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A touch of yoga is now one of the most common ways to keep the body healthy and relaxed.
In Seychelles, this practice is becoming increasingly more popular among all ages.

Researches have proven that yoga can help a person control anxiety, reduce asthma, arthritis, blood pressure, back pain, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, epilepsy, diabetes, headaches, stress and many more.

Yoga originates from ancient India and is a union between the mind, body and spirit. It involves the practice of physical postures and poses, which is sometimes referred to as 'asana' in Sanskrit. One of its vital aims is to create a balance between the body and the mind and to attain self-enlightenment. In order to accomplish it, yoga makes use of different movements, breathing exercises, relaxation technique and meditation. Try yoga if you want a healthy and lively lifestyle with a fair approach to life.

This week Life & Style brings you the benefits that you can reap from this therapy.

The spiritual benefits

Many people link yoga with religious people only – this belief is wrong. Even if you are not that religious, you can do yoga. You will see and feel different and at the same time find out its benefits.

Thousands of people from all religions practise yoga as it teaches the positive living ways and one can learn how to deal with themselves, others and the world around them.

Yoga can also help to build awareness of the body, an individual’s feelings and the needs of those around them.

Psychic control, mind control and thought control are some common spiritual benefits one can get from practising yoga.

The most spiritual benefit of yoga remains the self realisation. The understanding of self will help assure the healing of the pain of the body as well as the mind.

The mental aspect

The demands of our daily lives leave us stressed and we easily tend to drift away from the real ways of life.

We end up losing contact with the ones close to us and even ourselves as we rush through to meet deadlines and other hassles.

This is where yoga comes in. It can help you relax and handle these stressful situations more easily and in a calmer way.

It can help you to quiet the mind and focus your energy on your task which you need to take care of.

Among other benefits that this art can provide is positive thoughts and self-acceptance.

Yoga - a part of your emotional life

This alternative health therapy has been said to relieve depression and several studies have shown that this fact is true.

It has also been known to be an effective way to relieve anxiety and promote stress-coping abilities within the individual.

Stress may often lead to anger, either towards your own self or others around you. Through yoga, these negative emotions can be controlled.

Controlling your emotions is easier said than done, but using yoga techniques to help you’re your emotions will help you live a more peaceful life.

Yoga for a healthy body

Yoga exercise can be a great exercise to improve good circulation, stimulate the immune system and keep away from diseases.

Yoga is also good for the body as it increases muscle tone, strength, stamina and flexibility, the body’s cardiovascular health and respiratory system.

Furthermore, yoga is a natural remedy for many ailments such as arthritis, migraine headaches, back pain and menstrual cramps. Most of the yoga postures help in relieving stress, tension and muscle soreness.

Other benefits to the body include regulating body metabolism, helping to lose weight and improving digestion.

Compiled by Mandy Bertin