress in our daily lives - you're late in the morning, worried you won't be able to handle the workload at work by the end of the day, or worried about the future of the world. This leads to our bodies not being able to carry out certain processes correctly. These include digestion, but also cell regeneration and the strengthening of the immune system.
With just a few sun salutations in the morning, you can calm your nervous system and start the day more relaxed. In the following, we have summarised for you how regular yoga practice also affects your body.
The Savasana Pose (dead posture) is also a wonderful way to wind down after a long day. You can even practise this exercise directly in bed. To do this, lie on your back, stretch your legs slightly open and place your arms outstretched beside your body, palms up. Breathe in and out deeply a few times and you will notice how your body relaxes considerably and is ready for the journey into your dreams.
At a glance, these positive effects yoga has on your body Yoga has effects on a wide variety of physical activities:
In addition to the physical effects on our bodies, yoga also has a number of psychological effects. For example, regular yoga practice has a positive effect on your inner peace, mental strength and self-confidence.
So yoga has an effect on our body. But what about the psyche? Does the tradition from India really make us happier and more serene people?
But not only does yoga improve our mood, the practice also helps us to cope more easily with difficult events, such as a break-up, the next job interview or deciding on a new path in life. Yoga stimulates your emotional awareness and transforms apprehension into courage, indecision into positive decision-making skills and emotional instability into mental balance.
At a glance, these positive effects yoga has on your mindOn a psychological level, yoga helps you in the following ways:
While the yoga practice strengthens physically and relaxes mentally, your mind is stimulated through meditation and reaches new heights.
Yoga serves to anchor us in our true nature. You explore your spiritual self and deal with the structure of your psyche from a yogic perspective. This means you look at all your relationships - with yourself, but also with your environment and your fellow human beings - and understand what makes you the person you are.
Yoga philosophy deals with topics that are relevant to every human being. Those who devote themselves to the spiritual teachings of yoga will discuss questions such as 'Who am I?' and 'Why am I here?' and eventually find more stability in their own existence and know what their purpose in life is. Those who are no longer afraid of the big questions in life are no longer afraid of life.
Note: To explore your spiritual self, you usually need years of discipline. You will feel the effects of your yoga exercises after the first class.
Every body is different and every style of yoga works differently. Nevertheless, there are some positive effects that can occur with regular practice.
Immediately after the yoga class:
After a few months of regular practice:
With many years of yoga practice:
However, for these positive effects of yoga to take full effect, it is important that you never make yoga a chore. While it doesn't hurt to have a resolution to practice regularly, yoga should feel good and easy. That way, you won't want to stop.
Through the informal but regular practice of yoga, the exercises have become an everyday activity for many yogis, like brushing their teeth in the evening before going to bed. It is an act of self-care and energy hygiene.
Yoga is a tool for self-reflection and balance and helps us to deal with challenges. We all experience ups and downs and Eastern philosophy teaches us to approach difficult situations positively and to cope with them calmly and confidently. With a daily practice, yogis feel firmly grounded in their bodies and views and are ready to face life's challenges.
Just as there are hundreds of different styles of yoga, their effects on each yogi are also diverse. The basic yogic principle of inner balance also refers here to the interaction between body and mind. Physical, psychological and spiritual effects are therefore not to be considered separately, but as a whole. How you feel physically determines how you feel mentally and vice versa.
If you pay attention during your next yoga class, you will experience at least one effect directly: Yoga makes you feel good.
Make a resolution today to do at least 15 minutes of yoga... ... and don't forget your LUVIYO