Cure for Modern Day Stresses

Yoga centers are getting stiff competition from adult education classes of community colleges, boards of education and parks and recreation departments. The meaning of yoga is union of the body, mind and spirit with truth. Hatha Yoga is among the most popular forms in the west. It emphasizes the practice of postures, which stretch and strengthen the body, help develop a sense of balance and flexibility, as well as body awareness and mental concentration. All forms of yoga incorporate the practice of proper breathing techniques for Relaxation, to rest the mind from its constant chatter, to experience an internal calm, and to energize and purify the body. As stress levels in society reach new heights, Raja Yoga, the yoga of meditation, is growing in popularity in Western society, while others, such as Krya Yoga, the yoga of cleansing, and Mantra Yoga, the yoga of chanting, not surprisingly, have little appeal for newcomers. Stretching and toning, though beneficial, aren't the primary reasons people turn to yoga. The difference between exercise and yoga is that yoga has a meditative quality.