Yoga, to me, is the perfect fusion of mind-body-spirit. I'm not the most flexible person (I can't even kind of do a split), but I find yoga very satisfying. Though it may not be as tough as weight lifting, yoga can help build strength--both physically, mentally and emotionally.
Physical Benefits of Yoga
Increased Flexibility
Increased Strength
Improved Balance
Increased Stamina
Improved Body Alignment (reduces joint pain)
Mental Benefits of Yoga
Stress Reduction
Body Awareness
Better Sleep
Improve self-confidence
Relaxation
I practice yoga at home and follow a few workout channels on Youtube that offer fantastic yoga practices. Yoga with Adriene is probably one of the best known yogis on Youtube. I love her attitude and how she walks you through the practice. **I want to mention quickly that there are different types of yoga, and I'm not sure how to tell the difference. For information on the different styles of yoga, click here.
I also follow Boho Beautiful and Tone it Up (also on Youtube). They offer other exercises as well, but I love their yoga routines! **More on this in another post, but Boho Beautiful offers some great guided meditations, too.
I love practicing yoga because of how great I feel afterwards. Physically, I feel like I got in a good workout, burning calories and sweating. On top of that, I feel like I did something good for myself. It's rewarding. I'm not to calmest person around (I would better be described as fiery) so yoga helps relax me. Spiritually, I feel connected to the universe through yoga.
Some of my favorite poses are upward facing dog, seated twist, warriors I and II, pigeon and cat/cow. Different yoga poses can help with a variety of moods, ailments and imbalances. For instance, child's pose has been said to help alleviate anxiety and frog pose is a great hip-opening pose. In the book Radical Beauty, Kimberly Snyder goes more into detail about the benefits of various poses. **I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a happier, healthier life.
Have you tried yoga? What does it do for you?
~Namaste~
