Meditation and Yoga

(August 17, 2008)

During yoga, does staying in one posture for long benefits or should we move on? Does breathing rhythmically in yoga make any difference? Should we hold the breath or should the breathing be regular?

Yoga and exercise do differ .Yoga is involved in the development of the spiritual, mental and physical aspects and is essential to gain complete consciousness. Physical exercise is essential for only physical development whereas mental and spiritual takes a back seat. There are various asana in yoga that is done for satisfaction, concentration, to attain self awareness, for the removal of blocks and toxin in the body. Stretching exercise, aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise is done to gain the physical strength and ideal body weight. Physical exercise is also beneficial for the management of various disorders and can help in improving muscle development. Yoga is done by self help and does not need the help of any equipment for its function. Certain physical exercise requires the help of equipments and fitness training schedule that can help in gaining physical fitness. Both yoga and exercise can be done properly with the help of a trainer who can give proper instructions for the various asana or exercises. Yoga and physical exercise needs to be done regularly to achieve the goal for which it is practiced for.

Yoga involves postures that are to be done according to the instructions given. For different postures there are different timings of doing it. We don't need to stay in that posture for long time to achieve benefits. We need to do different yoga techniques so that the benefits are achieved. Apart from that we need to do yoga regularly in a proper manner and cannot compromise on the methodology of the asana as it can cause negative effects. Excessive or too little yoga techniques are not helpful.

Various yoga postures have various styles for breathing so it is essential to follow the breathing pattern accordingly and correctly. Haphazard way of breathing can lead to dangerous effects which can even be life threatening. Fast or shallow breathing can lead to anxiety, heart burn, dizziness, heart palpitations and chest problems.

The basic rule is to breathe from the nose rather than from the mouth. Deep breathing is essential. Slow deep yoga breathing can reduce the strain on the heart. It can help in weight loss as extra oxygen that is taken in can help in burning of the fat. Deep breathing can improve the quality of the blood and can improve the health of the nervous sytem. Thus proper breathing during yoga is essential to improve the efficiency of each and every yoga postures. A rhythmic and slow pattern of breathing is a must for better result while doing yoga.

Submitted by R J on August 17, 2008 at 11:09