International Yoga Day 2023: The Transforming Power Of Yoga On Body, Mind And Soul

Yoga increases one's overall feeling of healthy living in a variety of ways- lowers stress, increases concentration, improves wellness, or community building.

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New Delhi: In India, yoga is an age-old physical, mental, and spiritual discipline that includes a variety of exercises, poses (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and meditation. It also helps to harmonise the mind, body, and spirit in order to enhance total wellbeing. In general, practising yoga increases one's overall feeling of healthy living in a variety of ways. Either it's lowering stress, increased concentration, wellness improvement, or community building, yoga has plenty to offer for everybody seeking an improved way of life in general.

Yoga And Indian Heritage:

Yoga is the gift of our ancient civilization to this world. It signifies connecting, creating harmony, merging or joining. The theory underlying the age-old Indian practice of yoga has had an impact on a number of elements of Indian society, including the way that the education system, cultural institutions, as well as its health care and medical systems, operate. The yogic principles, which focus on uniting the mind with the body and soul to promote improved mental, spiritual, and physical welfare, play a significant role in the community's culture.

Speaking about the deep-rooted connection of yoga with our cultural heritage, Abhay Mishra, Director & Strategy Consultant, 3102bce, Goa said, "Our Rishis gave us yoga as a method of consciously merging the deluded egoic ‘self' with the greater ‘Self;’ a way of attaining the union of individual consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness; and a path of creating harmony between the mind, breath, body and spirit as well as nature and the entire universe."

Yoga was traditionally taught via the  Guru-Shishya model, with yoga gurus serving as the primary keepers of the associated knowledge and abilities. Schools, universities, community centres, and social media, yoga ashrams or hermitages now provide new possibilities to learn about the historical discipline. 

Yoga And Healing:

 

Yoga's capacity to alleviate tension and develop inner serenity is one of its most impressive advantages. Yoga is a mind-body practise that emphasises on mindful living rather than just a physical workout. Techniques such as deep breathing and meditation can help to develop self-awareness, by improving the capacity to identify and handle stress triggers.

 

Anchal Rout, who is a Yoga and Reiki healing expert explained, "Practising yoga promotes general well-being by blending breath, movement, and awareness. It aids in the development of consciousness of oneself, the releasing of tension, and the establishment of a healthy balance inside oneself. Therefore, it enables us to heal, repair, and identify inner calm in the midst of everyday bustle."

By encouraging the capacity to notice thoughts and emotions without passing judgement, the practice improves self-awareness and the ability to respond rather than just react to difficult circumstances.

"Regular yoga practise lowers cortisol levels, which is the main stress hormone, and promotes introspection. Yoga's attentive movements and breathing methods engage the parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in the relaxation response. Tension and stress melt away as we progress through the postures and focus on the breath, allowing a sensation of tranquilly to pervade our bodies," told Anchal.

 

"Additionally, yoga strengthens the body, develops flexibility, and enhances balance and coordination and it also helps us develop a strong feeling of empathy, compassion, and connectivity. This realisation provides a positive attitude while also strengthening our connections with others and encouraging peaceful living.", she further added.

Lastly, Nupur Saraf Arya from Nutrimend said, "Extensive scientific studies have investigated the advantages of yoga across multiple domains. The comprehensive and holistic approach of yoga makes it a powerful practice for nurturing health and well-being, enabling individuals to thrive physically, mentally and spiritually. It is a deeply personal practice that goes beyond physical exercise and allows one to embrace a more fulfilling and purposeful life."  

Yoga can thus be an effective way to strike the balance between your mind, body, and soul. By combining physical movement, breathing techniques, mindfulness, meditation, and spiritual connection- yoga offers a holistic approach to stress relief and promoting overall well-being.