Health Benefits of Yoga

The yoga practice acts as a therapeutic tool to heal the body and the mind. When you practice regularly, the health benefits become apparent. The yoga poses (asanas), breathing (pranayama), and meditation come together to provide a large number of physiological and psychological changes:

Physiological Benefits of Yoga

* increases muscle flexibility and joint range of motion
* increases muscular strength, endurance, and joint stability
* improves posture, steadiness, coordination, and balance
* decreases joint and back pain
* increases immunity
* improves sleep and increases energy levels
* decreases heart rate and increase cardiovascular efficiency
* decreases respiratory rate and improves respiratory efficiency
* reduces high blood pressure
* improves digestion and normalizes gastrointestinal function
* improves excretory functions and reduces constipation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
* improves flow of lymphatic system, thus helps in removal of toxins
* normalizes endocrine (hormone) function
* normalizes weight and body composition
* increases bone density and decreases onset of osteoporosis
* decreases blood sugar levels
* decreases sodium
* decreases total cholesterol
* increases HDL (good) cholesterol /decreases LDL and VLDL (bad) cholesterol
* decreases triglycerides
* increases grip strength
* EEG - alpha brain waves increase leading to a restful mental state
* brings autonomic nervous system to stable equilibrium
* improves dexterity, reaction time, and depth perception
* increases Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)

Psychological Benefits of Yoga

* improves concentration and attention
* decreases anxiety, internal stress and depression
* improves mood and sense of well-being
* increases self-acceptance and self-actualization
* improves learning efficiency and memory
* increases somatic and kinesthetic awareness (body/mind connection)
* decreases aggression and hostility
* increases social skills
* improves depth perception

Welcome to Yoga Insight

In a world focussed on material existence and acquisitions, one easily looses sense of what is real. What is real happiness? What are real relationships? What are real emotions? What is one's real purpose to existence?

Seeing the real truth within ourselves starts by simply sitting still and gazing inward. Observing without judgment. Seeing what is real in that moment and peeling away the complexities of desires, envy, and other weighting characteristics festering from ego.

Meditation and yoga are powerful tools to this inner gaze. Yoga opens and strengthens the body creating a healthy vehicle for energy and consciousness to reside. Meditation creates a clarity that no other practice can provide. All too often one lives with disconnection. Mind and body existing in separate realities. This disconnection often blocks one's inner gaze and the real truths become clouded and distorted.

Yoga and meditation re-establish connection of mind and body. They establish a renewed rhythm of breath along with healing energy and mental focus. As the body grows strong with yoga, the mind and soul grow steady with vitality seeing where one's life can be taken with joyfulness, contentment, and real truth.