More than ninety percent of people do yoga purely for physical benefits. However, yoga is a way of life. It is about the union of mind, body, and soul. If you want to reap all its benefits and achieve a balance in life, then consider incorporating one of the oldest forms of yoga, Ashtanga yoga in your exercise routine.
According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, there is a practice called the Eightfold Path in existence that helps in self-awakening and liberation. And Ashtanga yoga, as the name says, outlines all the 8 limbs of yoga to develop both spiritual and psychological health. This form of yoga focuses on a sequence of postures that are connected through body movement and breath.
Ashtanga Yoga: 5 Topmost Benefits
Scroll down and take a look at a few surprising benefits practicing ashtanga yoga can bring.
Physical Workout
First and foremost, ashtanga yoga develops physical strength and focuses on muscle training. Practicing ashtanga rejuvenates your body by making it more flexible, toned, stronger, and controlled.
The opening series of poses mainly require an arm and core strength. Your endurance and stamina will automatically improve and your body will have stronger muscles. Another big advantage of ashtanga yoga is that you can practice performing asanas at your own pace.
Great Coordination
Ashtanga is a strong tool to tune the body. It improves your balance, coordination, and focus. An intense and swift set of yoga poses increases your awareness of the flow and movement of the body and instills a better sense of rhythm.
Mental Healing
Ashtanga yoga teaches you to coordinate your body movements with the breath. Breath awareness is quite significant in this practice. The constant movement of the body and focus on the breath is great in purifying and rejuvenating your mind. Also, it calms you and reduces unwanted behavior.
This form of yoga will keep you centered and bring you back to yourself. It teaches you to stay calm, attain inner peace, and move beyond your limits. So, start practicing ashtanga yoga and get in a state of being energized, calm, liberated, and relaxed.
Emotional Balance
Practicing ashtanga yoga also emphasizes emotional strength and flexibility. The set of asanas practiced not only affects your muscles but also your emotions.
By incorporating this form of yoga in your life, you will find a balance between your emotions and feelings. It will assist you to deal with stressful situations, work through emotional pain, and overcome them. This will cause your whole body to work more efficiently and slowly you will come to a realization of how strongly connected your mind and body are.
Spiritual Well-Being
As mentioned above, there is a set of specific sequences based on the practitioner’s skill. Repeating the same poses in the same order multiple times has a reason and the benefits are not just to make you physically fit, but also awaken your spiritual self.
The first four limbs of ashtanga yoga cleanse you externally and teach you how to interact with the outside world. The next four limbs clean you from inside and focus on withdrawal.
Through this practice you will learn how to face your weak spots and work through challenging situations until you gain a better understanding of yourself. Additionally, you will be able to explore the nature of your inner self, which is limitless.
