The Spiritual Sport of Yoga
Yoga is an ancient discipline that has started to become popular the world over. It is a low impact form of exercise that combines spirituality and health benefits in a very relaxing manner. From ancient origins in India to becoming a religious practise to becoming a very fashionable sport in 2010, yoga has come a very long way. It used to have connotations of a hippy lifestyle and a free spirit but it has been gaining in popularity ever since people realised that it is very beneficial for the human body. Now yoga classes are held in many gyms all over the country and the sport does not seem to be slowing down in popularity any time soon.
Yoga has a very interesting history. It is claimed to have started almost 5000 years ago in the Indus Valley. No one knows who the first yogi, a practitioner of yoga, was; but excavations of ancient cities have unearthed drawings and sculptures of figures in various yoga poses. Yoga started out as a form of religious teaching when religious preachers would use yoga poses to influence people to live healthier lives and cleanse their bodies.
Yoga was introduced to America in 1893 when a famous Indian yogi showed various yoga poses to an enthralled Chicago audience. He toured the country giving lectures about yoga until many people were taking part in the discipline. The sport really took off when a yoga studio was opened in Hollywood and it was introduced to film stars in the 40s. From there it exploded into the American market.
As the discipline of yoga has grown and progressed all over the world people have been discovering many different types of yoga that can be performed. There are many different types that can be followed and listing them all would take too much time but there are a few to consider.
Ananda Yoga is a relaxing type of yoga that focuses on moving energy up to the brain and preparing the whole body for meditation. Breathing is a big part of yoga and controlling ones breathing is a very beneficial form of the exercise.
Bikram Yoga is a type of yoga that works the entire body by using fitness, muscle work and various postures. A new type of yoga style that is popular in America is called Power Yoga. It takes all the traditional elements of yoga like stretching, doing various postures, breathing and strength training but increases the pace and does not have any pauses between the different movements so it becomes an intense workout in the process.
All yoga styles focus on postures, breathing and meditation but new styles have innovated and made yoga an aerobic exercise form. This just shows how sports and activities can evolve over the years and adapt to different markets around the world.
There are many benefits of doing yoga. As it is a discipline that focuses on breathing, strength training and meditation it works the entire body along with the mind. A person who frequently takes part in yoga will find their mind and body becoming united and they will feel healthier as a result. Yoga has physiological benefits, psychological benefits and biochemical benefits.
People usually do not think of yoga as exercise or a sport but it has the same benefits and health enhancing aspects of exercising and sports. The added benefit that yoga has over strenuous exercise is the fact that yoga is low impact and there is no chance of a person injuring themselves while taking part in the sport. It is great to do for young people, for older people and men and women.
Yoga is linked with spirituality because it has religious origins although it is not a religion at the moment. The link between finding inner peace and linking mind and body are very spiritual concepts. Most people do not see yoga as having any sort of religious connotations but the supposed religious aspects of the discipline has caused some problems in America. As America is a very religious place to begin with, a heavily Christian one at that, people in cities and towns around the country did not take too kindly to yoga being taught in schools to their children. The teachers at the schools thought that it could help children become healthier individuals and because it is low impact and non violent, no one would get hurt. But parents protested saying they felt it was a religious practice and they did not want their children exposed to it. Well it is their loss and their choice; if they do not want their children to take part in a highly beneficial exercise form that has nothing to do with religion then that it is their prerogative.
Yoga has come a long way from being practiced in the forests of India 5000 years ago. It has become a modern form of exercise that is very popular all over the world. The sport looks like it will continue to evolve and grow and change with the changing times. It will be interesting to see what future changes we will see in yoga.
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