In this post, I am going to explain the reasons why and how yoga can change our life and also boost our happiness.
There are millions of people that are practicing the art form of yoga and I am one of them.
I still remember the day when I was introduced to yoga even if it was over twenty years ago. I was still living in Italy and a friend of mine, knowing that I used to run quite regularly because at that time I was a football referee, asked me if he could join me one time. I agreed and one Saturday morning we went running in a park. At the end of our long session of running, my friend asked me: “shall we do some yoga exercises?”. I remember that I was tired and I instantly said: “you are having a laugh, I am too tired for that.” His reply was: “Just a few exercises, I am sure they will make you feel less tired and more energized”. With few words, he managed to convince me, so I agreed and we went on doing few yoga exercises and at the end, I honestly can say that I felt a lot better and less tired.
Since that day, I practice yoga quite regularly and I can’t thank my friend enough for having introduced me to yoga.
Here are my reasons why Yoga boosts our Happiness and can change our life for the better
Yoga sometimes can be seen as trendy to some, but honestly, it goes back centuries. No matter what form you decide to look into, it’s important to realize that it has more than just health benefits. Sure, there are a lot of health benefits that come with practicing yoga, but in all reality, there is something bigger at play here. There’s a definitive element that could very well change the way that you see fitness, health, and wellness as a whole. This becomes even more incredible when you start to realize that you can very well get from yoga a boost in your happiness levels. That’s right, there are research and journalism that points towards the most amazing find, that yoga could very well change your life and make it much better. If that sounds like something compelling, then you will no doubt want to explore this on a deeper level.
What we gain from Yoga to boost our Happiness
The Pursuit of Flexibility
The first thing that you need to know about yoga is that it starts with the physical side. In order to get any of the benefits that come with this practice, you first need to learn the poses. There are several poses that you will go through in each session, and each one helps with physical posture and changes. As you stretch, you will literally move the energy from your body throughout. In some instances, you will be casting away the doubt, anxiety, stress, and other issues that could plague your body and mind as a whole. The physical side of this exercise is about flexibility. On day one, you may not be flexible, but over time, you will start to move like water, and that’s going to connect the body and mind together.
(Here in this post I have explained the reasons why: Regular exercise makes you happy.)
Stress Relief Through Stillness
The reason why this meditative option works so well is because it focuses on quiet. When you enter a studio and you start to work through the poses with others, or by yourself, you’re going to find that there is a certain amount of peace at play. The studio setting, for instance, usually doesn’t have loud noises or heavy music, it’s about quiet, movement, and peace. By breathing deeply and focusing on what you’re doing, you’ll find that the body responds accordingly. Over time, as you do this through your day, you will start to gain strength, and the hormone oxytocin starts to come through. This creates the essence of happiness and builds towards better emotional well-being.
Oxytocin Is The Key
When looking at the biological response to yoga, you’re going to find that this natural chemical release is the key to moving forward with the health benefits. In order to gain a handle on your overall health, especially wellbeing, you’re going to need to find a way to stimulate the body to create this. Encouraging this release will give you elation, and will come with other benefits such as a release of anxiety, reduction of depression, and even lowering blood pressure. These manifest through the use of meditative elements found in the exercise. It’s something that practitioners will cite every single time they work with the poses, but it’s something that you can start to feel from day one. There’s a certain peace that comes with going through the motions, and you can definitely feel them if you jump into the fray of experiencing this for yourself.
Helping With Mental Wellbeing
Recent studies have shown that people experiencing bouts of deep anxiety, and depression were helped through the use of yoga. At the biological level, medical research showed that individuals were able to calm themselves, react positively, and elevate mood through the use of stretches, poses, and movements that were found within the concepts of yoga. Even when done for a short time, the studies indicated relief from issues such as depression. Now, while it may not be a “cure-all” or “miracle”, there are positive signs of elation that comes through the literal forms that are pushed through yoga.
The Body Reacts To Yoga
Meditation, prayer, Tai Chi, and other practices are found to help with creating happiness. They all have something in common with yoga, and it’s something that you should consider as you look at practicing this on a regular basis. The links that you’re going to see is within the body, as the heart, brain, and nervous systems all seem to get a boost. This is especially true for those that are dealing with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, breathing issues, weight problems, and more. The literal movements help the body, but the meditative elements help the mind, unifying the two to get a visceral response. Breathing becomes easier, chronic pain can start to go away, and changes manifest in a healing element that comes from this. The body reacts to the movements and meditations that come alongside it, making it one of the most compelling resources that you may use for happiness.
Intentions Bring About Joy
People that pursue better health, and allow for a quiet time through the meditation of yoga, find themselves in joy and happiness due to the intentions one has. Unhappy individuals have been known to manifest physical issues because they do not pursue intentional change within their life. Focusing on the mat, and going through the learning process of quiet, concentrated meditative elements, happiness manifests. This is something that is discussed through religious principles, secular theory, as well as medical science. The relationship that the body and mind have together is connected through moments of joy, and peace, and that’s the core of what yoga teaches.
Whether you are new to this, or you are seeking purpose, test this methodology out. Give it a month, and see if you do not feel better about your daily life. You’re going to find that even in a week’s time, you’ll start to see results, and over the span of a month, true joy will come through.
New to yoga and feeling inspired to start practicing it?
Below there is a Video for you: Yoga For Complete Beginners – 20 Minute Home Yoga Workout.
Practicing Yoga, even when the tides rise, you’ll be steadfast as you’ll have inner happiness, peace, and joy.
If you want to be Happy, you need to take action!
Do you have any questions?
Do you already practice yoga and/or are you a yoga teacher? Feel free to add your comments below.