Namaste

yo·ga (ˈyōgə) n.

1. a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.

Yoga is an ancient exercise that has been around for thousands of years. This old exercise is now taking over the 21st century. Teens and people everywhere are hooked on yoga. Yoga is a form of exercise and meditation that lets you feel great inside and out.

History

It is believed that yoga was created by sages as a pre meditation ritual in India over 5,000 years ago. The sages found that it was hard to sit still while meditating. They came up with a series of exercises to strengthen their bodies before meditating their minds. The sages studied the movements of birds and animals. You may have noticed that many yoga poses are animal related, such as the downward dog or crow pose. “When they combined these movements with breathing exercises, they found that they could sit longer and focus their minds more easily” (Schwartz 6).

Yoga was handed down from generation to generation until a sage named Patanjali wrote The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in 200 BC. The book is composed of 196 sayings that explain what yoga is. “Because Patanjali was the first person to present these teachings in an organized way, he is considered the founder of  yoga” (Schwartz 25).

Although yoga is over 5,000 years old, it didn’t reach the West until the 1800s when Britain took control of India. While in India the British officers learned yoga. When they first showed the exercise to the Europeans they made fun of them, but when they realized it worked Europe fell in love with yoga. It wasn’t until 1893 that yoga hit North America. Swami Vivekananda brought the stretching exercise to our country while on a tour of the United States. However, yoga was not a common exercise in the U. S. until the 1960s.

Benefits

Yoga has many physical and mental benefits. Not surprisingly yoga improves flexibility. Yoga can strengthen your heart as well as your bones. If you're a swimmer or a singer, yoga is great for you because it increases lung capacity. World champion free-diver Francisco Ferreras can hold his breath for eight minutes thanks to yoga. (Schwartz 19)

Yoga also improves your skin; by improving blood circulation your skin is left looking healthier and more radiant. The headstand pose is great for glowing skin. Although it can be difficult, this inverted pose causes blood to flow and flushes fresh nutrients and oxygen to the face.

Yoga has many mental benefits also. Two of the most popular reasons for doing yoga are to relax and reduce stress. Yoga helps to relieve places stress by relaxing tight muscles. Yoga is also great for sleep. There are many yoga routines to help you wind down. When you visualize a pose, it stimulates your imagination and creativity.

Are you Ready for Yoga?

By now you might be be thinking, I want to try but… There are many misconceptions about yoga. One misconception is that you have to be Hindu. Yoga started as a Hindu practice, but modern yoga is not connected to religion. Yoga is not a religion and you do not have to belong to a particular religion to do yoga. You can worship a light bulb and still do yoga. Another misconception of yoga is that you have to be flexible in order to do it. “that's a little bit like thinking that you need to be able to play tennis in order to take tennis lessons” (Lee 1). You will become flexible after doing yoga.

The last misconception that I am going to address is that you have to be a vegetarian to practice yoga. I am a vegetarian and do yoga, but it is not necessary. “The first principle of yoga philosophy is ahimsa, which means non harming to self and others. Some people interpret this to include not eating animal products.” (Lee 1). Some yogis are vegetarian, but many are not. The choice is up to you.

Yoga does not require a lot  supplies. It is helpful to have a yoga mat, but it is not mandatory. You can find yoga mats at about any discount department stores such as Meijer and Target; as well as fitness and yoga supply stores. I got mine at Meijer for twenty dollars. Yoga mats come in a variety of colors and designs.

The best clothes for yoga are a pair of sweatpants; leggings, or shorts; and a form fitting t-shirt. You can find clothes specifically designed for yoga at most discount department, clothing or fitness stores. Lululemon and Sweaty Betty have quality yoga attire, but can be very pricey. The average pair of yoga pants at Lululemon cost $90, with some pants going up to $108. Target offers more affordable yoga attire, but you will probably be able to find something in your closet that would work fine. Besides a mat you really don't need anything else for yoga.

Yoga is a great exercise that has physical and mental benefits. I know I am glad I tried yoga and I hope this will motivate you to try it also. Yoga is simple and fun!

Works Cited

Adrienne. "101 Benefits of Yoga–The Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Benefits of a Consistent Yoga Practice." YOGADRIENNE. N.p., 2014. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. <http://yogadrienne.com/101-benefits-of-yoga>.

Lee, Cyndi. "Yoga Frequently Asked Questions." Yoga Journal. Active Interest Media, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.

McCall, Timothy. "Count on Yoga: 38 Ways Yoga Keeps You Fit." Yoga Journal. Active Interest Media, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.

Schwartz, Ellen. I Love Yoga: A Guide for Kids and Teens. Toronto: Tundra, 2003. Print.