| Originally, the meditation techniques of yoga were | | | | to find time to mentally relax. Yoga refers the |
| developed primarily as a spiritual practice amongst the | | | | technique of being able to eliminate mental tension at |
| polytheist religion of Hinduism, in the Indian sub-continent, | | | | will by being able to "slip a second"; training your |
| around 6000 years ago. In India, or to devout Hindus, | | | | unconscious to slip in and out of the reality we live in. |
| success in yoga would ultimately mean that they have | | | | This re-energizes the mind so we can once again |
| escaped the birth and rebirth cycle and become an | | | | face and cope with our reality, without feeling mentally |
| immortal soul. Today, especially in 'western' countries, | | | | fatigued. Of course, there's no easy route to being |
| the practice of yoga is associated with the benefits | | | | able to do this. |
| that can be derived from standard meditation and its | | | | The practice of meditative yoga includes; adopting a |
| exercises, as much as it's other spiritual values. Having | | | | healthy diet that doesn't put stress on your body, |
| said that, yoga does exert a spiritual influence on those | | | | performing exercises to enable your body to relax, |
| who choose to try it and go on to develop their | | | | learning to take better control of your breathing and |
| interest in practicing yoga. | | | | purifying your body so that your mind can then relax. In |
| There are many different styles and techniques of | | | | your yoga class you will at least learn to let go of your |
| yoga that you could start with. Quite often for a | | | | cares and connect with your higher self, which is |
| beginner the style they start with is dependent on the | | | | widely known as a highly liberating experience for |
| version being taught in local classes for yoga. By the | | | | anyone feeling stressed out, depressed or even just a |
| way, if you didn't already know it, a teacher of yoga is | | | | bit down in the dumps. |
| called a guru - which generally means teacher - and | | | | Meanwhile, until you can begin your yoga classes you |
| anyone practicing yoga is known as a yogi. Despite | | | | might want try a simple technique on your own. Find |
| there being many forms of yoga they all seek to | | | | somewhere that's quiet and calm and just sit down |
| enable the yogi to be able to control their mind. Whilst it | | | | comfortably without strain and close your eyes. Take |
| takes much practice and many years to arrive at this | | | | three deep breaths, and then return your breathing to |
| point people do start taking yoga classes because | | | | its normal rate. Next you simply try to clear your mind |
| they wish to be able to relax their minds and | | | | of all thoughts and sounds. How long that moment |
| overcome stress. | | | | lasts is not important and in the beginning you will find it |
| Many people nowadays are attracted to yoga | | | | hard to maintain mental silence, but try doing this easy |
| because of the stresses and strains of modern living | | | | meditation technique daily to help clear your mind and |
| and that at times, in order to carry on coping, we need | | | | unwind from a stressful day. |