Many people have the misconception that yoga and meditation are practices that are only done by health nuts, religious people or famous people, like Founder, CEO, and Chairman of GUION PARTNERS – Lindsay Guion. This actually isn’t true, and pretty much anyone can benefit from doing them. With that said, though, many people aren’t actually sure about what kinds of benefits they can expect to have or where these practices even come from. This article is going to look at some of these things so you can get a better understanding of what to expect.
History and Explanation of Yoga
Before talking about benefits, we need to first look at the history and explanation of yoga. Yoga is about creating a sense of peace and harmony between the body and mind. It comes from the Sanskrit word Yuj, which means to join or to unite. This practice is thought to have been started thousands of years ago, before any kind of religion or beliefs. When looking at each time period, it’s noted that there are writings and artifacts that show how significant yoga was. It even has lore that goes back to the beginning of civilization.
History and Explanation of Meditation
We also need to look at the history and explanation of meditation. The act of meditation itself is thought to help bring about positive change within one’s body. Surprisingly, there isn’t really any evidence that talks about exactly when meditation was invented. What is known, though, is that there are records of the practice that date all the way back to 1500 years BCE. From these records, it has been thought that meditation was a huge part of the early Hindu schools and, later on, the Chinese Taoists and Indian Buddhists started coming up with their own versions of meditation. From there, more and more cultures started picking it up and evolving into what we know it as today.
Better Circulatory and Cardio Health
The first thing that yoga can help with is better circulatory and cardio health. The reason is because yoga gets the blood flowing, which makes everything work better. Having blood that is flowing the way it’s supposed to means that all of your body’s organs are getting exactly how much they need. This, in turn, results in less medical issues coming up from not having enough blood flowing through your veins.
Decreased Chronic Pain
Yoga can also result in decreased chronic pain. With so many people experiencing this type of pain every day, it’s always good to have an alternative to heavy pain medications or invasive procedures. There are a few reasons why this practice works so well for chronic pain. For starters, it helps change back your brain chemistry because chronic pain can actually alter it. The other big reason is because yoga can help you stretch all your muscles and ligaments, which often get stiff in those that suffer from this kind of pain.
Increased Flexibility
One of the biggest things that happen for those that practice yoga regularly is becoming more flexible. When you first start, you probably won’t be able to do things like touch your toes or do a backbend. The more practice you do, the easier it will become. With this increased flexibility comes the benefit of being able to stretch every muscle and limb in your body. Not only will this help with aches and pains, but it can also help ease up tension.
Helps Build Muscle Strength
While most people assume that the only way to build muscle is to go to the gym, the truth is that yoga can actually help you do this. This is great for those that don’t have the strength to go and lift weights because it will give you great results without a lot of the same hardships. Using yoga to help build your muscles can also end up protecting you in the long run from conditions like arthritis and back pain.
Helps with Emotional Health
One of the most obvious benefits of doing meditation is that it helps with emotional health. There are many things that can go on in a person’s mind that can really mess them up emotionally. Meditating regularly can help you get to the bottom of these things and really help you have a better image of yourself. You’ll be in tune with your mind and be able to figure out what’s real and what’s just a trick being played on your emotions.
Stress Reduction
One of the biggest things that people experience when meditating is stress reduction. There are so many things in the world today that can cause stress, so being able to find a way to eliminate as much as you can is crucial. There are so many things that can happen when you’re stressed out and none of them are good. Meditating on a regular basis can help you pinpoint the cause of the stress and help you eliminate it. While it might not take it all away, you’ll be able to get at least a little bit of relief.
Better Self-Awareness
Another benefit of meditation is being able to have better self-awareness. Not only will you be able to learn more about yourself, but you’ll also be able to feel like you’re in tune with your own body. This could lead to you being able to know something is wrong or off much sooner than you would if you weren’t that in tune!
Helps with Better Sleep
Finally, meditation can help you get better sleep. Being able to go into a state of peacefulness and calmness can not only help you work through things, but you’ll also be able to go to bed without feeling like the weight of the world is on you!
As you can see, these practices aren’t only for famous people, like Lindsay Guion. Anyone can practice and become a master. Keep in mind, these things are pretty harmless, but you’ll want to talk to your doctor to make sure it’s okay. This is especially true if you have other medical issues going on!