In A Yoga Studio Orange CA Residents Often Find Fulfilment

By Kimberly Butler


During the latter part of the eighteenth century an Indian philosopher, Swami Vivekanada toured the USA and Canada, spreading his philosophy of Asana. The aim of his philosophy was to improve the mind, the body and the soul. He could never dream that this philosophy would become so popular. Today, at any yoga studio Orange CA residents and millions of others across the world still practice this ancient philosophy.

Even though Asana is so popular, there are still numerous people that misunderstand the entire concept underlying this discipline. Many believe that this is nothing more than ritual stretching exercises performed by hedonistic people. A surprising number of people still think that it is a religious sect intent on gaining new converts. This is a false belief. Asana is only about personal growth.

Stretching exercises and the maintaining of well designed poses is by no means the main focus of Asana, but they nevertheless play an important role. Students master new exercises and poses in order to increase their flexibility, to improve their physical fitness and to enhance muscle tone. In addition, these exercises are designed to help practitioners to improve the concentration, to learn how to focus on a specific objective and to look inwards.

For the majority of Asana practitioners, one of the main attractions of this discipline is that there are no set objectives. Nobody is expected to advance to certain exercises or phases within a certain time framework and there is absolutely no competitive element involved. People from various ages, at different levels and with hugely differing physical abilities commonly attend classes at the same time.

Asana has been studied empirically, formally and even informally. Many of these studies have focused on health. The good news is that all these studies have found that the discipline offers many definite health benefits. Arthritis sufferers, people with heart disease, those with muscle injuries, hypertension patients, people with mental ailments such as depression and anxiety all benefit greatly soon after taking up Asana. It is common for doctors to recommend Asana to their patients.

Another big factor in favour of Asana is the fact that it is easy to take it up. There are yoga clubs almost everywhere. No special clothing or equipment is required so it is not an expensive activity. In fact, it is not even necessary to belong to a club, although experts strongly advise beginners to attend at least a few introductory lessons. This can also help in identifying the specific form of Asana that will suit the individual best.

Those that want to take up Asana will find that there is no shortage of resources. There are numerous books, articles and websites that aim at helping beginners to learn the various techniques involved in practising the discipline. Many clubs offer free introductory lessons too. It is worthwhile to take some time to study the various approaches before settling upon a particular one.

The fact that yoga is practised by millions of people and that the discipline is growing on an almost daily basis is a sure indication that it is found to be beneficial. There is no danger of injury. There is no pressure or competition. Perhaps it is worth looking into.




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