At Yoga Ann Arbor MI Practitioners Improve Their Bodies And Minds

By Janet Wagner


Swami Vivekananda, an Indian philosopher, tours the United States and Canada towards the end of the eighteenth century to promote his unique philosophy. He called it Asana but most people know it better as yoga. The philosophy immediately appealed to numerous people and today Asana is practiced in every country all over the world and by people from all cultures and backgrounds. In order to learn how to practice yoga Ann Arbor MI enthusiasts can get going after just one or two classes.

Even though millions of people practice Asana, many still think that it is some form of mystic religion and that it is in conflict with other religions. Others think that it is just a series of stretching exercises and poses that forms part of a physical fitness plan. Asana is not a religion at all. Instead, it is a philosophy that aims at holistically improving the body, mind and spirit.

Asana does involve stretching exercises and bodily poses, but these are only used as vehicle to focus the minds of practitioners and to help them to improve their concentration. There are different styles of Asana ranging from a version that requires physical strength and fitness to versions that focus much less on the physical side and more on the spiritual issues and the expansion of the mind.

Asana can easily be practiced by entire families. This is because classes are mixed with some members more experienced, others only beginners, some older people and some very young ones. Nobody is ever compared with another practitioner and there is never any form of competition. There is also no schedule according to which practitioners have to master new poses and exercise. Everyone progresses at his own pace.

There have been many studies focusing on Asana, especially its potential health benefits. It has been found that people suffering from high anxiety levels, depression and other mental conditions benefited greatly after taking up Asana. Those with hypertension, diabetes, arthritis and other diseases afflicting the joints and tendons also benefit. Improved flexibility and stronger muscles are also major benefits enjoyed by practitioners. It even improves the ability to concentrate.

Literally anyone can practice Asana, even those with physical disabilities. It is suitable for any age group, even the elderly and very young children. It is easy to start too. There is no need to buy equipment or special clothing to get going. One can even start practicing in isolation at home, but experts advise that it may be better to join at least a few classes in order to learn all the basic poses and exercises.

Many beginners struggle to find a style of Asana that suits them. The best solution is to become a member of a studio that offers classes in several styles. After a little bit of experimenting it should be much easier to choose a specific style. There are also many websites that provide valuable information and that even allow users to post questions. Some websites even offer video lessons.

It is not surprising that Asana is so popular all over the world. It offers numerous benefits and it has no drawbacks at all. Participants are never under pressure to perform better and practitioners say that Asana has made a big difference in the quality of their lives.




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