Yoga Essentials : The Basics of Yoga

What is Yoga?
Yoga is derived from the word yoke which means union or joining. Hence, Yoga is literally the joining together of the finite self and the infinite self.
What does this mean?
The finite self is defined as the actual physical body and the experiences that we have physically. Everyone can relate to the physical body because it is a real entity that can be seen and touched.
Next comes the infinite self. This is the inner self- the higher self-the spiritual self. 

Many people associate the spiritual self with religion and this is a common misconception.The spiritual self does not have anything to do with religion. Yoga is not a religion. Yoga accepts people of all religions, whether they are Christian, Jewish, Agnostic, etc. Not all people who practice Yoga belong to a religion, and not all the people who belong to a religion practice Yoga.

Yoga provides you with the means to connect to your infinite body. Most people visualize Yoga as just a workout, however, it is much more than that. Yoga positions (asanas) are just as good for the body as for the mind (neurological system) as well as the metabolism (endocrine system).
Asanas follow one after the other in a specific way. In some Yoga paths, the teachers should not modify the sequence, but let them be carried out as they were originally designed. The goal is to direct the flow of energy and circulation to different areas of the body. This allows you to prepare the body for meditation, the last step in the Yoga path. It also is a means to obtain ultimate bliss (Nirvana).
The combination of breath exercises (pranayama), Yoga positions (asanas), mudras (hands positions), bhandas (body locks), and meditation, comprise the practice of Yoga.

Yoga provides the skills necessary to connect mind, body, and soul. In today's world we are brought up with how to deal with the external world, but most rarely touch base on the inner world.
Yoga will teach you how your body works, how to breathe properly, and how to use all of these techniques for your own benefit that may wellness or weightloss or fitness. This will enable you to understand and relate the mind and body together instead of separately. Yoga provides you with the tools necessary to quiet the mind so that you can access the natural state of oneness. 

Meditation on Breath:

The breath is one of the most important aspects of Yoga. Breathing regulates your state of mind, your emotions, and your concentration. Learning how to breathe properly will help you to be healthier, calmer, and allow you to handle stressful life situations. More than anything, it just makes you feel better!!!

This is a wonderful meditation to perform when stressed, upset, or in a state of fear. Start by closing your eyes and meditating on the breath. Feel the flow  of air entering and leaving the body. Receive every breath as a gift of life. Use the mantra “Sat Nam”. “Sat” means truth beyond time and space, and “Nam” means identity. Be grateful and slow down your breath by breathing completely and using the full capacity of your lungs.
Breathing less than eight times per minute will have such effects like making the pituitary gland secrete. This also stimulates intuition and gives you more awareness. The pituitary gland is also known as the master gland because it regulates nine different glands. Breathing less than four times per minute will put you in a meditative state.
Benefits
The practice of Yoga not only works the physical body by keeping it fit while strengthening and elongating the muscles, it also helps the nervous and circulatory systems by purifying and balancing them.
In the past, traditional healers used Yoga postures as a method for healing emotional disorders and illnesses. As a result of regular practice, many benefits will occur. This includes greater endurance, flexibility, deeper breathing, and an overall improvement in mood and emotional well-being. The practice of Asanas promotes flexibility of the muscles and strength in the bones and tissues. It also massages the organs, brings balance to different internal and glandular functions, promotes the flow of vital energy, prana (also known as qi in Chinese, or ki in Japanese),and  balances the physical and metaphysical parts of the body (koshas).

Asanas are techniques that promote awareness, concentration, meditation, and relaxation through the physical body. As the practice becomes more regular, there are significant results. Such results include good mental and physical health through stretching, massage and the stimulation of the energy channels of the internal organs.