Top 6 reasons to make yoga one of your New Year resolutions.
Come December and out are those personal diaries which may be lying somewhere covered in dust. These diaries are out for a reason at this time of the year. For, it’s the time to exercise your grey cells and chalk out a plan for the New Year. A plan for your family, for yourself, for a healthy body and a stress-free mind. The last two may seem easy to implement by including yoga practice in your resolution list. We bring you six good reasons why yoga should be one of your resolutions the coming year. After all, we can’t rub cold shoulders to a trend which is more than 5,000 years old!
1. For improved flexibility: How many times have we, knowingly or unknowingly, massaged our hurting back? Many a time, we try to reach for a jar only to realize that we have ended up getting a muscle pull. Are we aging? The answer is “always". In this world of quick fixes, fast food and speeding cars, we seem to have forgotten our traditional practices and ignored the fact that a stich in time saves nine. A few gentle body stretches or some quick rounds of Surya Namaskarin the morning can work wonders for your body. It wouldn’t be late before you come to know that your body has become more flexible and reaching for the jar is just another child’s play!
2. For a fitter body: Most of you would have ‘going to the gym’ or ‘cycling’ or ‘reducing my waistline’ on your resolution list. Yoga can help take care of all your weight-related concerns. A few minutes of Kapalbhati Pranayama everyday could surprise your tailor at your waistline measurement when you visit him next! Surya Namaskar – a series of different yoga poses which work on the core muscles of your body –is a complete body workout and a few quick rounds everyday would not only leave you fresh and energetic but also help you lose an inch or two.
3. For sharp minds and sharp decisions: A hasty decision may sometimes lead to undesired results. Some decisions require you to sit, think and re-strategize yourself. Yoga practices help you become a wiser and calmer person. You become capable of taking the right call at the right time without wasting time on re-strategizing.“Yoga helped me discover skills and capabilities I never knew I had. You almost become a channel for the most surprising things that flow through you,”shares Srinivas Uppaluri, Management Consultant, Bangalore.
4. For spending time with loved ones: Hand-held video games, social media and birthday parties, all succeed in keeping your children busy, while your spouse may be occupied in checking out the latest designer labels in the newly opened mall. Times are only getting busier, yet yoga can become an excuse for the whole family to take time out. Decide on a fixed time when all of you can practice yoga together. A family which does yoga together stays together! It can be a fun idea to nurture good values in your kids as well as a brilliant way for everyone to keep fit – the elderly, spouse or kids. Who doesn't like to see a healthy family after all?
5. For detoxifying yourself: Yoga works best when practiced over a period of time. It is only with consistent practice that its benefits become evident. Detoxification of the entire body is one such benefit. Regular yoga practice helps release stress and toxins deeply stored in the system. As such, you can look forward to a younger-looking healthy body, a peaceful mind and a refreshing personality. Discover the new you with yoga.
6. For overall health: Blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety, improper sleep, stress, osteoporosis– yogahas answers to all these. The saying goes: Prevention is better than cure. Yoga can be your prevention step. Several researches have been conducted on how yoga helps cope with various health issues (See Yoga for Anxiety and Depression).
Yoga practice helps develop the body and mind, bringing a lot of health benefits, yet is not a substitute for medicine. It is important to learn and practice yoga techniques under the supervision of a trained Sri Sri Yoga teacher. In case of any medical condition, practice yoga techniques after consulting a doctor and a Sri Sri Yoga teacher. Find an Sri Sri Yoga course at an Art of Living Center near you. Do you need information on courses or share feedback? Write to us at info@srisriyoga.in.
Inspired by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's wisdom talks.
Written by Pranav Desai.
