Article Advise

submitted: Aug 27th 2008 | by: KimArcher | Total views: 1 | Word Count: 494 | |

Yoga has an extremely long history; over 6,000 years in fact! This ancient form of exercise is great for conditioning the body and the mind alike.

While the various asanas or postures are the core of yoga, the breath is its soul. It's been said that if you can breathe, you can practice yoga. A fundamental aim of yoga is to help you learn to calm your mind through your breathing.

By practicing yoga on a regular basis, you get to know your breath intimately. Not only will you learn about proper breathing , which will soothe and relax you, but you will bring your postures to life through the use of your breath.

Our minds tend to wander; thinking of the future and the past constantly. With yoga, you'll train yourself to consider the present - where we are, where our bodies exist. The practice of yoga through breathing techniques helps you to draw your thoughts inward and release all of your worries and tensions.

Yoga can help to prevent stress and disease by letting you do this - letting go of these harmful, stressful thoughts, even for a short time, restores your body and mind to a healthy balanced state. Focusing on the present is what brings about this benefit.

Yoga teaches the practice of conscious breathing while doing poses - this fosters consciousness of your technique and greater mental alertness. By drawing your mind into the moment and forgetting all else, you will garner the benefits which yoga has to offer.

While there are a number of breathing exercises associated with yoga which will teach you how to release tension and balance your mind, as a start, try the following exercise.

* Sit or lie down in a comfortable position and become attuned to your normal breathing patterns.

* Be aware of your breath while you inhale and exhale, counting to four each time. Do this several times.

* Next, increase your inhalation and exhalations to 5 counts each.

* After several rounds of breathing in and out for five counts, increase to six counts. Be conscious of your body at all times and don't tense up.

* Continue increasing the count of your breathing until you get to nine. If you start to feel stressed, drop back down to a number that is more comfortable.

* Keep focusing on your body and be aware of any tension. Make a conscious effort to relax any parts of your body that are tense.

* Whatever number of counts you reach, continue breathing with these long breaths for several rounds, then stop counting and breathe normally for 10 rounds.

What you should discover from this exercise, as well as with many of yoga's other breathing exercises, is the ability to relax your thoughts and to still your mind so that you are present in your body. In time, you will eventually gain mastery over your breath so that you will be able to call on your breath to still your mind in times of stress and tension.

About the Author

Kim Archer enjoys the health benefits and relaxation of yoga. A great source of information on this restorative practice can be found at Yoga Essentials.

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