Five Principles Are The Foundation Of The Practice Of Yoga
The five principles of yoga form the foundation of the practice for many yoga practitioners
, for both veteran and newcomers. The five principles create the foundation of the practice of yoga and are the keys to a sound mind and body, the conduit through which all benefits flow. By studying and adhering to the five principles of yoga, practitioners reach a level of understanding that manifests itself in every aspect of their lives.
According to Ayurveda, which is the ancient Indian science of health, longevity and life, each of the five principles of yoga should be performed individually and according to specific seasons to properly promote and restore health.
The five principles are not difficult to understand. Simply stated, they are: proper exercise, proper breathing, proper relaxation, proper diet and meditation. Let's take a look at each one individually.
Proper exercise is based on the idea that our bodies require exercise and movement to achieve a healthy state. To maintain good health, the body must be put through special yoga asanas, or postures, that are designed to strengthen and maintain all parts of the body by enhancing flexibility, toning the muscles and improving circulation. Proper exercise also can improve the mental state of a person as well by removing stress from the body and allowing the body's systems to function in the manner they should. By utilizing the proper exercise, the body and mind are taught to work in harmony.
Proper breathing, also known as Pranayama, helps you learn to control the flow of the life force (prana) and thereby control your mental state. By learning proper breathing, a yoga student can learn how to increase their mental clarity and energy by practicing slow, deep, measured breathing. By successfully learning proper breathing, you can learn how to refresh your body, particularly at times of stress when tensions may be high. Proper breathing leads to a more focused and restful mind.
Proper relaxation, also known as Shavasana, means teaching the muscles to relax, thereby reducing stress and recharging the nervous system, leaving the yoga practitioner relaxed and with inner peace. This feeling of inner peace can have an impact on your entire life, as you learn to release tension more easily and eliminate the chance of wasting energy. When done in the right manner, proper relaxation involves the mind and spirit, as well as the muscles.
A proper diet can help achieve purity of body and mind and yoga promotes a pure or "satvic" diet that is comprised of food that is easily digestible, is pure and promotes health in the body and mind. Natural or organic food (grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and dairy) are the most common components of a yoga diet and vegetarianism is not uncommon. For many yoga instructors and practitioners, the eating of meat and meat products can make the body slow and listless, thanks to the energy needed to digest meat, which they feel unnecessarily takes energy away from the body. Eating in moderation is also part of a proper diet to yoga practitioners, as well as eating only when one is hungry. To yoga experts and students, diet is as equally important to maintaining a healthy body, mind and spirit as any of the other principles.
Proper meditation is the final principle of yoga and it is considered, by many, to be the most important of the principles. The mind controls every other aspect of the body and sustaining it involves practicing techniques that help keep it peaceful and relaxed. It may only involve a few minutes a day or regular 20-minute weekly sessions, but clearing your mind of stress by means of meditation is important to reaching a state of well-being and peace.
When combined into a complete yoga lifestyle, each of these principles can help the practitioner reach a state of mental and physical well-being that can have a positive affect on one's entire life. Use these five principles as the building blocks for a life filled with peace and harmony of both mind and body.
Five Principles Are The Foundation Of The Practice Of Yoga
By: Linda Adams
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