There are many ways to benefit from practicing yoga. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’. The word ‘yuj’ means to unite or join. When people practice yoga, they aim to unite or join mind, body, and spirit. The ancient practice of yoga was born in India close to 26,000 years ago. People still use it for health and spiritual reasons. With its components of exercise, breathing techniques, and meditation it can aid in many physical aspects ranging from flexibility to a healthy respiratory system as well as benefiting the mind emotionally and spiritually.

Benefits from yoga can be seen and felt by practicing just one time a week. However, increasing the practice of yoga will increase the benefits. One particular benefit of yoga that is increased with practice is flexibility. Although stretching alone can increase flexibility, yoga is especially good because it “has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints that are never really on the ‘radar screen’ let alone exercised” (“Benefits of Yoga” 1). By doing just a few poses such as ‘downward-facing dog’ or ‘bridge’ you can greatly improve your body’s flexibility. Improving your flexibility can prevent injuries in everyday activities including exercising, bending or lifting, and can also prevent injuries from accidents such as falling.

Another aspect worth taking a closer look at is the effects yoga can have on the respiratory system. A common component learned in yoga is the ‘complete breath’. The complete breath consists of inhaling to the lungs’ full capacity and completely exhaling. It is much more difficult than it sounds, but can be mastered with practice. And when it is mastered it is said, “the practice of the complete breath will make any man or woman immune to Consumption# and other pulmonary troubles, and will do away with all liability to contract ‘colds‘, as well as bronchial and similar weaknesses’ (“Hatha Yoga“2). This was true for me when I made the complete breath a regular part of my yoga routine. I was never sick and could exercise longer without becoming short of breath, even during activities such as running. The complete breath can be especially helpful for those who are bed-ridden or don’t get around very much. This is because it can be done in any position, doesn’t involve movement, and can decrease the risk of fluid developing in the lungs which is a common problem for those who are bed-ridden. According to Hatha Yoga: The Yogi Philosophy of Physical Well-Being , blood quality, the digestive tract, and even the nervous system can be improved an maintained by practicing the complete breath.

One of the greatest benefits of practicing yoga is increasing the strength and flexibility of the spine. It is so important to take care of the spine because “humans have the smallest base of support, the highest center of gravity, and the heaviest brain (proportional to total body weight) of any other mammal” (Kaminoff 18). Maintaining the health of the spine is one of the keys to ensuring future health. An injury as simple as a disc herniation (which is very common, especially as we get older) can result in permanent disability and limit certain activities. Practicing yoga regularly can decrease the chances of sustaining such an injury. Almost every yoga position plays a part in strengthening and/or increasing the flexibility of the spine.

Because the goal of yoga is to unite mind, body, and spirit and find inner peace, it can be a great way to relieve stress. One way it reduces stress is through breathing. Focusing on one thing such as breathing can make you forget about all of your troubles even if it is only temporarily. Another aspect of yoga that can relieve stress is meditation. There are different forms of meditation, but most center around breathing and visualization. Visualizing somewhere peaceful can be very relaxing. Some people even claim to find answers to difficult problems while meditating. Another reason yoga reduces stress is because it is a form of exercise and exercise releases endorphins known to combat stress. It is through a combination of these components that practicing yoga regularly can help you relieve and manage stress.

As mentioned briefly earlier: meditation is a large component in most of the varieties of yoga. It may even be the aspect of yoga that most helps with relieving stress. When you meditate you “have thoughts, but those thoughts no longer take over our bodies and minds at large- triggering tension, anxiety or other response” (Spiritual Benefits of Yoga). Meditation allows for conscious relaxation. During conscious relaxation we can have and recognize thoughts, but they stop there. We can let those thoughts drift away without worrying about anything else connected with those thoughts like how they could affect the future. This is how some people find solutions to their problems. During meditation they can see the problem as just that- a single problem with no other issues attached to it. Practicing meditation as a part of yoga is healthy and can even lead to a better quality of life.

As has been demonstrated, yoga can benefit your health and life whether you practice one or all of its many components. Given all of its positive aspects, it is well-worth trying and can bring a healthy change to your life.

Works Cited:

Works Cited

“Benefits of Yoga”. Health and Yoga. 16 April 2008.

<http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/yoga/Benefits.h tml>

“Hatha Yoga:Effects of Correct Breathing”. Hatha Yoga: The Yogi Philosophy of Physical Well-Being. Magic and Occult. April 16, 2008. <http://www.geocities.com/thehiddengate/yoga/hatha _15.html?200821>

Kanminoff, Leslie. Yoga Anatomy. (no city listed). The Breathe Trust. 2007.

“Yoga: Spiritual Benefits of Yoga”. The Global Oneness Commitment. April 17, 2008. <http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Yoga/id/22021>