What Is Missing in Mainstream Yoga?

Yoga is around five thousand years old (or possibly ten thousand, depending on who you ask) but mainly in the last ten years, it has become a very on-trend exercise. It is popular amongst many men and women who are looking to increase their flexibility, increase relaxation, loose weight and enable them to get exercise without doing anything too strenuous. It has also become a social sport as we see a gathering of people on a Saturday morning enjoying coffee after enduring a class.

Where did yoga start?

Yoga was started by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India. The name yoga was first used in the sacred texts, the Rig Veda. This was a collection of texts which included songs, mantras, and rituals. Over the years, the art of yoga got adapted and developed by the Brahmans and Rishis, who documented their practices. There we many rituals and sacrifices that were recorded which a lot of people still use today for purposes such as the releasing of the ego, which something that benefits us greatly throughout our lives.

The reasons behind yoga

Over the years, the true reason for doing yoga has been slowly lost. This exercise is extremely spiritual and it still is for some. Although doing the yoga itself is beneficial for the mind and for the body, some would argue that the true art of yoga is not being done unless the mind is focused, too.

The original reasons for yoga were to control the energy within us. We can change our energy without doing the poses, but the art of a particular pose does help with the moving of the energy. According to Patanjali, in the second book of Yoga Sutras, yoga is helping us to do the following:

•          Restraining us from harmful behavior
•          Developing beneficial behavior
•          Developing physical posture
•          Creating conscious breathing techniques
•          Developing steady concentration

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Yoga today

Now, yoga is known all around the world and still continues to be adapted into various modern cultures, leaving us with many options when it comes to trying it. Yoga is still being developed these days with many teachers all over the world. It is so delicious to know it began so spiritually to help us release unwanted stress and upset and to keep ourselves in alignment with our source. Sometimes, mainstream yoga can take us over and although we can experience the benefits of a flexible body and a stress-free mind for an hour, some forget the true benefits of this art.

There are many new benefits to it, though, and for those who enjoy it, there is plenty of variety whether we want to stretch, relax, lose weight or just be. It is also widely spreading over our internet and simply watching a video online and following the poses every day can help us with a kick start. Many people who begin to use yoga in their morning routine would never give it up as they say it is their way to start a great day.

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