Excitingspas

Yoga is an ancient Indian philosophy that dates back thousands of years. It was designed as a path to spiritual enlightenment, but in modern times the physical aspects of Hatha yoga have found huge popularity as a gentle form of exercise and stress management. There are many different varieties of Hatha yoga, but each one essentially relies on structured poses (asanas) practised with breath awareness.

Researchers have discovered that the regular practice of yoga may produce many health benefits, including increased fitness and normalisation of blood pressure. Yoga is a renowned antidote to stress. Over time yoga practitioners report lower levels of stress and increased feelings of happiness and wellbeing. This is because concentrating on the postures and the breath acts as a powerful form of meditation.

The asanas

Each posture, or asana, is held for a period of time and synchronised with the breath. Generally, a yoga session begins with gentle asanas and works up to the more vigorous or challenging postures. A full yoga session should exercise every part of the body and should include pranayama (breath control practices), relaxation and meditation. The different postures or asanas include: