(Opinion article)

Today, yoga is fashionable. The whole world is engaged in yoga – Hollywood stars and Prime Ministers, office workers and housewives. This word has become a part of our daily life. But different people put different concepts into it. For some, yoga is another type of fitness, a way to improve your body, for someone – a means of getting rid of stress or the ability to lose weight. And someone thinks about deeper aspects, looking for answers to eternal life questions. So what is this yoga?

It is believed that yoga is an ancient teaching, with a religious slant. They say that many thousands ago it was  invented by Pantajali, a naga or a serpent looking guru, who left almost two hundred unforgettable aphorisms about yoga, “A mind free from all disturbances is yoga…Be happy for those who are happy, have  compassion towards those who are unhappy and maintain equanimity towards the wicked.” But everything in the world is changing. Today, yoga has a lot of new perspectives, faces, and names. It has become more athletic, curative and accessible but, at the same time, it has retained its destiny and brings light into the life of people, connecting them with true “I”.

Yoga and a healthy lifestyle are inseparable concepts. The fact is that the main purpose of yoga is a complete improvement of the body, including the moral recovery. It’s no secret that yoga is considered the most effective method not only to get rid of diseases but also to prolong one’s life. So what happens during such activities with our body? First, due to increased blood flow, the metabolism becomes more intense. Regular exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the chest, and our breathing becomes the most complete. In this case, all organs and tissues are actively supplied with oxygen.

During yoga, there is an active exchange of energy with the outside world: negative energy leaves our body, and positive, on the contrary, passes through it, leaving a positive result. It is noteworthy that regular workouts contribute to both the physical and emotional recovery of any person. Often, people who are fond of yoga come together to study in groups in order to find harmony and balance with the outside world.

Regular training can completely change a person, both externally and internally. The proportions of the body improve, thoughts become clear and, eventually, the feeling of anxiety completely leaves you. It feels complete harmony with the outside world. “True meditation is to be fully present with all that is, including discomfort and problems. This is not a salvation from life, ” said C. Hamilton.

Today, yoga is becoming more popular than ever. About 40 million people devote their free time to this amazing activity. However, in most cases, yoga is perceived as one of the ways to train the body, that is, as a form of fitness. But the philosophy of yoga is in a deep and a meditating truth. Following noble moral principles, a certain way of life, a complete transformation of the personality and consciousness as a whole – only this can make a man a yogi in the full sense of the word. I was interested in yoga during my school years. At first, I was doing irregularly, mostly while being in a good mood. Now I try to do it daily. Yoga is now a key part of my development process. For me, the word ‘yoga’ refers to a combination of physical and respiratory exercises aimed at changes in the energy of the body. Let everyone find their own definition of yoga!