Yoga has been practiced in India for thousands of years by yogis searching for spiritual enlightenment. In the 1960′s the practice started making it’s way to America and was embraced by hippies and celebretries. Now Yoga is practiced by many people around the world from all walks of life.

Most people know that practicing Yoga can help increase your flexibility, but did you know that it also helps build strength, aides in detoxifying the body and reduces stress? Yoga Guru Swami Sivananda said there were five basic principles in Yoga.

1. Savasana (Relaxation)
2. Asanas (Exercise)
3. Pranayama (Breathing)
4. Diet
5. Dhyana (Positive Thinking/Meditation)

Following these principles can help you live a full, healthy and happy life.

I started practicing Yoga several years ago. I took a class at my local community center. Soon my work schedule changed and I was no longer able to attend the class. When I wasn’t practicing Yoga, I noticed a real change in my physical health. I was more prone to physical problems. My hands especially suffered.

It was difficult for me to devote myself to taking a 90 minute class at the time, so I started practicing Yoga on my own. I just did what I had time to do. Doing Yoga for a half an hour every morning made a big difference in my health. I still don’t take a formal class, but I use DVD’s and books to guide me.

I think that we all should try doing some Yoga. Ideally, you should start by taking a class. When you take a Yoga class the instructor is there to make sure you are doing the poses correctly and can show you how to modify poses that are too difficult for you. There are many different styles of Yoga, each has a different emphasis. Iyengar Yoga focuses on proper form and uses props such as blocks and straps to help you achieve proper posture in the poses. Bikram Yoga is an intense set of 26 poses preformed in a 105 degree room. Kundalani Yoga focuses on controlling the breath. Try different kinds of Yoga to find out what’s right for you and try to incorporate a Yoga into your life.

Photo by kk+