Benefits of Yoga
Khadiza Sumaiya
With the conquest of media and modern technology, from commercial purposes to fashion industries, yoga nowadays has become more conventional than it was before. From newspaper articles to television advertisements, we are exposed to the discourse of yoga as a cure for chronic pain and diseases (i.e. obesity, heart diseases), but barely come across its influence over the mental wellbeing of an individual. With researchers taking over the debate, yoga may have a positive impact on physical challenges, but today we will emphasize the emotional wellbeing and how it can be benefitted by the yoga postures.
Contemporary trends define yoga as a fitness mantra, where with stylish pants and mats ordered from online, one goes to stretch for an hour long class to detox mind and body from life’s busy schedule. The concept of yoga stretches back beyond that. I feel yoga is more about the faith, confidence, and concentration lying within the movement; where the posture itself is the end, not the means to attain relief from the tantrums life throws at us. The word ‘Yoga’ originates from Sanskrit language, originally meaning ‘union’. The historical foundation of yoga is a matter of debate among historians, who argue if it began 5,000 or 10,000 years ago. However, according to one group of historians, the earliest notion of yoga was introduced around 3300-1500 BCE in ancient sacred scriptures of ‘Vedas’ that were practiced by Brahmans, the Vedic pastors. The oldest version of yoga contemplated spiritual practices that rotated around specific core values. The first and primary value was to explore perception and cognitive condition of one’s own self, looking for the root of suffering, and meditating to resolve it. From here, we can draw upon the significance within the postures that aids in improving overall human health.
Through systematic review and meta-analysis research on the effect of yoga on mental health, yoga intervention was found to be effective in lessening depressive symptoms and stimulating emotional wellbeing. It can be an alternative to medication in treating several mental illness issues, such as bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, social anxiety, depression, and so on. This may seem like a plain defense of the argument of the efficacy and usefulness of yoga postures; however, the main motive here is to bring credibility to the idea that yoga can be more than fixing physical suffering and can actually be a healing mechanism for mental health. With yoga comes the opportunity to be mindful – focusing on the present and being intensely aware of one’s surroundings.
Yoga as a therapy or practice for mental health care comes with remarkable benefits, as discussed in the research paper by Dr. Ananda Bhavanani. In yoga, the flexibility and movement of the muscles attain improvement through the bandhas, asanas, kriyas and mudras. With the release of endorphins and encephalin, known as the good hormone in our body, yoga helps to attain psycho-physical harmony and ensure our well-being. Referring back to the true meaning of the word ‘yoga’, the postures do ‘unite’ mind and body through deep concentration, meditating postures, and physical drive. Swadhyana, the introspection of self-analysis, pranayama, the breathing technique to control vital energy, pratyahara, sensory withdrawal, dharana, intense concentration, dhyana, meditational singleness, and bhajana, devotional music are the implements that are seen to be balancing emotional impulsiveness. All of them have been found to promote a vital emotional and psychological balance that is beneficial for the maintenance of health and wellbeing. Contemplation, relaxation, and meditation as a part of yoga are also supportive in re-energizing the body’s cells and easing the tension within our physique, mind, and emotions. This is ultimately our choice to relax ourselves to apply the healing technique to all our rigidity in brain and stress.
The question may arise at this point of how yoga is capable of healing. The answer lies within faith and concentration. Yoga is not merely an exercise, but a remedy, a road to attain self-awareness, and a practice of perseverance. Yoga, to some, can appear as an art, to understand mind, body, their consolidation, and the ambiance produced within. From lowering cortisol levels (the hormone responsible for creating stress) to giving control over the chaos in our heads, yoga is a gateway to escape from the apprehensions and nervousness we may deal with on a regular basis.
The concept of yoga might seem too hyped up now. Knowing about the postures and starting from the basic movements could possibly be the best way to begin this practice, and there lies the productivity and success of this article. Growing a passion and dedication for this practice will also help in getting the best possible outcome, in this case mental health and wellbeing.
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