Asana, a philosophy developed by Swami Vivekananda and better known as yoga was first introduced to the United States and Canada during a tour by the Indian philosopher. His holistic views on life, as expressed by his philosophy, immediately appealed to people and quickly spread to every country in the world. Today there are millions of people practicing Asana and its popularity keeps on growing. By taking up yoga Ann Arbor MI residents hope to improve the quality of their lives.
There are still many people that think that Asana is some form of Eastern religion or sect. This is certainly not the case. Asana is not a religion at all and it contains no religious elements or religious rites. It is also not a collection of exercises and poses, as many other seem to think. It is a philosophy that strives to help people improve the quality of their lives by focusing on the spirit, the mind and the body.
Asana does indeed involve a large number of body poses and stretching exercises but they are not the main aim of this philosophy. Instead they are nothing but tools that are designed to help practitioners to gain inner strength, to focus upon specific issues and to concentrate better. There is not just one version of Asana either. Different versions focus on different aspects, depending on the needs of each individual.
Asana never involves any form of competition and classes are no made up of people all on roughly the same level of proficiency and experience. This means that entire families, regardless of their ages or physical conditions can join a class together. There is also no pressure to master new poses and exercises at a prescribed pace. Practitioners progress at their own pace and only when they feel ready.
There have been many formal and informal studies into the health benefits of Asana. The general conclusion of most of these studies is that Asana offers many benefits indeed. All practitioners increase their overall flexibility and muscle strength but those with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and anxiety issues benefit decidedly. Many doctors actually advise their patients to take up this discipline as part of their treatment.
It is not difficult or expensive to start with Asana. No special clothing or equipment is necessary. Classes may cost a little bit but it is not even necessary to join a class in order to enjoy the benefits. It is advisable, however, to attend at least a few classes when staring off in order to master the very basic poses and exercises and to learn more about the true purpose of Asana.
There is a wealth of information available on this subject and many websites offer free instructional videos, advice and interaction forums. The problem for most beginners is to choose a specific version that will suit their needs and abilities. The solution may be to join a studio that offers classes in various versions and to try a few before making a final decision on the matter.
It is no wonder that Asana is so popular. It does wonders for the spiritual, mental and physical health of practitioners. It is affordable and it can be practiced anywhere. Best of all, it is the ideal activity for entire families and even those with disabilities are not excluded from participating.
There are still many people that think that Asana is some form of Eastern religion or sect. This is certainly not the case. Asana is not a religion at all and it contains no religious elements or religious rites. It is also not a collection of exercises and poses, as many other seem to think. It is a philosophy that strives to help people improve the quality of their lives by focusing on the spirit, the mind and the body.
Asana does indeed involve a large number of body poses and stretching exercises but they are not the main aim of this philosophy. Instead they are nothing but tools that are designed to help practitioners to gain inner strength, to focus upon specific issues and to concentrate better. There is not just one version of Asana either. Different versions focus on different aspects, depending on the needs of each individual.
Asana never involves any form of competition and classes are no made up of people all on roughly the same level of proficiency and experience. This means that entire families, regardless of their ages or physical conditions can join a class together. There is also no pressure to master new poses and exercises at a prescribed pace. Practitioners progress at their own pace and only when they feel ready.
There have been many formal and informal studies into the health benefits of Asana. The general conclusion of most of these studies is that Asana offers many benefits indeed. All practitioners increase their overall flexibility and muscle strength but those with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and anxiety issues benefit decidedly. Many doctors actually advise their patients to take up this discipline as part of their treatment.
It is not difficult or expensive to start with Asana. No special clothing or equipment is necessary. Classes may cost a little bit but it is not even necessary to join a class in order to enjoy the benefits. It is advisable, however, to attend at least a few classes when staring off in order to master the very basic poses and exercises and to learn more about the true purpose of Asana.
There is a wealth of information available on this subject and many websites offer free instructional videos, advice and interaction forums. The problem for most beginners is to choose a specific version that will suit their needs and abilities. The solution may be to join a studio that offers classes in various versions and to try a few before making a final decision on the matter.
It is no wonder that Asana is so popular. It does wonders for the spiritual, mental and physical health of practitioners. It is affordable and it can be practiced anywhere. Best of all, it is the ideal activity for entire families and even those with disabilities are not excluded from participating.
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