In A Yoga Studio Orange CA Practitioners Always Find Peace And Growth

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.

Despite its immense popularity, there are still many misconceptions about Asana. Many people think it is nothing but an eastern discipline that involves complicated stretching exercises. Others think that it is a religion and that believers are determined to convert people to this religion. This is, of course, not what Asana is all about. It is truly a discipline that focus upon the holistic growth of its practitioners.

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.

One of the main attractions of Asana is the fact that it is not competitive. Each practitioner proceeds to learn new poses and stretching routines at his own pace. Classes typically consist of members at many different levels of competency but this is not seen as a disadvantage at all. Then there is the fact that Asana can be practised by almost anybody, young and old, sick and healthy and even those with disabilities can benefit.

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.

It is extremely easy to take up Asana. There is a proliferation of clubs all over the world. It is not even necessary to be a member of a club because the discipline can be practised at home, out of doors or anywhere else, for that matter. However, beginners are advised to take a few classes to begin with. It will help them to get into a certain routine and it will put them into contact with others that can provide advice and encouragement.

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.

There are millions of devoted practitioners and their numbers grow all the time. These people say that they are fitter, healthier, more spiritual and happier since they took up Asana. They say that Asana has helped them to grow as individuals and to find a way of life that is fulfilling and satisfying.




About the Author: