The Yoga Essentials Series

Introducing Yoga Essentials, a series dedicated to providing information about yoga: historical, mythical, physical, physiological and anatomical. So without further ado, here is the very first blog.

Somehow, you know it even if you have never done a class before: yoga is good for you!
Well, yes, it is true, but you are entitled to ask why which will be the focus of the upcoming weeks.

Yoga is one of few disciplines where the breath is in the spotlight. Specific breathing exercises aside, you are encouraged to breathe in and out more slowly and more fully (not forcefully) through the nose which helps you maintain a calm state of mind while moving your body through what can be challenging postures. 

By breathing more slowly, you are also breathing more efficiently.
One of our modern “diseases” is over-breathing which upsets blood ph by making it more alkaline thus resulting in oxygen and hemoglobin having an overtly strong bond: oxygen gets a harder time getting to the cells which need it. Counterproductive to say the least.

You will hear it often: less is more. It is often not about trying harder but trying smarter and more efficiently.
This is true of your breath, your yoga postures, work and... life in general!

Picture by @benmack_ Give him a follow, his pictures are dreamy...