subject: Practice Of Yoga Is Built Upon Five Basic Principles [print this page] 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.
The five principles are based on the ancient Indian science of health, life and longevity known as Ayurveda, which suggests that each of the principles be adhered to individually and within specific seasons to achieve health and well-being.
The five principles are not difficult to understand. Simply put, the five principles of yoga are proper exercise, proper relaxation, proper breathing, proper diet and medication. 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. Learning proper breathing techniques teaches you how to use your lungs to their capacity as you take slow, deep, rhythmic breaths, which increase your energy and mental clarity. Learning proper breathing can also allow a yoga practitioner to refresh their body and remove stress at times when tension may be high. In short, proper breathing can help created a more rested and focused 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 inner peace can impact your entire life, giving you the ability to release tension and regain energy almost at will. 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, organic foods such as grains, vegetables, nuts, fruit and dairy products, are the most common components of a yoga-based diet, with vegetarianism also popular. 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. A proper diet to yoga practitioners means also eating in moderation and only when you are hungry. In short, eating is another part of the process of maintaining a healthy mind, body and spirit.
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 all aspects of the human body and keeping it in top condition means practicing exercises that keep it at peace 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.
Each of these principles, when combined into a complete yoga program, can help the practitioner achieve a state of mental and physical clarity that can have far-reaching affects on their entire body. The five principles are the building blocks of a life of peace and harmony.
by: Linda Adams
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