Whenever I think about what goes inside the body, that redirects me straight to yoga.
This practice of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines, and originated in India is 5000 years ago. There is a broad variety of yoga schools, practices, and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Yoga is often interpreted as a ‘union of breath, body, and mind’. Not only in India, but yoga is also practiced all over the world. Following data has been derived from the recent study about yoga practices in various countries:
- 36 million people in the US regularly practice yoga.
2. Americans practicing yoga has grown by over 50% in the last four years.
3. 72% of yoga practitioners are women.
4. The majority of yoga practitioners are under the age of 44.
5. One in three Americans has tried yoga at least once.
6. Over 15% of Americans have practiced yoga in the last 6 months.
7. Yoga is the most commonly used complementary health approach in the US.
8. Americans spend $16 billion on yoga classes and equipment each year.
9. It was introduced to America in the 18th century.
Coming to the terms given to those who practice yoga. Male yoga practitioners are called ‘yogis’ and female practitioners are known as ‘yoginis. Until 1937, Yoga classes used to be just for men, and women were not invited there. But now it is actively promoted as a sport. Teaching yoga is becoming an increasingly popular career choice. At any one time, over 60 million yoga posts are trending on Instagram. There are over 52000 registered yoga teachers and over 18000 registered yoga schools.
“Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, the science of youthfulness, the science of integrating body, mind, and soul”, says Amit Ray. It can work on every muscle of our body. It boosts our immune system. Practicing yoga twice each week can help to ease depression. Those suffering from anxiety could benefit from practicing yoga. It benefits individuals who suffer from lower back pain. You can improve the cognitive functioning of patients with schizophrenia. It can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. It can help reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Diabetes patients can help to control their condition by regularly practicing yoga. It may help us lose weight. More importantly, Yoga can help treat the symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). One fact that I read some days back is that prisoners in India can reduce their sentence by getting top marks in a yoga test.
Below are the 10 most popular yoga poses:
- The Lotus Pose
2. Downward Facing Dog
3. Half Lord Of the Fishes
4. Head to Knee Forward Bend
5. The Cobra Pose
6. The Crane Pose
7. The Supported Shoulder Stand
8. The Triangle Pose
9. Child’s Pose
10. Standing Forward Bend