Question

History of Yoga and benefits

Answer 1

The history of Yoga is believed to be as old as civilization. The prehistoric roots and its gradual evolution and development are testimony to this fact. Ancient Yoga derived from Indian asceticism to uniting in the “cosmic one.” Yoga history could be traced in the Upanishads, Vedas and even in Brahmanas. The Yoga history was also illustrated in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

The history of Yoga is recorded in our scriptures and it’s continuously evolving in recent times. Though Yoga has evolved with changes in techniques and methods but the essence and goal remains the same. The word Yoga derived from Sanskrit word “Yuj”, meaning to “unite”.



Benefits of Yoga

Though the central theme of yoga practice continues to be profoundly spiritual, yoga provides direct, tangible benefits to those who practice regularly, regardless of their spiritual aspirations. The benefits of yoga practice are physiological, psychological and biochemical. The physiological benefits of yoga include better digestion, improved balance, deeper sleep, increased energy, higher immunity, greater endurance, physical strength and more flexibility.

Psychologically, yoga practices help decrease feelings of depression and anxiety while enhancing your mood, memory, ability to concentrate, learning efficiency and overall emotional well-being. Many people feel that yoga practice helps them feel greater mental clarity and peace of mind as well as less anger, fear and stress.

Biochemically speaking, yoga practices increase the amount of vitamin C in your body while decreasing your overall sodium, glucose and cholesterol levels, helping prevent diseases like diabetes, heart disease and certain kinds of cancer from developing in your body.