YOGA. To reconcile with the body

The origins of yoga date back 5,000 years and for a long time its techniques were spread through oral transmission.

At one point this tradition was put into writing and would eventually figure in the ancient Vedic texts, the oldest of which dates back to 1500 BC.

Later, the sage Patanjali assimilated, codified and compiled the art and science of Yoga into what is known as the Yoga SUTRAS which outlines the path of Yoga for self-realization.

Patanjali is said to have been the serpent on which Vishnu sat and came from heaven. Being a serpent, he had the versatility to do all the asanas (postures) by taking human form.

In 196 sentences, Patanjali compiled knowledge that is said to have existed on yoga as far back as 400 BC.

Yoga can be perceived in an exoteric or esoteric way and in the West, what is most practiced at this time is the exoteric or external form of this science.

The paths of Yoga are four

Karma Yoga (acting selflessly, without expecting reward or gain); Bhakti Yoga (motivated by love, through prayers, chants and to awaken devotion); Jnana Yoga (of knowledge and wisdom that requires will and intellect); Raja Yoga (Science of physical and mental control to convert physical and mental energy into spiritual energy).

The techniques of Yoga

These are steps that consist of gradually suppressing states of consciousness, calming mental vibrations and replacing them with an intuitive experience. To do this, the yogi has to go through 8 stages:

1. Self-restraint (yama), which implies discipline of emotions and passions, a simple, hard-working, moderate and honest life.
2. The mental brake (niyama) is obtained through internal detoxification, seeking physical purification since, without this, it is difficult to achieve the exercises in the following stages.
3. The postures and forms (asanas and mudras) are what are best known in the West.
4. Breathing exercises (pranayama) that have three stages of inhalation, exhalation and retention of breath for a certain time.
5. Abstraction of the senses from the outside world (pratyahara).
6. Concentration of the mind (dharana) that enables the mind to be kept fixed on a specific goal without being distracted.
7. Control of the will (dhyana). It is a stage in which the person moves away from all sensations, from inner calm without any thought.
8. Ecstasy (samadhi) where the true SELF moves away from the illusory veils of appearances (maya). Its goal is the knowledge of the truth, thanks to the extinction of individuality.

How does yoga work then?

 

The paths of Yoga lead us on a spiritual quest along the twigs of yogic practice, starting with the postural Yoga that we see in many places today. Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, considered the father of modern Yoga, gave a new impetus to the practice of Yoga in the 20th century and stated that Yoga can be both a spiritual practice and a form of physical healing. It is this concept that, unlike Krishnamacharya who never left India, has travelled all over the world. He made the practice of Yoga accessible to people. Is this perhaps the reason why the practice of Yoga has been successful in the West?

At the health level from the western point of view

 

Your body and health can and should change as you begin to implement changes towards a proper lifestyle. Yoga proposes 5 principles: Proper relaxation, proper diet, proper exercise, proper breathing, and positive thinking and meditation.

Dr. Joseph Mercola mentions in an article that regular yoga classes can help improve atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and common psychiatric disorders (1) .

For Westerners, yoga is especially useful for improving overall body flexibility, especially for people with back problems. For overweight people, it is also a good way to begin adapting the body to exercise, since high-impact exercises such as athletics can be hard on the joints.

Personally, I started using yoga postures as part of my fitness program, which included cardiovascular, resistance and flexibility exercises. As time went by and life circumstances changed, I didn't have the opportunity to do training in that way, but Yoga did and I realized that it is the only exercise "app" that works at home.

There is Yoga for all levels and it depends on each person how far they want to go. The postures and sequences can be approached in a gentle way if you are a beginner or if you have some ailment or are recovering from an injury. If you want to go deeper, there is Vinyasa or Asthanga yoga that requires more breath control, fluidity in the transition from one posture to another, which involves developing muscular strength and endurance.

Yoga for the mind

 

Those who practice Yoga know that it has calming effects. In general, one feels good after physical exercise; on a mental level, calmness, relaxation and even joy, which can have a positive effect on conditions such as mild depression, insomnia and schizophrenia (in patients on medication).

Yoga to improve health and lose weight

 

Yoga has been found to have a beneficial effect on leptin, a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating energy expenditure. In practical studies, beginners had much higher levels of leptin production compared to more advanced practitioners, leading them to conclude that regular yoga practice can alter leptin and adiponectin production if the practitioner pushes himself to near his limit.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, insulin and leptin resistance are linked to obesity and the deterioration of the body's ability to transfer information to receptors, which is the very foundation of most chronic degenerative diseases. To summarize, leptin is the way fat stores communicate with the brain to define the amount of energy available and, even more importantly, what to do with it.

When the body's fat stores are "full," this extra fat will cause a spike in leptin levels, which signals the brain to stop feeling hungry, stop eating, stop storing fat, and start burning some extra fat. Controlling hunger is one of the main (though not the only) ways that leptin controls energy storage.

Hunger is a very powerful, ancient, deep-rooted drive that, if stimulated enough, will make you eat and store more energy. The only way to eat less in the long term is to not be hungry, and the only way to do that is by controlling the hormones that regulate hunger, and chief among these hormones is leptin.

How and where to practice yoga

If you are not physically fit and are an active person (do you practice some kind of exercise), there are many and varied tutorials on Youtube that can guide you, just as I will do through this medium. On the other hand, if you are a person burdened with back pain, sciatica or another type of physical condition; as well as a sedentary person (the last time you exercised was at school), it is better to take in-person classes at a Yoga studio or somewhere that offers them with qualified teachers who will guide you through the postures that best suit you and those that do not, according to your condition and level.