What is yoga?
Yoga is not just a physical discipline limited to performing certain postures or breathing exercises. After the word yoga, there is an ancient philosophical body that until today shows its validity. Any interested practitioner can investigate it in the appropriate works.
In the practical field, the original purpose of the postures and breathing exercises was to achieve stability and relaxation, preparing practitioners for meditation, standing still and alert for long periods of time.
The word Yoga has its origins in the Sanskrit language and means merging, joining or joining. Yoga is a form of exercise based on the belief that the body and the breath are intimately connected with the mind. By controlling the breath and maintaining the body in certain postures or asanas, yoga creates harmony. Thus, it is a means of balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions. It is also a tool that allows us to withdraw from the chaos of the world and find a quiet refuge. To achieve this, Yoga uses movement, breathing, posture, relaxation and meditation, in order to establish a healthy, vibrant and balanced approach to life.
The most used Yoga system in the West is known as Hatha Yoga and is the physical aspect of Yoga practice. It emphasizes the Asanas (the practice of postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques) and Dhyana (meditation). It seeks to balance the different energy flows within the human body.
Since the 60’s when it hatched in the West, Yoga has traveled in space and time to become a worldwide phenomenon. The techniques have evolved, but the original movements and ideals have remained. By embodying controlled movement, concentration, flexibility and conscious breathing, it constitutes an extraordinary body-mind exercise that has consolidated in the West as a relief against the stress and anxiety caused by the rhythm of modern life.