Whilst many health practices come and go, yoga is a system of health that has stood the test of time. It dates back 1000’s of years and consists of various components aimed at keeping your system balanced. As a result, your physical body, emotional and intellectual minds, energetic pathways, and spiritual self are allowed to unfold and function in an even and controlled fashion. When any one component of the individual under or over functions then ill health can arise.

The physical postures or asanas are of course the most well known. Many different schools of yoga have evolved to cater to the needs and temperaments of the individual from the more traditional schools such as Bihar school of Yoga to the more contemporary such as Bikram or Acroyoga. Remember though, that the purpose of these postures is to create a body that can sit comfortably and be a suitable vehicle for the inward aspects of yoga, such as meditation.

One of the side benefits of asana practice is that it ticks the box for many aspects of physical health. Importantly, it acts upon the autonomic nervous system and regulates many of these involuntary functions such as digestion and cardiovascular. It strengthens the spine and makes it more flexible and it’s probably the oldest system that is “good for the core!”

The simple practice of suryanamaskar or sun salute is one of the best sequences for health maintenance. Over the last 20 years I have had phases where my asana practice was as long as 90 minutes, but all along, I have kept the sun salute as one of the core sequences. Even though these days I prefer to do other exercises such as running and strengthening exercises, the sun salute remains my constant companion. The beauty is that it can be done anywhere and does not require any special equipment.

If you have never tried yoga, I would encourage you to seek out a basic course and learn the fundamentals. It is a timeless, universal, non religious practice suitable for the modern age. You will be pleasantly surprised!

In Health and Wellness

Ranjit