Cure for Modern Day Stresses Yoga is a
3,000-year-old, Hindu discipline of mind and body that became known in Western
society with the hippie generation of the Sixties and early Seventies. Its
image as a mystic practice is disappearing as fast as the stressful aspects of
the Eighties are appearing.
As an effective
method of stress management, yoga is spreading into the business world, the
helping professions, nursing and old age homes, and is used in the treatment of
alcoholics, hyperactive children and youngsters with learning disabilities.
Yoga centers are getting stiff competition from adult education classes of
community colleges, boards of education and parks and recreation departments.
The meaning of yoga
is union of the body, mind and spirit with truth. There are many kinds of yoga
to study, and there can be endless years of practice for the willing student.
Hatha Yoga is among
the most popular forms in the west. It emphasizes the practice of postures,
which stretch and strengthen the body, help develop a sense of balance and
flexibility, as well as body awareness and mental concentration. All forms of
yoga incorporate the practice of proper breathing techniques for relaxation, to
rest the mind from its constant chatter, to experience an internal calm, and to
energize and purify the body.
As stress levels in
society reach new heights, Raja Yoga, the yoga of meditation, is growing in
popularity in Western society, while others, such as Krya Yoga, the yoga of
cleansing, and Mantra Yoga, the yoga of chanting, not surprisingly, have little
appeal for newcomers.
Stretching and
toning, though beneficial, aren't the primary reasons people turn to yoga.
Newcomers are hoping that yoga will provide them with a means for handling
stress and diffusing tension. The difference between exercise and yoga is that
yoga has a meditative quality.
A lot of people are
exercising for the psychological benefits and trying many of the Eastern
activities, like yoga and tai chi. Yoga seems to have a calming effect on people.
And the techniques
work on children as well as adults. When your children are quarreling, ask them
to stop what they're doing, raise their arms over their heads, lean forward and
breathe deeply to help diffuse their anger. It definitely helps them to cool
it.
