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| Asanas: Physical Exercises | When we talk about yogis, it does usually mean the section of khatha-yoga, related to physical exercises. According to these studies, our body can live thanks to the positive and negative currents. If they have equilibrium form, it is possible to talk about health and harmony of the body. On the language of ancient symbols positive current stands for "Kha" (the Sun), and negative - "Tkha" (the Moon). These two words make "khatha-yoga", which defines unity of oppositions, positive and negative poles or phenomena in our life.
Physical exercises are an "alphabet" in yoga. Its necessary stage, because only through a complete physical health and control of body activity you can reach the main sense of yoga - mental, spiritual and moral perfection. It’s considered to be scientifically proved. Everyone can benefit his body from this technique, people of all professions and social layers, practically in any age (although the consultation of specialist is required).
Asanas in yoga is based on the physical exercises - special positions of body. In obedience to legend, god Shiva opened and gave the man body poses, by which intended to save health and achieve higher level of consciousness. There are 8400000 asanas which are mentioned in classic literature. Only less than hundred years ago yogis was utilized. Ten of them are considered to be the most essential, sufficient and valuable for the healthy life.
Patandzhali specifies: "Asana is a method that means sitting pleasantly, steadily and without tension". You must reach complete self-control above your body at asana executions, so that to be motionless and feel quietly and comfortably. What does characterize asanas? Asanas are exercises, which are related to slow, moderate motions and state of the body in combination with the correct breathing and weakening. Asanas mean mainly static poses of body; tension of muscles and irritation of muscle nerves in these poses affecting central nervous system, and through it - work of heart, organs of circulation of blood and breathing. Asanas foresee the concentration of attention on the certain areas of body. Here mental effort cooperates with muscle activity.
Asanas requires special sort of breathing: complete, rhythmic, controlled and slow. Asanas give therapeutic effect as well as psychotherapy effect. They affect digestive system, heart and vessels, breathing, endocrine systems, nervous system and weigh motive vehicle. In asanas we could distinguish poses for contemplation and meditation, inverted poses, poses of equilibrium and etc.
One of major poses is considered to be Shavasana ("Dead pose"), related to the complete weakening of body. It is simultaneous physical and mental exercise with the difficult technique of execution. It is executed usually after the certain cycle of physical exercises. For correct execution of Shavasany you will need not only ability to quickly labour for complete relaxation of all organisms but also ability to release negative emotions, psychical fatigue, stresses, agitations, anxieties. Physiological Shavasana is used as a valuable replacement of sleep. Mastering of asanas opens possibility to adjust physiological processes, flowing in an organism and helps teaching of direction of consciousness in one or another area of body.
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