Yoga As a Form of Excercise

For decades, aerobic exercise—the type that raises your heart and breathing rates, such as running or cycling—has been touted by scientists as the gold standard in terms of the number of health benefits it brings. More energy, improved mood, lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers, better sleep, better thinking, better sex, and on and on. But as it turns out, there may be another form of exercise that does even more for you: yoga. And weight control may be at the top of its long list of yoga benefits.
In 2010, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Nursing published a comparative analysis of 81 studies that examined yoga's health benefits and the health benefits of aerobic exercise. The researchers found yoga to be especially effective at reducing stress. This may not be news to those who practice yoga, but even die-hard enthusiasts will be surprised at the number of other health benefits yoga can confer—often to a larger degree than aerobic exercise. The researchers found that yoga outperformed aerobic exercise at improving balance, flexibility, strength, pain levels among seniors, menopausal symptoms, daily energy level, and social and occupation functioning, among other health parameters.


Yoga is a valid exercise choice. What is clear from this analysis is that yoga should no longer be seen as something even remotely "fringes," or even as something that’s only good for improving flexibility. Rather, this research makes it clear that yoga deserves a permanent place at the health and fitness table, alongside other forms of exercise that may be more familiar to most people. To put it another way, if you like yoga, don't feel like you're missing out if you're not also putting in time on the treadmill or exercise bike. “Yoga seems to be able to provide many of the physical benefits of exercise—and then some,” says Ross.It behaves as both exercise and meditation.

CINMAYA MUDRA

cinmayamudra is sit comfortable sitting position, with the needle upright. Place . Fingers and thumbs together and extend the other 3 fingers out. Turn the palms.Upwards, and rest the backs of the hands onto the knees or thighs. In yoga cinmaya mudras Close the eyes and breathe naturally, through the nose. Try to maintain consciousness of each. Breath moving into and out of the nostrils for two or three minutes.
   Yoga mudras, or hand gestures, are specific postures for the hands performed during yoga or meditation. Mudras can aide the body in healing by channeling energy to specific areas or parts of the body, and energizing the mind or body connection. The benefits of yoga mudras can be seen when used on a regular basis. It is often helpful to perform mudras during pranayama. Pranayama, meaning “expansion of life force, refers to yogic breathing. Pranayama might be described as deliberate and deep breathing with the goal of using the breath to bring new energy into the body to stimulate physical and mental well-being. When used in conjunction, pranayama and mudra can have powerful effects on the body and mind.
Sit or lie in a comfortable position when practicing pranayama. Mudras should be held in relaxed positions, without strain or discomfort. The Vishnu Mudra can be used to alternate breaths through each nostril. Use the right hand o perform Vishnu. Place the tips of the forefinger and middle finger at the base of the thumb while leaving the last two fingers upright. Use the thumb to close one nostril, breath deeply filling up the belly and chest, then release the breath and use the ring finger to close the opposite nostril. Continue alternating breaths.
Practice Chin Mudra to ground the mind. Place hands on the knees or thighs, palms down. Place the tip of the forefinger and the tip of the thumb together, letting the other three fingers relax. The Jnana Mudra is very similar to Chin. The fingers are placed in the same position, but the hands should rest facing up, as opposed to down. Gnana can uplift the mind, giving a sense of spaciousness.

YOGA MUDRA

The meaning of ‘mudra’, which is a Sanskrit word, is ‘closure’ or ‘seal’. Mudra hand positions are physical gestures that have an effect on the energy flow of the body. The ancient practice of yoga links the hand mudras to the changing spiritual and mental aspects of a person. The mudra are usually finger positions like in the Anjali Mudra, where the hands are kept at the center of the heart.The word “Yogamudra” is derived from the two words – yoga (awareness) and mudra (seal). Yogamudra thus is the “seal of awareness”. It ensures that you attain the highest stage of awareness.

How to Perform:-

From a position sitting on your heels, press your sitting bones downward.

Press the crown of your head away from your shoulders and feel the elongation of your spine.

Bring your hands behind your back, interlacing your fingers and, if possible, drawing the heels of your palms together. 

Press your hands away from your shoulders, allowing your arms to elongate, your shoulder blades to come together, and your chest to expand.

Lift your tailbone and allow the lifting to extend your torso forward over your knees, bringing your forehead to rest on the ground.

Allow your arms to come over your head, pressing your little fingers toward the floor in front of you.

Benefits of this Mudra:-

It strengthens the internal organs of the abdominal region.

It relieves constipation and indigestion.

It stimulates the ovaries and the uterus in women.

It rectifies the problem of premature ejaculation.

It increases the memory power.

It removes excess of fat in the abdominal region.

It awakens the ‘Kundalini Shakti’ (Serpent power). The person becomes one with the cosmic consciousness.

Beware:-

Diabetic patients should not perform this asana.

People with serious eye, heart or back conditions should avoid doing this asana.