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By Elizabeth Edwards


During the latter parts of the eighteen hundreds an Indian philosopher, Swami Vivekanada, toured the United Stets and Canada, introducing a unique new discipline called Asana. He preached a doctrine of holistic development of the mind, the body and the spirit. His philosophy found almost instant acceptance and to this day millions of people practice this unique discipline. With Asana, more popularly known as yoga Reno citizens have learned that personal development does not need to be costly or difficult.

Many people still misunderstand the central concept of Asana. Some think that it is a strange new form of exercise. Many others think that it is a religion based upon Hinduism. None of this is true. Instead, Asana is a philosophy that promotes the holistic development of the minds, spirit and body of its practitioners. It aims at personal growth, contentment, increased health and happiness.

The basis of Asana focus on the mastery of numerous stretching exercises and poses. These exercise and pose are not the true purpose of Asana, however. They only serve as tools to help practitioners to attain focus and to help them to improve their minds, their bodies and their spirits. Newcomers should realise that there are several approaches to this discipline. Some forms are more strenuous and others more relaxed.

There is never any pressure on those that practice Asana. There are no competitions and classes routinely consist of members at various levels of achievement. Nobody is ever pressurised to progress to the next level. Even better, even very young and very old people can actively participate. There are even some severely physically disabled people that benefit from this philosophy.

Asana has been the focus of numerous studies over the years. It seems as if there can be no doubt that practitioners enjoy many health benefits. There is conclusive proof that people suffering from heart disease, asthma, other respiratory diseases, some forms of cancer and hypertension benefit from participation. Even those suffering from mental conditions such as severe anxiety and depression benefit.

One of the great attractions of Asana is that there is no need for special gear or uniform. In fact, it is easy to become involved and it does not require any form of financial investment. Many people start on their own. However, experts advise beginners to join at least a few classes at first. Other benefits include the fact that injuries are extremely rare and that entire families can participate together.

Those that wants to get started in this philosophy will quickly find that there is no shortage of aids and resources. There are numerous books, videos and on line sites that teaches the basics. It is important, however, to remember that there are many branches in this philosophy and beginners should seriously consider their own personal needs before adopting a specific approach to Asana.

Millions of people all over the world have taken to yoga. They claim that this philosophy has improved their lives. They feel fitter, happier and emotionally stable. It seems as if there can be little doubt that Asana will not only remain popular but keep growing in popularity.




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