When the Indian philosopher Swami Vivekanada traveled to the United States and Canada in the late eighteenth he hoped to spread the word about his philosophy which he called Asana. He could not possible envisage that it would become so extremely popular in such a short time. Today, countless people in all countries and from all cultures practice Asana. When starting with yoga Washington DC practitioners quickly start experiencing the benefits.
There are many misunderstandings about Asana, despite the fact that it is practiced everywhere and by so many people. There are still those that think it is an eastern form of religion that involves mysticism. Yet others think it is nothing but a series of stretching exercises and demanding poses. Asana is none of that. It is a holistic approach that aims to improve the spirit, the mind and the body.
It would not be completely erroneous to think that the discipline consists of a series of low impact stretching exercises and poses. These poses and exercises are not the focus of Asana, however. They are merely vehicles that are used to enhance the fitness, concentration levels and internal discipline of practitioners. The fact remains that brute physical strength is not necessary to practice Asana.
Asana does not allow competition at all. Practitioners have no competitions and there is no schedule according to which each individual is expected to progress and master new techniques. Each person proceeds at his own pace. This makes it the ideal activity for entire families with different levels of fitness and physical abilities. No pressure is ever exerted upon any participant to excel and to progress to higher levels.
A number of independent studies have been conducted to study the health benefits of this discipline. The findings are uniformly exceptional. Asana holds no dangers to practitioners at all. Instead, they benefit by becoming fitter, more flexible and healthier. People suffering from heart diseases, asthma, hypertension and a variety of mental disorders such as anxiety and depression have all benefited tremendously after they started practicing Asana. People concentrate better and they are generally more positive about life.
Anyone can take up Asana regardless of age or physical condition. It is easy to begin and no special clothes or equipment is required, which makes it affordable and accessible to everyone. One can start off in isolation at home, but it is recommended that beginners join at least a few classes. Reputable instructors will help beginners to identify their needs and to choose an approach to Asana that will suit them best.
Much has been written on this topic and there are scores of self help books and videos available. There are also a myriad of websites that offer free training sessions, interaction with other practitioners and discussion forums where people can ask for advice or share their experiences. Beginners should first determine the form of Asana that they will be following before buying any material to help them master more advanced techniques.
Yoga is a world wide phenomenon and it seems as if its popularity is rising all the time. Modern life is demanding and people are under great pressure. Asana provides a way in which they can deal with this stress, live healthier and feel better about themselves.
There are many misunderstandings about Asana, despite the fact that it is practiced everywhere and by so many people. There are still those that think it is an eastern form of religion that involves mysticism. Yet others think it is nothing but a series of stretching exercises and demanding poses. Asana is none of that. It is a holistic approach that aims to improve the spirit, the mind and the body.
It would not be completely erroneous to think that the discipline consists of a series of low impact stretching exercises and poses. These poses and exercises are not the focus of Asana, however. They are merely vehicles that are used to enhance the fitness, concentration levels and internal discipline of practitioners. The fact remains that brute physical strength is not necessary to practice Asana.
Asana does not allow competition at all. Practitioners have no competitions and there is no schedule according to which each individual is expected to progress and master new techniques. Each person proceeds at his own pace. This makes it the ideal activity for entire families with different levels of fitness and physical abilities. No pressure is ever exerted upon any participant to excel and to progress to higher levels.
A number of independent studies have been conducted to study the health benefits of this discipline. The findings are uniformly exceptional. Asana holds no dangers to practitioners at all. Instead, they benefit by becoming fitter, more flexible and healthier. People suffering from heart diseases, asthma, hypertension and a variety of mental disorders such as anxiety and depression have all benefited tremendously after they started practicing Asana. People concentrate better and they are generally more positive about life.
Anyone can take up Asana regardless of age or physical condition. It is easy to begin and no special clothes or equipment is required, which makes it affordable and accessible to everyone. One can start off in isolation at home, but it is recommended that beginners join at least a few classes. Reputable instructors will help beginners to identify their needs and to choose an approach to Asana that will suit them best.
Much has been written on this topic and there are scores of self help books and videos available. There are also a myriad of websites that offer free training sessions, interaction with other practitioners and discussion forums where people can ask for advice or share their experiences. Beginners should first determine the form of Asana that they will be following before buying any material to help them master more advanced techniques.
Yoga is a world wide phenomenon and it seems as if its popularity is rising all the time. Modern life is demanding and people are under great pressure. Asana provides a way in which they can deal with this stress, live healthier and feel better about themselves.
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