What Yoga Is And Isn’t

Yoga is simply a method of strengthening and toning the body while also receiving the emotional and psychological effects it can bring.

Yoga is far more than just a series of stretching exercises. It’s not some kind or religion or cult, and it doesn’t require one to turn into a vegan or sell all of their worldly possessions! It’s nothing like its stereotype.

Yoga first came to the Western hemisphere in 1893 at the World’s Fair in Chicago. It was brought by Swami Vivekananda, one of India’s most popular gurus.

The word yoga gets its origins from the Sanskrit word “Yug”. It means to bind or join. Basically, it is about unity of the physical body with the mind. It’s about “conscious living.”

Yoga is not all about calisthenics. While the physical aspects are certainly an important part, this is not the only true purpose. It’s also about the mental benefits.

It’s not any type of religion – there are no gods to worship and it is not an organized system at all. Any spiritual benefits are purely emotional and psychological.

Yoga doesn’t actually distinguish between the physical body and the mind. It can work to improve your physical health in many ways, not just aiding in weight loss, but also improving tone and even reducing physical pain.

Yoga allows you to release the tension that can build up in your body. It helps the various parts of your body become lose and limber, from your muscles and joints to your tendons and ligaments. It can help ease and/or heal back pain, joint pain, muscle pain, and much more.

People aren’t meant to be stiff and rigid. We were designed to be flexible creatures. We may not all have the flexibility and grace of a prima ballerina, but we should all be healthy and fit. Yoga is one means to achieving such a goal.