What is Yoga?
Before joining the course my understanding of yoga was that Yoga means asanas and different postures. I have done yoga before and all the time I used to think yoga as asanas. But now I learned that Yoga is union of mind, body and soul and asana is just one of the eight limbs (which is also called Asth-anga) of yoga: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. There is much more than asana when we are talk about yoga. Human body can be defined in 2 forms,External/physical body and internal body or inner self. Yoga helps to refine body, mind and soul in harmony.The first four limbs are Yama, Niyama, Asana and Pranayama effect our physical personality or external shape and the last four limbs, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi have the greater effect on our internal personality.
How the body and mind changes with practice?
During the First week of yoga lessons, it was very difficult to adapt to the exercises physically and mentally. While practicing the asanas it was hard for the body to accept the sudden pressure. With the physical learning, the mind wasn’t ready for the detailed knowledge of yoga. At one point I felt that I may not be able to reach to the end of the course. But with physical practice and more knowledge about yoga we could feel the difference in just five weeks. Now, the mind is ready and keen to know more about yoga as a whole and not only asanas. We look forward to gaining more knowledge. For the physical changes, we feel less tired as compared to before, because the body is adapting to a few of those postures which used to feel impossible earlier. It is very surprising to feel such changes in the body with every week of practice. It is a very long journey and we have to learn a lot more but with the right practice under the proper guidance we feel much more confident than before to carry out a posture. My progress during the first five weeks was that I am now able to lift myself for a headstand. Even though I have to work harder, be stronger and more flexible, I feel confident that I will be able to achieve it.