Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Viegas
Isn't Yoga basically stretching?
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Hatha yoga, yes. Yoga rules! Nothing mysterious or arcane about it. Consider the range of movement that a 6 month old infant's limbs have and the flexibility of its spine; the reason we loose that flexibility as we grow older is that we don't put our limbs and spine through that range of movement and flexibility daily. Things tighten up and we become stiff.
The yoga poses wherein the body is inverted utilizes gravity to stretch and tone muscles, ligaments, connective tissue that are normally stretched the opposite way. This is of great importance in yoga and is why the headstand is considered the "king of asanas" (positions).
The range of movement and flexibility of youth can regained in adulthood through the daily practice of hatha yoga. It takes a month or two of a daily routine before most people are convinced that it is having any effect at all. It's important that the poses are entered very slowly, that the pose is held for a period of time at the point where stretching any further is painful and then gotten out of as slowly as gotten into or injuries can be sustained.
Those who commit themselves to a disciplined daily regimen will without exception become aware of its efficacy in promoting a general feeling of good health and mental well being.
Coupled with the breathing excercises, yoga rules.