During the tour of an Indian philosopher, Swami Vivekananda, of Canada and the United States his unique philosophy, called Asana, took the world by storm. More commonly known as yoga, Asana is a philosophy that is meant to help people to improve their spirits, minds and bodies in a holistic manner. Asana spread everywhere and today there are many millions of practitioners in every country and across cultural borders. In classes for yoga Ann Arbor MI practitioners strive to improve their own lives.
There are still many people that think that Asana is some form of Eastern religion or sect. This is certainly not the case. Asana is not a religion at all and it contains no religious elements or religious rites. It is also not a collection of exercises and poses, as many other seem to think. It is a philosophy that strives to help people improve the quality of their lives by focusing on the spirit, the mind and the body.
Asana does indeed involve a large number of body poses and stretching exercises but they are not the main aim of this philosophy. Instead they are nothing but tools that are designed to help practitioners to gain inner strength, to focus upon specific issues and to concentrate better. There is not just one version of Asana either. Different versions focus on different aspects, depending on the needs of each individual.
Asana never encourages competition in any form. In fact, classes consist of individuals at all levels of proficiency. There is no pressure to progress to new exercises or poses and this makes Asana a perfect activity for the entire family. They can all be in the same class, regardless of age and physical or mental ability. The whole idea is that each person progresses at his own pace.
There have been many formal and informal studies into the health benefits of Asana. The general conclusion of most of these studies is that Asana offers many benefits indeed. All practitioners increase their overall flexibility and muscle strength but those with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and anxiety issues benefit decidedly. Many doctors actually advise their patients to take up this discipline as part of their treatment.
Taking up Asana does not require a large initial outlay. Any comfortable clothing will do and no special equipment is necessary. Many people prefer to join a class but this is not necessary in order to benefit. Asana can be practiced anywhere, even alone while at home. Beginners are advised, however, to attend at least a few classes in order to master the basic poses and exercises.
The internet offers numerous valuable resources for yoga practitioners and those that want to learn. However, because there are different versions of this discipline, beginners may flounder when trying to decide upon one. The best solution would be to join a studio that can offer classes in several versions and that offer beginners the opportunity to try a few before settling upon a specific one.
It is no wonder that Asana is so popular. It does wonders for the spiritual, mental and physical health of practitioners. It is affordable and it can be practiced anywhere. Best of all, it is the ideal activity for entire families and even those with disabilities are not excluded from participating.
There are still many people that think that Asana is some form of Eastern religion or sect. This is certainly not the case. Asana is not a religion at all and it contains no religious elements or religious rites. It is also not a collection of exercises and poses, as many other seem to think. It is a philosophy that strives to help people improve the quality of their lives by focusing on the spirit, the mind and the body.
Asana does indeed involve a large number of body poses and stretching exercises but they are not the main aim of this philosophy. Instead they are nothing but tools that are designed to help practitioners to gain inner strength, to focus upon specific issues and to concentrate better. There is not just one version of Asana either. Different versions focus on different aspects, depending on the needs of each individual.
Asana never encourages competition in any form. In fact, classes consist of individuals at all levels of proficiency. There is no pressure to progress to new exercises or poses and this makes Asana a perfect activity for the entire family. They can all be in the same class, regardless of age and physical or mental ability. The whole idea is that each person progresses at his own pace.
There have been many formal and informal studies into the health benefits of Asana. The general conclusion of most of these studies is that Asana offers many benefits indeed. All practitioners increase their overall flexibility and muscle strength but those with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and anxiety issues benefit decidedly. Many doctors actually advise their patients to take up this discipline as part of their treatment.
Taking up Asana does not require a large initial outlay. Any comfortable clothing will do and no special equipment is necessary. Many people prefer to join a class but this is not necessary in order to benefit. Asana can be practiced anywhere, even alone while at home. Beginners are advised, however, to attend at least a few classes in order to master the basic poses and exercises.
The internet offers numerous valuable resources for yoga practitioners and those that want to learn. However, because there are different versions of this discipline, beginners may flounder when trying to decide upon one. The best solution would be to join a studio that can offer classes in several versions and that offer beginners the opportunity to try a few before settling upon a specific one.
It is no wonder that Asana is so popular. It does wonders for the spiritual, mental and physical health of practitioners. It is affordable and it can be practiced anywhere. Best of all, it is the ideal activity for entire families and even those with disabilities are not excluded from participating.
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