Yoga Lifestyle For Health And Happiness

What is yoga lifestyle? It is virtually impossible to separate philosophy of life from yoga. Progress in yoga depends not only on your efforts on the mat. Equally important is to consider what you do off the mat during the rest of the day. Each moment unfolds in your situations requiring your response. You may respond in a positive way or negative way. Even not responding is an action. Yogic lifestyle involves integrating your, mind body and soul to perform karma that takes you towards good health, peace of mind and ultimate freedom. Most of us are caught in the whirlwind known as human life;

A man sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in their present or the future. He lives as if he is never going to die; and then he dies having never really lived.....Dalai Lama

Why to waste this precious life? For sorting our life's problems, coping with stress and taking care of health is a challenging task. This task becomes easier if we can take a holistic view of our life and adopt yoga lifestyle as a way of life.
Yoga lifestyle is based on universal truths or principles of good ethics and spirituality. These principles are as valid today as they were thousands of years ago. Yoga is not limited to yoga poses, pranayama or meditation only. Yoga is a way of life which can be easily incorporated in to your daily lives.
  As a beginner, you may find various facets of yoga philosophy difficult to understand.

• First we need to understand the various concepts of yoga lifestyle. All these concepts are closely integrated, one attribute complements others.
• Second step is to practice the action steps to realise our yoga goals.
• However, if any of the action steps do not conform to your established beliefs, leave it at that and proceed further. With sufficient practice you will find your way.

Yoga Lifestyle: Getting Started

Setting Chief Goal of Your Life

Without a definite aim there can be little progress. The chief goal of life has to be well defined. This will enable you to know your destination and enable you to channelise all your energies in a single direction. All your other material and spiritual/ yoga goals must align to this chief goal. Also remember that for a serious yoga practitioner the goal is already defined, realisation of union with the divine.

Selecting Your Yoga Path

Once you know your yoga goals, you have to select the path to be followed. Each person is having a unique temperament, health/ fitness levels and spiritual awareness levels. You need to chart your own yoga path under guidance of an experienced teacher. For adopting yoga lifestyle, you may choose to focus on hatha yoga, japa yoga, karma yoga or bhakti yoga. Your every action on any of these paths is interlinked. All your actions must be synchronised to achieve your gains with least effort.

Aim for Continuous Improvement

Yoga practice needs a disciplined approach and self control. Procrastination is its worst enemy. You have to force yourself for first 40 to 50 days to do yoga regularly till yoga practice becomes a part of your life. Make yoga as No. 1 priority in your life, even if do yoga for half an hour daily. Start yoga NOW and do it daily. Progress in yoga is slow. Regular practice ensures steady and continuous progress.

Introspect and Improve Life

Intense and continuous introspection can help you to first identify your limitations before you find fault with others. Be a continuous observer of your thoughts and actions. You need to improve yourself before setting out to reform the world.

Creating An Integrated Personality

You have to mould your life as per yoga lifestyle to become an integrated personality with solid character. The constant efforts to increase sattva guna, strong belief in positive values and practicing one's Dharma give rise to an inner integration. This integration results in better concentration of mind and meditation.

Practice Spiritual Living

Spiritual growth is one of the main aims of yoga practice. A spiritual person realises that whole cosmos is manifested closely inter related and interdependent. Spiritual living provides you with an austere yoga lifestyle where you do not waste energy on mundane issues and instead work for making significant impact in this world through your actions.

Simplify Life

We have lost the joy of living life while keeping up with the fast pace of modern life. Slow down a bit. When was the last time, you could spare free time to analyse where your life is heading? Review your needs and look around yourself how to simplify your life as per yoga lifestyle.

Realise Your Infinite Potential.

Each one of us is born with infinite potential but we forget this reality and get bogged down with multitude of problems many of which are just imagination of our mind. Our soul is a mirror image of supreme consciousness. Our senses and ego diminishes the light of soul limiting our power of awareness and discrimination. Pray to God, surrender to God and open your heart to let His infinite Grace nourish your soul. It is in your hands to open the door. God loves each one of us.

Freedom From All Fears

Fear is one of the most damaging human emotions which is propagated by lack of self confidence. Fear of any kind will sap your energy and reduce your working efficiency. Fear of loss of property, fear of death and fear of illness are some of the common fears. Once you start realising that everything in this world is being manifested as per Gods great design. Divine love will help to overcome all fears.

Let Go of Ego

Ego is how we perceive reality as we move around in this world. Ego is false and we have to realise our true inner self. Ego is this false self which creates an impression that it knows everything. All problems in life are seen and tackled as perceived by our ego. You need to let go of the ego but it will require tremendous effort to identify our ego and then to get over the ego. It means you need to understand our true self and see the world without passing through the prism of our ego.

Forget about Guilt Trips

Get rid of all guilt trips. Guilt is powerfully negative emotions that affect one psychologically. Do your best in a given situation and do not let other to make you feel guilty. Remember, nobody is perfect and you are bound to make mistakes. If you have positive attitude and your intentions are clear do not worry at all.

Overcome Fear Of Death

Most of the people carry a strong fear of death. Non living things never die. Whoever takes birth has to die. Worrying too much about life after death, or existence or non existence of soul takes away the joy out of living. Death is a certain phenomenon not in our hands, but living life to the fullest is in our hands.

Human Life Is Precious

Human body is an amazing but perishable gift given by God to you. You are lucky to get birth in the human form. You have finite time in this birth; do not waste your life by running after unreal things. Utilise this birth to work relentlessly for betterment of life and ultimately achieve salvation. Do not waste time. Engage in noble deeds.

Religion Or Spirituality

Practice of any religion without developing spiritually does not make any sense. Spirituality is also possible without following any religion. We can say that if God exists, He is there for whole cosmos. Therefore spirituality is universal. Spirituality can be our direct link to the creator, the supreme intelligence.

Selection of a Guru

You can learn yoga asanas and pranayama from a yoga teacher. But a Guru is required to assimilate the life concepts required for daily living. A Guru is an enlightened soul who will guide you in your quest to realise the divine. Selection of a Guru is must for faster spiritual progress. Till you find a Guru, get guidance from spiritual texts and epics written by enlightened souls to formulate your yoga lifestyle.

Get Inspired

Yoga lifestyle does not mean to put on robes of a monk and become a sanyasi. Dream high and achieve your dreams. Yoga practice will help you to understand the true meaning of life and provide you with the necessary discipline, strength and will power to live an inspired life.

Understand Maya Or Illusion

Maya is the illusory power which takes us away from God realisation. It means that we get attached to things, desires and physical world. We are in fact getting an illusion of permanence whereas nothing in this world is permanent. All this is transient. Only the energy of the soul is divine and permanent.

Search for Happiness

One of the chief cause of human suffering is due to unsatisfied desires. Happiness is possible when you have set clear well defined goals and your mind and body works in harmony to achieve these goals.

Seek and You Shall Find

How to find God? We are too small a entity to perceive the power or concept of God. God can be experienced only. Once you start on the path towards unification with the supreme creator, you will find your own path provided you have 100 per cent faith and determination.

Universal Brotherhood

Yoga philosophy believes that all persons are created equal and no discrimination must be made based on country of residence, sex, age or religion. The soul in all humans is derived from the same source and God wants us to work for common good.

Harmony

Yoga lifestyle provides perfect harmony between your mind and body. Maintain harmonious relations with your colleagues at work and family members at home. This will reduce your stress levels promote co-operation and improve efficiency.

Do yoga with complete faith and dedication to get the benefits. Adopt yoga lifestyle and lead an activelife.

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How will Yoga help me?

1. What are the physical benefits of practicing yoga?
2. What are the mental benefits of yoga?
3. What are the diseases that can be cured by yoga?
4. What is the advantage of yoga over other exercises?
5. Can yoga delay middle age?
6. Can yoga make me stronger?
7. Can yoga relieve my back pain?
8. I'm stressed out - will yoga help me to relax?
9. Can yoga help cure migraines?
10. Can yoga treat arthritis?
11. Can yoga treat obesity?
12. Can yoga cure insomnia?
13. Can yoga bring energy?
14. Can yoga help me in PMS?
15. Can yoga help me ease stress and postpartum depression?
16. Can yoga help keep a check on my blood pressure?
17. Is it true that practicing yoga can bring me happiness and inner peace?
18. How does yoga help in my everyday life?
19. Can yoga improve my personality?
20. Will yoga help me in playing my game (e.g. tennis) better?

Q1. What are the physical benefits of practicing yoga?

Yoga is a powerful discipline that can improve health and fitness. Regular yoga practice has been known to increase the stamina, flexibility, stability and strength. Practicing of yoga postures also brings a feeling of well-being to the entire body by stimulating the organs and improving the circulation. As the body works more efficiently, problems like headaches, back pain, stiff hips and digestive disorders can all be alleviated. Pranayama, the breathing techniques can lower the blood pressure, increase cardiovascular efficiency and aid relaxation.

Q2. What are the mental benefits of yoga?

Just as yoga can help us increase our physical health and fitness, practicing of yoga has also been found to beneficial to our mental health. Yoga can help reduce stress, improve concentration alleviate mood swings. It brings awareness and the ability to be 'still'. Practicing pranayama helps bring mental clarity and calm.

Q3. What are the diseases that can be cured by yoga?

Yoga can be useful in reducing the effects of the diseases like hypertension, spondilytis, asthma, arthritis, slip disc, digestive disorders, menstrual disorders, mental disorders and sleeplessness and many more like these.

Q4. What is the advantage of Yoga over to other exercises?

Exercise increases strength and stamina of the muscles but Yoga affects complete body mind complex and triggers a change from negative to positive direction on the physical, mental, spiritual plane of existence.

Q5. Can Yoga delay middle age?

Yoga is the greatest form of exercise there is. After our mid-20s, the venous supply to the disks of the spine naturally atrophies.

Through yogic exercises that bend and stretch the spine, fresh blood and nerve flow revitalize all the major glands and organs. Unlike other forms of exercise, which develop fitness by stressing the body, yoga builds strength and endurance while lowering the stress hormones that age us.

Q6. Can yoga make me stronger?

It's a proven fact that yoga does makes you stronger. Some balance postures such as Tree Pose and Shoulder stand require enormous muscle control in order to prevent you from falling over. This helps to build and strengthen your muscles. The muscles you develop during yoga are more likely to be elongated, because while you are strengthening them, you are simultaneously lengthening them. You also do not focus on an isolated muscle, but actively recruit the smaller muscle groups as well. You truly work your entire body when you practice yoga. In addition to all its other benefits, yoga can help you improve muscle fitness.

Q7. Can yoga relieve my back pain?

Studies have shown that yoga is a good exercise for those suffering from back pain, particularly in the long term. Many of the postures in yoga gently strengthen the muscles in the back, as well as the abdominal muscles. Back and abdominal muscles are essential components of the muscular network of the spine, helping the body maintain proper upright posture and movement. When these muscles are well conditioned, back pain can be greatly reduced or avoided. However, not all yoga asanas can automatically relieve the pain, some might even aggravate the pain. So it is advisable to perform the poses under the guidance of a trained yoga teacher. Some helpful poses are the camel pose, corpse pose, cat stretch.

Q8. I'm stressed out - will it help me to relax?

Yes, definitely, Yoga helps in reducing physical, mental and emotional stress. Yoga is well-known for its calming effects. Because of the body/mind connection, if the muscles are relaxed by stretching, the mind will also relax, with less anxiety and better sleep patterns.

Q9. Can Yoga help cure migraines?

Migraines which are caused by the constriction and dilation of blood vessels to the brain can be made more manageable through yoga. Regular practice of yoga, including postures, pranayama and meditation can help relieve the suffering. Postures will help improve blood circulation and also relieve physical tension and stress, which may be a contributing factor to migraines.

Q10. Can Yoga treat arthritis?

Yes, yoga poses provide relief to stiff and damaged joints. Yoga's controlled movements and gentle pressures reach deep into troubled joints.

The mild form of stretching involved in the practice of yoga can help strengthen your joints which is crucial in preventing and dealing with arthritis. It also reduces stiffness and makes your joints function normally. In addition, the controlled stretches in conjunction with deep breathing exercises, relax and release the muscles that have seized up around the joints to protect them.

Q11. Can yoga treat obesity?

That depends on the type of yoga you are doing and how frequently. Very vigorous types of yoga practice, such as Ashtanga and Vinyasa are cardiovascular exercise and may help you lose weight if done regularly, along with proper diet changes. Regular practice of Yoga and controlled life style reduces obesity. Yoga has different effect on obesity, which is permanent in nature than other techniques for obesity reduction. Weight loss is permanent but one needs to practice few important techniques regularly.

The Yoga principle on healthy diet and the practice of the Asanas will help balance the endocrine system, tone the abdominal organs, stimulate both the nervous and circulatory system, and reduce stress. Yoga also helps one to gain a better understanding of ones self, leading to acceptance and appreciation which will help eliminate the psychological reasons for Obesity. The practice of Yoga deals with all the aspects of an individual: the mind, body and spirit, giving a person control over his mind and body and making the effect more permanent than other techniques.

Q12. Can yoga cure insomnia?

Yoga has a stimulatory effect on nervous system and the brain in particular. Certain yoga postures increase the blood circulation to the sleep center in the brain, which can normalize your sleep cycle. You will have a more restful sleep because of the relaxing aspect of yoga and the subsequent relieving of stress, tension and fatigue.

Q13. Can yoga bring energy?

Yoga is a brilliant energizer. The postures and other techniques stimulate your body's energetic system to make you feel more alive. In many Western exercise systems, energy is thought of as something to be used up - we talk of expending energy to burn calories. However, the yogic understanding of energy is not related to burning calories at all- in yoga, energy is related to a subtle force called prana. This subtle energy is said to flow through all living things. The practice of yogic postures assists the flow of prana and thus helps in the free circulation of throughout our energetic system.

Q14. Can yoga help me in PMS?

Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS is characterized by uncomfortable mental and physical symptoms that can occur up to two weeks prior to the onset of menstruation. Several yoga poses are proven to ease menstrual pain. It also help your mind and body adapt with stress, anxiety and depression making you feel relaxed and calm, and enabling you to cope with psychological symptoms of PMS.

Q15. Can yoga help me ease stress and postpartum depression?

Yes, definitely, yoga, Kundalini yoga in particular can help reduce stress and overcome post-partum depression. It is the breathing, along with the repetition of sounds and visualizations that help balance our hormones, purging the negative chemicals that can cause some women to experience postpartum depression. After giving birth, a woman's body makes a complicated physiological switch from pregnancy to nursing, and yoga can help a woman keep a healthy relationship with her body.

Q16. Can yoga help keep a check on my blood pressure?

The relaxation and exercise components of yoga have a major role to play in the treatment and prevention of high blood pressure or hyper tension. A combination of biofeedback and yogic breathing and relaxation techniques has been found to lower blood pressure and reduce the need for high blood pressure medication in people suffering from it.

Q17. I'm stressed out - will it help me to relax?

Yes, definitely, Yoga helps in reducing physical, mental and emotional stress. Yoga is well-known for its calming effects. Because of the body/mind connection, if the muscles are relaxed by stretching, the mind will also relax, with less anxiety and better sleep patterns.

Q18. How does Yoga help in my everyday life?

In this modern city, there is hardly anybody who doesn't suffer from some kind of stress. He is always in search of sailing the ship on the way of happiness and peace of mind. The stable mind and well tuned body can give him a real joy which does not vanish like our materialistic happiness. These things can be achieved through Yoga. Yoga can control the working of mind. Once you begin to practice regularly, yoga will help you to live your life with renewed positivism and enthusiasm.

Q19. Can Yoga improve my personality?

The physical development as well as psychological improvement can be obtained by Yoga. The proportionate body structure can lead to increase your confidence. The stability of mind, increase in the concentration of the mind can be obtained with the help of Yoga.

Q20. Will yoga help me in playing my game (e.g. tennis) better?

Yoga can be tremendously beneficial to your game. Yoga poses stretch and strengthen the muscles and that increases your reach and power. Yogic breathing expands lung capacity and purifies blood. Yogic meditation helps the player to become calmer and centered in whichever game they are playing.

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