Pranams to all the blessed beings. Welcome back to yoga basics, an endeavor to familiarize yoga enthusiasts with basic information on various pertinent topics of yoga philosophy.
The present generation youth have a lot of choices when it comes to exercising their body and keeping themselves physically fit. The question then arises as to what kind of physical culture is good for them. With the increasing popularity of Yoga Asanas practice across the globe, yoga enthusiasts are required to know the difference between yoga Asana and other physical exercise Cultures. This blog precisely explains the same in detail.
The purpose
Yoga is defined as a state of being in which the mind is in absolute equanimity at all times under all circumstances. Any path of yoga chosen as a practice aims at reaching this goal.
This being the focus, Hatha yoga , a system under which yoga asana practice is undertaken, aims at disciplining the body which is an instrument that can be seen, to ultimately trick the mind into stability. Hence yoga asana practice though appears to be a body contortion exercise, starts with the body and ends with the mind. As against this, other physical exercise cultures aim at achieving a physical goal using the body, such as weightlifters training themselves to lift maximum weight, sprint training attempting to be fastest on the track etc. these training start with the body and end with the body.
Focus
Yoga asana attempts to calm the mind to stillness, and hence the entire focus during practice is mandatorily inwards, while cutting off any external stimuli. This is termed ‘Nirodha Vritti ‘ or an inwardly bound focus of mind. Yoga asana practice requires each Asana to be practiced adopting a specific ‘Bhaava’ or sheen of emotion, which helps the mind to move into purity and calmness. ( Types of Bhaavas accompanying asana practice shall be spoken in detail in a separate blog), while there is no such requirement with other physical cultures.
Other exercise forms usually have their mind outward bound, wherein, listening to music as they practice, interacting with others, looking at oneself in the mirror etc. are permitted. This is termed ‘ Vyutthana Vritti ‘ or an outwardly bound focus of the mind.
Role of Breathing
Asana practice is always associated with a certain breathing discipline. While transitioning into a posture, while attempting to remain still in that posture and while releasing the posture. Asana ‘siddhi’ or mastery over an asana requires practitioner to be Stable, at ease in the posture while one slows down the rate of breathing, reduces the force and depth of breathing to imperceptibility.
As against this , other physical exercise cultures permit the body to increase the rate, depth and force of breathing to match the oxygen demand of the body while in practice.
Manner of execution
In Yoga asana practice the movements of the body is slow, deliberate, directed, often non repetitive. Range of motion is very gradually increased over time without hurting the body, in fact we try and trick the body into discipline wherein it does not resist our attempts at that. Other forms of exercise entail rapid, repetitive, jerky movements which are often forceful, and one is vulnerable to injuries.
Effect on Human metabolism
Nearly hundred Trillion cells within the body with tens of thousands of chemical reactions happening in each cell all the time, are either building ( anabolism) or dissolving ( catabolism ). Yoga asana practice maintains this balance of metabolism ( sum total of chemical reactions taking place within the body) , while other exercise forms tilt the balance to either side depending on the kind of exercise undertaken.
Effect on Diet, Water intake and Restroom culture
Yoga asana practice calls for reduced food intake or ‘Mitaahara’ as a mandated part of its practice prerequisite and as one goes ahead with practice, progressively hunger and thirst reduce as an effect, resulting in a leaner, energy efficient and a strong body. In fact the ‘rest room’ practices ( bowel and bladder movements) become very disciplined as an offshoot benefit of yoga.
In other physical cultures, hunger and thirst increase as a result of exercising the body. Moreover, it is often encouraged to consume high calorie diets, concentrated proteins or energy boosters which tend to affect one’s food culture and the body, often irreversibly. One needs to be careful about the effect of such a diet on the organs of the body, specially Kidneys and liver.
Effect on the body and Mind and Personality
Yoga asana practice leaves one rejuvenated and energetic at the end of practice while we tend to get physically exhausted with other practices.
Yoga is all about dissolving oneself into nothingness or becoming absolutely egoless. As one moves deeper into yoga asana practice, one’s Mind becomes flexible, lot calmer, humble and develops a ‘ Be good, Do good ‘ attitude, wishing for wellness of mankind and nature. Mind insulates itself from getting affected by any happenings around and remains inwardly focused and stable. Every action of the practitioner then passes through the test - is it necessary, is it for others welfare, does it harm anyone, and then gets executed leaving a positive impact on everything around.
As opposed to the above, any progress in achievement in other cultures often ( with exceptions of course) tend to make the person become self obsessed, egoistic, hard on other less achievers.
As we dwell deeper into the subject, we realize that yoga asana , the most popular segment of yoga practice, has everything to do with the Mind and very little to do with the Body, which is used as a medium to achieve the ultimate goal of Equanimity of Mind.
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