80 Interesting Facts About Yoga

01. India is the birthplace of yoga. 02. Yoga is considered as one of the world’s oldest physical disciplines. 03. How old is yoga? It is well over 5000 years old. 04. The meaning of the word ‘yoga’ is ‘union or yoke.’ 05. ‘Yuj’ – the Vedic Sanskrit root word is the source of the word ‘yoga’. Yuj means ‘to unite’ or ‘to join.’ 06. It is said that yoga started back in the 7th century BCE (700 BCE to 601 BCE). However, if we go by the ancient texts of India, yoga has been mentioned in Rig Veda (which is considered as one of the oldest religious texts in the world). 07. Yoga is a combination of meditation, breathing, and postures. 08. In total, there are 196 Yoga Sutras or aphorisms. 09. In total, there are 84 classical Yoga Asanas. You may find more in modern iterations brought in by the western world. 10. Asanas are just one of the 8 different limbs of Yoga. 11. The person who is credited for propagating Yoga in the West is Swami Vivekananda. 12. One of the Indian Trinity Gods, Lord Shiva is considered as the Supreme Lord of Yoga. He is also known by the name Aadi Yogi. 13. Somewhere during the 2nd century BCE, there was an Indian sage by the name Maharshi Patanjali. He gave the treatise on Yoga which is known by the name Patanjali Yoga Sutra. 14. Kriya Yoga was taught to millions of people across the world by Paramahansa Yogananda. 15. B. K. S. Iyengar is considered as the foremost teacher among all modern-day Yoga teachers in the world. 16. The best-selling Yoga book available in the English language was authored by B. K. S. Iyengar. The name of the book is Light of Yoga: Yoga Dipika. 17. Yoga involves slow rhythmic breathing. The reason for this is that the ancient yogis used to think that we humans have a limited number of breaths in our lives, and that slow and deep breaths can help us extend our life. 18. While practicing Yoga it is essential to keep as much skin exposed to air as possible. 19. In total, there are 19 different types of Yoga. 20. There are a total of 64 official Yoga postures. 21. Bali has the world’s largest yoga center in the whole of Asia. It is known as the Markandeya Yoga City. 22. In the US and Europe, the practice of naked Yoga is gaining popularity. 23. Yoga is known to improve metabolism and hence, helps in weight loss. 24. Yoga also reduces cellulite content by stretching the muscles. 25. Males experience an improvement in their sexual performance by practicing what is known as Gaurasana or the Eagle pose. 26. Laughter Yoga, traditionally known as Hasyayoga, is practiced by people across 60 different countries. 27. It is a proven fact that people practicing Yoga have a longer lifespan compared to those who do not practice Yoga. Deep and slow breathing helps to expand the lungs and aids the heart. 28. Rhythmic breathing in Yoga elevates mood. In case you did not know, breath is an indicator of mood. 29. In Malaysia, Yoga has been banned among Muslims. They are not allowed to practice Yoga because it is believed that the practice of Yoga is against the core philosophy of Islam. 30. Yoga asanas, as mentioned earlier, is only one of the 8 branches or limbs of Yoga. Yoga has 7 other branches. The eight branches are: Yama Niyama Asana Pranayama Pratyahara Dharana Dhyana Samadhi 31. By rule, after every 30 minutes of yoga asana practice, you must allocate 5 minutes of rest for your body. 32. There is an International Yoga Day. It is celebrated on the 21st of June every year. 33. Competitive Yoga became an official sport after its inclusion in the 2016 Summer Olympics. 34. In the US, at least 36 million people practice yoga regularly. 35. There has been a 50% jump in the number of Yoga practitioners in the US over the last 5 years. 36. The world in total has over 300 million Yoga practitioners. 37. Americans spend a whopping $16 billion a year on Yoga clothing, accessories, equipment, and classes each year. 38. The U.S.A. has 6,000 Yoga studios. 39. 72% of Yoga practitioners in the USA are women 40. The age group of the most active Yoga practitioners in the USA is 30-49 years. This group also makes up 43% of all Yoga practitioners in the country. 41. 38% of Yoga practitioners in the US are 50+ years old. 42. 19% of Yoga practitioners in the USA are in the age group of 18 to 29 years. 43. The worldwide spending on Yoga is estimated to be $80 billion. 44. Recent studies have proven that Yoga is an effective tool for combating back pain! The studies were conducted in the western world but the Indians already knew about it thousands of years ago. 45. In the US, the top five reasons cited by the Yoga practitioners for indulging in Yoga are: Improved flexibility. Stress relief. General fitness. Improvement in overall health. Physical fitness. 46. 59% of Yoga practitioners in the US say that Yoga helped in improving their sleep. 47. Males who practice Yoga are called Yogis. The females who practice Yoga are called Yoginis. 48. In the USA, Yoga is the commonest complementary health approach. 49. India hosted the largest Yoga class in the world with a whopping 100,984 participants! 50. Becoming a Yoga instructor is a popular career choice in the USA. There are 56,000 registered Yoga teachers in the country. 51. A medical research proved that the three branches of classical Yoga, that is, Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing exercise), and Dhyana (meditation) together manage to reduce oxidative stress and hence, combats cellular aging. 52. Swami Vivekananda introduced Yoga to the Americans (specifically to the people of Chicago) in the 18th century. 53. Healing Yoga aims at not only improving physical health but also the mental and emotional wellbeing of individuals. 54. Many health centers across the world introduced complementary Yoga therapy over the years. 55. In the USA, Yoga was restricted only for males. Women were allowed into Yoga classes as late as 1937. 56. Yoga is today considered as one of the most successful byproducts of globalization. 57. While Yoga mats are a recent introduction (as late as the late 20th century), Yoga was traditionally practiced on green grass or skins of dead animals. However, in ancient India, Yoga was always practiced in open areas like fields or at the banks of rivers or seashores by staying in direct contact with the earth. In case you want to practice mat-free Yoga, just ensure that your select place doesn’t have sharp and hard objects like roots, broken branches, rocks, etc. They will hurt you. 58. The first Yoga mat came into existence in 1982 by Angela Farmer. 59. Forget the modern forms and types of Yoga. Even the ancient classical Yoga can work every muscle in your body. 60. Since most people love scientific backing to every claim made by ancient Indian practices, here is one for you – Norwegian scientists proved that practicing Yoga brings molecular changes in the body that helps in better circulation of immune cells, thereby increasing immunity. 61. Oh! Here is another one for you – according to the Boston University School of Medicine, practicing Yoga twice a week can help to ease depression. 62. Want more? A research suggested that Yoga helps to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and it is especially helpful for those suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. 63. In Banaras Hindu University, India, it was found by the Department of Physical Education that Yoga lowers blood pressure, pulse rate, reduces the need for increased intake of oxygen by the body, and eventually making people calmer. This leads to increased self-control. 64. A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that people suffering from Schizophrenia have been found to have improved cognitive functioning. 65. One UCLA research was conducted which found that regularly practicing Yoga Asanas along with meditation delays cognitive impairment, which is the first indicator of the development of Alzheimer’s disease. 66. According to SAGE journals, Yoga helps in the reduction of risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 67. According to Diabetes.co.uk, regularly practicing Yoga helps to keep diabetes in check. The study was conducted by Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences in 2015 and it came out that there was a 10% drop in blood glucose level in diabetic patients who practiced Yoga for 10 days straight! 68. There is something called Hot Yoga or Bikram Yoga (original name) which claims to increase physical fitness. In this type, Yoga practitioners perform Yoga Asanas in a room where temperatures reach 105°F. However, a study says that there is no additional benefit. The classical and ancient Indian yogis never promoted any such thing. On the contrary, they promoted practicing Yoga in the open air in a peaceful and calm environment. 69. In India, a study was conducted with prison inmates in Pune. The study asked inmates to practice Yoga and this improved their physical and mental health. This eventually led to a reduction in violent crimes inside the prison. As of today, those inmates who get top marks in Yoga tests can get a reduction in their total jail term. 70. Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School says that women who practice Yoga get better orgasms! 71. A study was conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in which it was found that 55% of regular Yoga practitioners reported better sleep. 72. According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, men suffering from premature ejaculation can reduce their embarrassment by practicing Yoga regularly. 73. The 10 most popular Yoga poses are:Uttanasana – Standing Forward Bend.Balasana – Child’s Pose.Trikonasana – Triangle Pose.Salamba Sarvangasana – The Supported Shoulderstand.Bakasana – The Crane Pose.Bhujangasana – The Cobra Pose.Janu Sirsasana – Head-to-Knee Forward Bend.Ardha Matsyendrasana – Half Lord of the Fishes Pose.Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward Dog Pose.Padmasana – The Lotus Pose. 74. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, practicing power poses help to improve the self-esteem of yogis and yoginis. The power poses are those Yoga Asanas that are expansive and open positions and require a lot of space. 75. There is something called Doga. It is Yoga for dogs. The most popular pose for Doga is Downward Dog Pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana. 76. Instagram posts on Yoga poses receive more likes if the practitioner has minimal clothing. 77. At any given point in time, Instagram will have 60 million Yoga posts trending! So, Yoga can make you an Instagram star! 78. In Oregon, people practice yoga with goats! Well, goats are great therapy animals, and adding them to Yoga routine can help. 79. George Harrison from The Beatles was a famous Yogi. 80. Bernice Mary Bates – a 91-year old woman is the world’s oldest Yoga teacher. That’s a Guinness World Record. Check Out My Website for pilates stick

What is the importance of yoga in our daily life?

Importance of Yoga in Our Daily Life

Yoga is not a religion, it is a way of living that aims towards a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Man is a physical, mental and spiritual being; yoga helps promote a balanced development of all the three. Other forms of physical exercises, like aerobics, assure only physical well-being. They have little to do with the development of the spiritual or astral body.

Yogic exercises recharge the body with cosmic energy and facilitates:

Attainment of perfect equilibrium and harmony

Promotes self- healing.

Removes negative blocks from the mind and toxins from the body

Enhances personal power

Yoga to live with greater awareness

Helps in attention, focus and concentration, especially important for children

Reduces stress and tension in the physical body by activating the parasympathetic nervous system

Yoga for better relationships  Check Out Pilates Stick for Home Workout at My Website