By Jeffrey Adams


There are many millions of people in every country across the world that have become supporters of Asana. Asana is the name that the Indian philosopher Swami Vivekanada called his particular philosophy. When he visited Canada and the United States in the late eighteenth century to promote this philosophy he surely never thought that it will take on so quickly and that so many people will embrace it. With yoga Washington DC residents always feel better about life.

There are still many misconceptions about Asana, despite its immense popularity. Asana is not a religion or, nor is it an exercise program, as so many people still think. It is, instead, a holistic discipline that aims to improve the mind, body and spirit of the practitioner in a balanced manner. There is nothing mystic or mysterious about it. It is, in fact, a practical philosophy.

There are some stretching exercises and certain poses that form an integral part of this discipline. Exercising and maintaining poses is not the purpose of Asana, however. They are nothing but tools that can help people to become fitter, to grow spiritually and to improve their minds. There are many forms of this discipline and some of them require much more physical effort while others are more meditative in nature.

Most practitioners love the fact that Asana does not allow any form of competition. Every practitioner progresses at his own pace and master new techniques when they feel up to it. For this reason, classes routinely consist of individuals at various levels of competency. This is a big benefit because it means that families or groups of friends can all practice together without being forced to follow any program.

Several empirical and a number of more informal studies into the benefits offered by Asana have all concluded that it offers numerous benefits indeed and absolutely no drawbacks. It is of particular benefit to those suffering from hypertension, heart conditions, asthma and respiratory difficulties. Those with mental conditions such as high anxiety levels, depression and post traumatic stress syndrome also benefit greatly and some therapists actually encourage their patients to take it up.

Anyone can take up Asana regardless of age or physical condition. It is easy to begin and no special clothes or equipment is required, which makes it affordable and accessible to everyone. One can start off in isolation at home, but it is recommended that beginners join at least a few classes. Reputable instructors will help beginners to identify their needs and to choose an approach to Asana that will suit them best.

Much has been written on this topic and there are scores of self help books and videos available. There are also a myriad of websites that offer free training sessions, interaction with other practitioners and discussion forums where people can ask for advice or share their experiences. Beginners should first determine the form of Asana that they will be following before buying any material to help them master more advanced techniques.

It is not surprising that yoga has become so popular all over the world. It offers many benefits and it is suitable for everyone. Practitioners are healthier, fitter and more flexible. They generally feel better mentally too and many practitioners say that Asana helps them to cope with the many demands of modern life.




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