Friday, June 29, 2012

Yoga Studio or Gym?

I recently went to take a "yoga" class at one of the gyms in the area. I have to admit that after taking classes at a yoga studio for an extended time now, I have felt a big difference between the yoga-studio practice and the gym "yoga class". Just as I entered the gym facility, I smelled the iron, heard the harsh noises of the weights and got distracted by the bouncing person on a treadmill. And if that was not enough to set my nervous system on fire, I was blasted with the loud music. Right away I realized how much I love the yoga studio's aroma of herbal oils, the soothing music, and the calmness of the voices that greet us at the door. I no longer can live without the flow of the yoga poses that restore my body and the systematic breathing that energizes my mind. I had been contemplating complementing my yoga practice with the gym, but now I can say that my last visit to the gym was just that, my last visit. I gotto say: my favorite yoga studio in town is -

Seva Yoga. If you live in Grand Rapids , please check it out. You will love it. Seva studio offers different classes, but my favorite is the Flow/ Vinyasa.

Vinyasa (flow) yoga provides the best physical exercise and mental rejuvenation anyone can possibly ask for. I have never felt this great in my life, and I am not talking only about the physical aspect of it, which is not undermined here by any means, but I am talking about as a whole: body, mind, and soul. Why would anyone turn down the path which leads you to happiness in all its aspects? I am so happy that all of you, who discovered yoga for yourself, are giving yourself a chance to live your life in a better way, the YOGA way.

With that, I have to thank you for your support and would like to contribute to our continuous education on the related subjects. Today it is PRANAYAMA : in Sanskrit this means " extension of the breath" or more accurately, "extension of the life force".

Benefits of Pranayama

•    Improves breathing –Pranayama helps improve one's quality of breathing. When you breathe in the oxygen, Pranayama techniques leads it to right places so that the inner cells are energized and function properly. The systematic breathing releases stress from the heart muscles as well as calms down the brain.
•    Has anti-aging effects –Pranayama is a method that provides you the inner glow and charm. The enhanced supply of oxygen plays a big role on our appearance. We should practice Pranayama regularly.
•    Enhances immunity – Regular practice of Pranayama helps improve overall health as all body parts get more oxygen and energy and the toxins are washed off automatically.
•    It improves cardiovascular health –there is an amazing improvement in the blood circulation. This helps stabilize the heart palpitation, and hence, it helps to control blood pressure.
•    Improves mental sharpness – Daily practice of Pranayama improves concentration and helps retain calmness in adverse conditions. Those who feel distracted easily or are not able to concentrate in his work find the difference from the very first week of practicing Pranayama.
•    Improves the digestive system –Certain pranayamas like kapalabhaati, agnisaar and bahya, provide exercise to stomach muscles and the gastrointestinal tract, people suffering from any kind of digestive problem gets benefited by it.
Recently, some hospitals started hiring Yoga Therapists showing acceptance to their methods of providing therapies to the ill. The Yoga Therapies are not covered by Medical Insurance, but it may take another decade to break through that bureaucracy and the political madness.
There are some of pranayamas that need to be practiced daily. The best time is early morning. You should know the right way of doing it so that you get the perfect benefit. The advantages are countless and it is only a matter of regular practice.
Please read and learn more about Pranayama on one of my featured websites:

http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/pranayama/

P.S. Some housekeepign: please note our new address for the blog: Nature Health and Yoga -
http://naturehealthandyoga.blogspot.com/

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