10 and 1 Reasons to Take Up Yoga

<h2>10 AND 1 REASONS TO TAKE UP YOGA</h2>YOGA - an ancient system of health and longevity, refined over thousands of years, which brings every system of the body to its best working order. Through practice your body will become more flexible, more resilient and stronger, and your mind calm and clear.  1. Hear your own «I» In the bustle of everyday life we rarely get the chance to be alone with ourselves. Yoga practice is an opportunity to look inside at last, leaving every worry and problem “outside the door of the studio”. As we perform the asanas we place our attention entirely on the body, and by setting aside stray thoughts and emotions we learn to settle into the present moment and to enjoy every second of our life. Yoga gives an incomparable sense of unity with the world around us and, most important of all, with ourselves, and it lets us tell mere fuss apart from what truly matters.  2. Take care of your figure Unlike ordinary sport, yoga practice stimulates the production of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a substance that helps reduce weight. During yoga practice the deep muscles also come into play - muscles we are sometimes not even aware of. And they are far from unimportant in shaping a trim figure. No less importantly, the practice of asanas allows the muscles of the body to be lengthened and strengthened without adding bulk.  3. Do good «from the inside» Asanas act on the inner workings of the whole body. The internal organs are massaged and stimulated by the various movements of the asanas, and as a result they work more efficiently. The practice of asanas and bandhas (energy locks) improves the blood supply to the sex glands in both men and women and stimulates the pelvic organs, which can be an effective therapy in the treatment of sexual disorders. And finally, the deep extension of the asanas not only helps develop flexibility but also raises the body's resistance, since there is a direct link between immunity and the condition of the connective tissue (of which bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons are made).  4. «A supple back lengthens life» Yoga exercises are aimed above all at keeping the spine healthy. The spinal column houses the centre of the nervous system - the body's telegraph system. As a direct continuation of the brain, it underpins the health of the whole body. By keeping the spine supple and strong with the appropriate exercises we improve the circulation of the blood; the nerves are then supplied with nitrogen and oxygen, and the body keeps its youthful state. Importantly, yoga practice helps rid you of chronic pain in the lower back, and it also helps straighten a stooped back, a curved spine and a closed chest.  5. «Switch on the energy heating» Through the practice of pranayama the energy stored in our solar plexus is released for physical and mental recovery. Most people breathe shallowly, using only part of the capacity of their lungs. Their shoulder blades are hunched forward, there is tension in the upper back and neck, and they suffer from a lack of oxygen. Such people tire easily and do not know why they are tired. The result of correct breathing, on the other hand, is a concentration of prana, or nerve energy, which raises the level of our vital energy.In ordinary breathing we take in very little prana, but when awareness, or concentration, governs our breathing we are able to store more energy in our various nerve centres and in the brain. A person with plenty of prana radiates vitality and strength that anyone who comes into contact with them notices at once. Pranayama also regulates the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which improves the metabolism and alters the biochemical processes in the tissues. Pranayama is an excellent therapy in the treatment of asthma and chronic bronchitis.  6. Confidence is close at hand! As we master difficult asanas we overcome the fear of an unfamiliar position of the body and widen the boundaries of our awareness. As a result we gain confidence in our own strength not only on the mat but in everyday life as well: and solving any problem comes within our reach.  7. Turn back time With age the level of cortisol - the stress hormone - rises in our blood, while the level of the sex hormones, testosterone and oestrogen, falls. Yet it is precisely on their level that our youth and beauty depend. Yoga helps turn back time. Ten minutes of Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), for instance, raise the level of the sex hormones by 12%. At the same time the cortisol level drops by 16%. By lowering the level of the stress hormone cortisol, regular practice helps keep calcium in the bones and prevents osteoporosis from developing. And thanks to the practice of inverted poses the skin is rejuvenated and takes on a particular glow: the complexion evens out and dark circles under the eyes disappear.  8. Gain self-control Asanas performed slowly and consciously not only bring physical benefit, they are also mental exercises in concentration, or meditation. Because yoga poses are always practised with deep breathing, relaxation and concentration, asanas develop the ability to control the activity of the mind. The mind, which is unsteady by nature and constantly subject to the influence of the world around it, becomes detached, independent, unshakeable. And in time you will learn to apply this skill in everyday life: even the worst rush at work will no longer throw you off balance.  9. Bring in the positive All strong emotions, and psychological injuries all the more so, leave their trace in our body. Regular practice gradually frees the body of its holdings, and along with them the subconscious emotional blocks dissolve. Having learned to control the very finest movements of the body in the asanas, we gradually acquire the ability to govern our own negative emotions as well, and become less quick-tempered and less irritable. A person who has mastered their own mind is able, without help from anyone, to steer their thoughts into the channel of positive thinking.  10. Learn to relax properly Modern social life, food and work all keep us from relaxing. More energy is spent holding our muscles ready for work than on doing the work itself. And even at rest a person usually spends a great deal of energy on physical and mental tension that serves no purpose. Often the whole store of one's energy is squandered in a few minutes through bad mood, anger, resentment or irritation carried to an extreme. In this way most of the body's energy is spent to no purpose at all.Relaxation is the natural way of recharging the body. During relaxation almost no prana is spent. Just 15 minutes of relaxation (letting go on three levels: physical, mental and spiritual) give the same restorative effect as several hours of sound sleep.