Enriching More Then Just Your Physical Body...

Today after I'm done with my classes it is going to be late, so not much real hard workout time in the schedule, but I promised myself I would go to the gym six days a week. I also promised myself I would try to enrich more than just my physical body. The solution to this for me is yoga. On campus at my recreation center they offer different kinds of yoga classes throughout the week. I know many people watch others doing yoga and say, "Um...I don't bend like that." Well that's okay most yoga instructors will tell you in the beginning the point is not to be perfect and there are variations of different poses to challenge people on every level so as you attain knowledge and confidence in the "easy" pose you can move to the "intermediate" pose as you feel comfortable.
Here are some good reasons why yoga can be so beneficial:

• Improvement of body luster and general health
• When your mind focuses on a particular part of the body, the blood flow to that part increases and cells receive more oxygen and other nutrients in abundance. 
• Today, many of the film stars and fashion models include meditation in their daily regimen
• Improvement in concentration 
• Many of the athletes and sports professionals regularly employ meditation methods. Studies have found a direct correlation between concentration exercises (meditation) and the performance level of sports professionals. 
• Meditation strengthens the mind, it comes under control and is able to provide effective guidance to the physical body to effectively execute all its projects.

Though meditation is usually recognized as a largely spiritual practice, it also has many health benefits. Yoga and meditation techniques are being implemented in management of life threatening diseases; in transformation of molecular and genetic structure; in reversal of mental illness, in accelerated learning programs, in perceptions and communications beyond the physical, in solving problems and atomic and nuclear physics; in gaining better ecological understanding; in management of lifestyle and future world problems. 
Some benefits of meditation are:

• It lowers oxygen consumption
• Decrease in respiratory rate
• Increases blood flow and lowers heart rate
• Increases exercise tolerance in heart patients
• Good for people with high blood pressure as it brings the B.P. to normal.
• Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
• Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
• It increases serotonin production which influences mood and behaviour. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches.
• Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of 'natural-killer cells', which kill bacteria and cancer cells.
• Reduces Pre- menstrual Syndrome.
• Helps post-operative healing

Peace cannot be kept by force it can only be achieved by understanding-Albert Einstein