There are many misconceptions surrounding yoga practices; most common is that yoga is a religion and that you need a vast amount of flexibility to do it. Yoga is not a religion, but a spiritual practice. You become in tune with your mind, body, and souls as one. You can be apart of any religion and still do yoga. The basis of yoga is finding a connection that cannot be broken between mind, body, and soul. It challenges you to delve deep into all three aspects of your being. Each posture is named after nature such as mountain, tree, cat, downward-facing dog, cobra, and crescent moon.

There are eight forms, or limbs, of yoga. The first limb of yoga is Yama. While in the postures one concentrates on behavior and how one acts in the outside world. Niyama is the second limb; it focuses on self-discipline, pushing your body slightly beyond its comfort zone. The most popular is Asana. It addresses spiritual growth and viewing the body as a temple. Next is Pranayama. This limb concentrates on regulating the breath and regulating the respiratory system. Pratyahara looks towards inner awareness and becoming in tune with the inner body needs. The limb that focuses on concentration with outside distractions is Dharana, while Dhyana focuses on uninterrupted concentration. The eighth and final limb is Samadhi. This limb finds total self-enlightenment.

In yoga there are six different categories for poses. The seated poses are perfect for beginners. These poses increase flexibility and strength. Standing poses are more advanced. They require both strength and balance. Supine poses are done at the end of a yoga sequence. These postures are done on your back, and relieve stress while improving flexibility. Prone postures are another set of poses that are great for beginners. They are performed on your stomach. They are meant to strengthen your core through the abs and lower-back. They are also great for lower back pain. They’re good for beginners because you don’t need to hold them for a long period of time. Balance poses engage both mind and body. It improves memory and concentration. Lastly twisted poses realign and lengthen the spine as it stretches and opens back muscles. Some of the poses fall into more than one category, such as the “tree pose” its both standing and balance. The flexibility of the yoga postures information will be made available at jewelshealinggarden.com for the benefit of the person. There should be proper balance in the mind and body of the person for the comfort. There will be no failure in the results of yoga postures.

Now let’s look at meditation. Meditation is all about focusing your mind on one object. It’s to relieve stress, anxiety, tension, and frustration as it strengthens your memory and concentration. While in the meditations portion, I tend to praise, give thanks, and pray to my God. Since I am at peace, I can focus on my Christian Spirituality without distractions. There are breathing techniques, but even I have some difficulties understanding them. The meditation is supposed to take your mind off of your stress and place it somewhere else.

Yoga is primarily done barefoot on a yoga mat. Resistant straps can be used to add resistance to some poses. You can improvise with household items; I use the belt from my bathrobe. Another tool is a block. They can be made from cork, rubber, or foam. They give higher leverage for resistance. Again you can improvise. I use a large book like a dictionary.

Yoga is a spiritual practice that makes you aware of your mind, body, and soul. Yoga stretches muscles and certain organ to improve blood flow, and it improves flexibility and memory. Since I began doing yoga about three years ago, I’ve noticed an improvement in my blood pressure. Just ten minutes a day makes a difference.