The Benefits

The amazing thing about yoga is that it’s merely an exercise, but at the same time, it’s so much more. There are many different styles and ways of doing yoga but I was trained under a modified Hatha style. While holding the poses, a person is able to take their time to keep in control and focused. You inhale and exhale taking large deep breaths, which energizes you and releases unwanted toxins in your body. When someone is new to swimming, they don’t jump into a 12 foot pool and try doing the breast stroke. While in yoga, you don’t walk into a class and automatically become a pretzel. It takes time and practice as well as concentration and determination, and it’s the best thing you will ever be able to do for your body. Instead of walking out of a yoga class exhausted and out of breath, you leave feeling rejuvenated. Unlike other strenuous exercises, you finish every session with the "relaxation pose". It allows a person a few minutes to lay down motionless, while the body restores its strength and energy. That’s my favorite thing about being a yoga teacher.

My favorite memory of teaching a class was when I taught a mother of five who came in after a busy day and was frustrated from being stuck in traffic. She walked into the building feeling like she didn't want to be there, and was too exhausted to do anything. But after the last pose a huge smile beamed from her face and she felt ready to face the week. She walked out literally glowing. To me, that’s the best reward I could ever receive.

Stable autonomic nervous system equilibrium

Pulse rate decreases

Respiratory rate decreases

Blood Pressure decreases (of special significance for hyporeactors)

Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases

EEG - alpha waves increase (theta, delta, and beta waves also increase during various stages of meditation)

EMG activity decreases

Cardiovascular efficiency increases

Respiratory efficiency increases

Gastrointestinal function normalizes

Endocrine function normalizes

Excretory functions improve

Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase

Breath-holding time increases

Joint range of motion increase

Grip strength increases

Eye-hand coordination improves

Dexterity skills improve

Reaction time improves

Posture improves

Strength and resiliency increase

Endurance increases

Energy level increases

Weight normalizes

Sleep improves

Immunity increases

Pain decreases

Steadiness improves

Depth perception improves

Balance improves

Integrated functioning of body parts improves

Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase

Mood improves and subjective well-being increases

Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase

Social adjustment increases

Anxiety and Depression decrease

Hostility decreases

Memory improves

Attention improves

Learning efficiency improves

Mood improves

Self-actualization increase

Social skills increases

Well-being increases

Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase

Self-acceptance increase

Learning efficiency improves

Symbol coding improves

Depth perception improves

Flicker fusion frequency improves

Glucose decreases

Sodium decreases

Total cholesterol decreases

Triglycerides decrease

HDL cholesterol increases

LDL cholesterol decreases

VLDL cholesterol decreases

Cholinesterase increases

Catecholamines decrease

ATPase increases

Hematocrit increases `

Hemoglobin increases

Lymphocyte count increases

Total white blood cell count decreases

Thyroxin increases

Vitamin C increases

Total serum protein increases

Parasympathetic Nervous System dominates

Subcortical regions of brain dominate

Slow dynamic and static movements

Normalization of muscle tone

Low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments

Low caloric consumption

Effort is minimized, relaxed

Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled)

Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups

Noncompetitive, process-oriented

Awareness is internal (focus is on breath and the infinite)

Limitless oppurtunities for growth in self awareness

How could you ignore a list like that?!