Namaste (नमस्ते)!

Even if you haven’t ever tried yoga (योग), you’ve probably heard or seen something about it on tv. Yoga (योग) is a form of exercise to help you not only to get in shape, but to unload any stress that you may be repressing. It’s a mind-body form of exercise that can be as simple as controlling your breathing to doing more acrobatic feats like head stands. Yoga (योग) is not only a form of exercise, but it’s a complete philosophy as well. The philosophy and the exercise go hand in hand.

Some of the most important concepts are :

1. Yama (यम) literally means death, or rather killing your worldly desires. Hard core followers will often abstain from eating meat. Gluttony is to be avoided, so followers will often control their portion sizes as well. Many followers also live a simple life. Having possession of too many worldly goods is seen as entrapment. Many followers of this belief believe that freedom can only come about by letting go of unnecessary desires.

2. Asana (आसन) has to do with meditation. In your yoga (योग) class, you’ve probably been instructed to sit down with your legs crossed and eyes closed. Your thumb and pointer finger were probably touching. This would be a meditation exercise. Whenever I feel like I’m losing my mind with deadlines, I find that this posture helps me to refocus and stay relaxed.

3. Praanaayaama (प्राणायाम ) has to do with controlled breathing. There are studies that show that taking ten minutes each day to do controlled breathing exercises can help reduce stress and anxiety. Controlled breathing is easy to do. Just exhale and inhale, holding your breath as you do it.

4. Dhaaranaa (धारणा ) has to do with concentration. Concentration exercises have to do with ignoring external stimuli like the music on the radio, or the cold wind, and focusing on a single target, like your breathing. I do these exercises when my head is spinning from all the things I have to do. It’s a great way to refocus and put your mind at ease.

In today’s busy world, I find that yoga (योग) is a wonderful way to wind down. All these exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home, which is a nice way to refuel your energy after a long day.