Yoga 11 Notes Yoga – sanskrit word that means Yoke or Union Yoga is the uniting of the body/mind/spirit Sanskrit – an ancient classical language of India

A Brief history of yoga Yoga began 5000 years ago in India as a practice for young men in training to be wisemen. The postures strengthened their bodies so that they could sit for hours at a time in meditation and become enlightened beings.

Benefits of Yoga Today Today, we practice yoga more for practical reasons: – Build core strength – Be active – De-stress – Live more holistically (naturally)

Tadasana (Mountain pose) General benefits Aligns the spine Helps develop proper standing posture Tones abdominal muscles and strengthens the legs Strengthens the arches of the feet, knees and thighs Fosters mental focus and clarity

Tadasana Continued… Enhances self-confidence Reduces mild anxiety Encourages deep breathing Mountain pose is the most important asana (posture) because every other posture stems from and contains aspects of this pose.

Health Benefits of Surya Namaskar Provides all the primary health benefits of yoga in one package. Strengthens and awakens the body and mind It challenges the major muscles of the body, lubricates joints, ligaments Helps improve posture, flexibility and balance

Surya Namaskar continued Stimulates and conditions every system in the body: – cardiovascular system – digestive system – lymphatic system – respiratory system Relieves tension, stress, anxiety

Prana Sanskrit word for ‘breath’ Life-force energy that travels through the body by way of nadis or energy channels Known as meridians in Chinese medicine There are over channels of energy in the body and the three main nadis travel up the length of the spine

Three Main Nadis The Ida nadi spirals up the spine on the left side and stops at the left nostril The pingali nadi on the right side and stops at the right nostril The sushumni nadi is the main energy channel that travels up the spine to the top of the head.

Prana continued… Yoga postures open these channels so energy can flow through the entire body When energy flows freely, we experience a deep inner connection In a healthy, balanced system, this energy travels freely, feeding all the cells of the body

*Start these notes on a new page* Title this page “Vocabulary” as we will add to it weekly. Sanskrit vocabulary Yoga – Yoke or Union Asana – Physical poses or postures Surya Namaskar – Sun Salutation Udiyana Bandha - abdominal lock (pull your belly button into your spine)

Sanskrit Vocabulary continued Tadasana – Mountain pose Savasana – relaxation Prana – breath Uttanasana – standing forward bend