It is hard to believe that not long ago people in the west regarded “**yoga**” as nothing more than a bizarre lifestyle of a few vegetarian enthusiasts twisting their bodies into weird, seemingly impossible positions. Today, almost everyone is familiar with at least the basic principles of yoga and many have come to appreciate its genuine benefits through their own practice.

If you feel “left behind”, it isn’t too late because today we will look at some of the most profound benefits of practicing this wholistic art which can help you** achieve health, internal peace, and harmony with your world.**

Many of us are drawn to yoga as a way to keep our bodies lean, fit, and supple. Others want to get a relief from back pain, tension, and stiffness. Some are merely looking for variety or a more meaningful alternative to gyms and treadmills. Whichever the reason, yoga has something to offer to everybody:

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• Yoga does wonders to** increase flexibility, stretch ligaments, lubricate joints, and tone muscles** - just 10 daily minutes of the Sun Salutation sequence will eventually cure your morning stiffness.
• Some of the asanas, especially Forward Bends, have a capacity to trim your tummy.
• Yoga is a wonderful way to **restore elasticity of the spine and improve **posture - Tree, Bridge, and Plough are the most effective postures for the health of your back.
• Headstand and Shoulderstand both aid to the flow of blood to the brain, which results in better thinking and improved memory.

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• Almost all yoga postures massage internal glands and organs, which helps the proper functioning of various body systems, including the most vulnerable endocrine, digestive, and cardiovascular ones.
• Regular meditation at the end of your yoga session helps to calm your mind and decrease anxiety**** and depression.
• Breathing exercises, or “pranayama“, an essential part of yoga practice, will **expand your lung capacity and improve the flow of the vital energy (“prana“) within your subtle body. **

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Moreover, yoga is a perfect and pleasurable method to maintain peace and balance and to lead you towards spiritual self-realization - the self-realization that we are all seeking, consciously or unconsciously, and towards which we are all gradually evolving…

Photos by **myyogaonline**, **Slaff**

About the Author

Amanda Brown is our Healthy Lifestyle Expert. Amanda lives in Canada, and her background includes Degrees in Ethnology, History, and Wholistic Therapies. Her true passion, though, lies in the fields of traditional nutrition, history of medicine… learn more about Amanda here.