Yoga Asanas ~ Why I’m Finally Going to Do Some!

Wouldn't you like to be doing yoga on the beach? Me too!

I have a confession to make. Though I’ve been coming to India for fifteen years, can chant up a storm, and can wrap a sari blindfolded in a minute flat, I don’t “do yoga.” Honestly, I’m so fascinated by all those Westerners who start out doing yoga postures for health or relaxation and then become interested in chanting or yogic spirituality as a result, because I’m pretty much going the opposite direction! I began reading things like the Bhagavad Gita and The Tao of Physics in high school, and then quickly became involved in the devotional path of chanting, mantra japa, and service to a guru.

So my spiritual path started in the head, then moved to the heart and stayed there for quite a while. For some reason, I’ve never been fully comfortable having a physical body or dealing with its needs. It’s almost as if I’d just as soon cast off the body and go back to the discarnate state. It’s only now that I’m starting to realize that I need to move more into my body to take my spiritual path to the next level. It’s almost as if I’m participating in a lifelong grounding process, being poured into myself from the crown chakra and slowly moving down into the root chakra. Maybe that’s why I’ve become so fascinated with Sri Ganesha lately, but more on that later.

There are a number of reasons why I’m feeling this urge to take my physical body more seriously these days. Recently I wrote about the need to balance physical health with inner purification. I’ve always known intellectually that the body is sacred and should be taken care of, but I am by nature inclined more towards sitting still than moving around. Aside from taking care of my diet and avoiding atrociously unhealthy behaviors, I’ve pretty much ignored the physical state of my body. How? By sitting at a computer for hours a day, while breathing shallowly and, to be honest, slouching a fair bit. By getting so caught up in my thoughts and projects that I forget to breathe properly or take stretching breaks. By not moving enough to maintain my muscles or burn off the weight that’s begun to creep onto my stomach. By staying indoors too much and not getting enough sunlight or fresh air.

As Mid-Life Approaches, Good Health Cannot be Taken for Granted

However, there’s nothing like a few health issues to make one sit up and take notice of one’s body! Over the past few years, I’ve developed some minor health issues that I want to take care of before they become deeply rooted: I’ve lost a lot of upper body strength, I’ve gained a little weight, I’ve developed some reactive hypoglycemia, and I seem to have permanent stiffness and pain in my right shoulder. I’m only 36, people! It just doesn’t seem right to be so creaky.

As a practical Virgo, I am very interested in preventing or reversing problems before they become serious. I know very well that it’s easier to maintain muscle than to rebuild it once lost; extra weight can cause hormonal imbalances; reactive hypoglycemia is a precursor to type II diabetes; and stiffness tends to just get worse over the years. So now is the time to take back my health and vitality, before it gets even harder to do so. I’ve written before about the importance of yogic diet, and I’ve worked hard to tweak my diet and develop a supplement regimen, so it’s time to address the activity side of the “diet and exercise” approach to health.

Hence, I am on a mission to find healthy activities that A) won’t bore me to tears, B) will help address said health problems, and C) will help me establish a firm platform of health and vibrant energy, which I know will serve me well in years to come. I’ve never been concerned about longevity—when the time comes, I feel certain I will be quite happy to make the journey to The Other Side. But I want my years on Mother Earth to be very productive. According to the Vedic tradition, human life is a great boon, and must be used for the highest purpose. I want to have the strength and energy to carry out service projects, to contribute something for the betterment of humanity, and to perform my spiritual practices. I want to make my body into the best possible tool, the clearest channel it can possibly be for divine activities and energies to flow into this beloved world.

And That is Where Yoga Asanas Come In

Some people make it look so easy--sheesh!

So what will I be doing to improve my physical health and vitality? Well, for one thing, I will finally start to do yoga asanas, after all these years. I am interested in doing asanas because they enhance flexibility, strength, and overall energy and vitality. Flexibility is important for many reasons. Flexibility reduces the likelihood of injuries, reduces pain associated with stiffness, and enables the proper flow of blood and lymph. Blood is what brings oxygen and nutrients to tissues, and lymph removes cellular wastes, so it’s very important for optimal health that both fluids have access to all parts of the body.

Another important benefit of flexibility is that it enables the free flow of subtle energy into the body. Subtle energy is known as prana in the yogic system, or chi (qi) in the Chinese systems. When joints and connective tissues tighten and becomes stiff, prana is not able to flow freely through that area. As a result, the stage is set for disease, discomfort, and a general lack of vitality.

It may not be apparent, but yoga also increases muscle strength. If you don’t believe me, try holding a pose for more than a minute! Those rishis were pretty smart, if you ask me. There they were, sitting in the forest thousands of years ago, and they figured out a way to tone all kinds of important muscle groups, without the need for barbells, kettlebells, or Nautilus machines! [Of course, I’m not suggesting that the rishis were trying to achieve muscular strength by coming up with the various yoga asanas.] Simply holding the various gravity-defying poses will strengthen a variety of muscles in the legs, ankles, back, arms, shoulders, neck, and stomach. And if you still don’t believe me, try doing a few rounds of Sun Salutations. You’ll definitely feel the burn, and I’m willing to bet you may even break a sweat, showing that you’ve achieved aerobic exercise as well.

Yet another benefit of yoga is that the various poses actually work to “massage” different organs and glands by applying pressure and directing blood flow. When the organs and glands are stimulated in this way, they are able to do their best work so that cellular processes are optimized and hormones become balanced. This internal massage is a great boon for general vitality and well-being.

But these are just the physical benefits of yoga asanas. There are also deeper emotional and spiritual benefits to doing asanas. After all, the ancient rishis didn’t come up with yoga just as a portable, cheap form of exercise! They were using the physical body to activate the subtle body in very specific ways, to dissolve and release energetic blocks, and to encourage their prana to move towards and then up the sushumna, the spiritual channel leading to enlightenment. But that will have to be a topic for future posts.

Yoga ~ A Powerful Divine Gift from the Rishis for Health, Happiness and Spiritual Elevation

My feeling is that truly balanced spirituality involves a partnership of the body, mind and heart. Yoga, with its multifaceted benefits for the body, emotions and subtle energy centers, is the perfect form of exercise to unite one’s entire being and help us achieve all of our goals in life. I’m not certain whether yoga asanas will be enough to accomplish all of my health goals. It’s possible that Sun Salutations will provide enough aerobic benefit, but for the purpose of losing weight and improving insulin sensitivity, I may also need to include running or hiking.

But what about you? Are your joints getting stiff or creaky? Do you hold tension in certain parts of your body? Do you suffer from a lack of vitality, anxiety, or random aches and pains? Why not try a yoga class, or even just a video, and see if this ancient physio-psycho-spiritual system can help you achieve greater wellness. The ancient sages of India have provided us with so many ways to live in harmony with Mother Nature as well as our own inner nature; let us all benefit from their wisdom and love.