Why Yoga Is the Best Mind-Body Practice
Want to improve your health on a truly deep level? The practice of yoga—including pranayama (breath control) and meditation—has been proven to improve the function of the entire nervous system, which controls all of your internal functions and physical movements.
Yoga exerts this power by calming down the two dueling parts of the nervous system: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The first is famous for the 'fight-or-flight' response, which causes the body to spring into action and prepare for physical and mental activity. The second causes the 'rest-and-digest' response, a general slowdown in the body's functions in order to conserve energy.
These two sides originate in two different locations within the central nervous system. Parasympathetic nerves emerge in the brain and brainstem, and sympathetic nerves arise from the spinal cord. The most powerful, natural way to modulate both of these is through respiration— pranayama, or breathing, in other words.
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Yoga imparts a calming effect because it basically undoes the sympathetic nervous system's quick, involuntary response to danger or stressful situations. A regular yoga practice has been shown to improve digestion; strengthen the immune system; and reduce the risk of hypertension, asthma, and stress-induced psychological disorders like anxiety.
It does this, practitioners have long theorized, through a unique blend of science and spirituality.
The body's chakras
Yogis believe that the body contains many chakras: spinning wheels, or energy centers, where feelings, emotions, and thoughts converge. These are believed to help regulate the flow of energy throughout the body. For physical and mental balance, these chakras must act in concert with one another.
The body's seven main chakras form a straight line in the middle of the body. Two of these chakras are located in the head and controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system. The 'crown' chakra is closely associated with the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, which together regulate the endocrine system. In yogic philosophy, the opening of this chakra, known as the thousand-petalled lotus, represents the complete unfolding of consciousness. Traveling downward, the 'third eye' chakra is linked to the pineal gland, which produces the sleep hormone melatonin. Perception, awareness, and spiritual communication are said to depend on this chakra.
The rest of the body's main chakras are located down the five segments of the spine—cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx—which are governed by the sympathetic nervous system. These are the 'throat,' 'heart and lungs,' 'gastrointestinal,' 'sacral,' and 'pelvis plexus' chakras. Each is closely associated with a hormone or gland—along with a natural element and a spiritual principle.
The throat chakra, for example, is closely associated with the thyroid and parathyroid glands, both major glands of the endocrine system. This chakra is viewed as the gateway for energy between the lower parts of the body and the head.
It also has a mystical meaning. The throat chakra is all about creating 'space'—the natural element linked to it—and freedom to move and express ourselves at will. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a fifteenth-century Sanskrit text, claims that meditation upon this chakra brings forth occult powers. While few modern yogis would claim that meditating on your throat chakra will impart supernatural abilities, being able to freely express yourself has clearly long been a priority for human health.
What yoga does to the body
All yoga traditions believe that the energy of the spinal cord—where the seven chakras align—is a form of the divine feminine energy that animates and gives life to the body. Yoga refers to this divine energy as Kundalini Shakti, and it's often visualized as a coiled serpent at the base of the spine.
One of the principle objectives in yoga is to awaken the body's coiled, innate power by directing prana (breath, or life-energy) from the base of the spine traveling up to the crown chakra located on the highest point of the head, connecting the seven chakras of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Then, the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus can work together to regulate the endocrine system responsible for the body's biological processes. Practitioners believe that when the crown chakra, located at the very top of the head, is opened, spiritual connection, divine awareness, and a sense of universal unity can bloom.
It's little wonder, then, that yoga has for so long been considered the ultimate mind-body practice. The practice of yoga postures, in combination with good mental focus and proper breathwork, can actually make you stronger—in your body, your brain, and maybe even your spirit.
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