Bhagya Lakshmi

5 Amazing Facts About Yoga That You Didn’t Know Everyone knows about the innumerable health benefits of yoga. I mean we only hear every other fitness and health expert talk about how yoga transforms your health, body and mind all at the same time. But there are also some misconceptions surrounding the revolutionary concept. Many people often confuse yoga with the religion of Hinduism. Now, it is true that yoga is closely related with Hindusim, but it is not a method of practicing Hinduism. It is more of a spiritual practice that is part of a serene lifestyle. What’s more, yoga is said to reduce health issues like heart diseases, high blood pressure and even asthma. Since we hear so often about yoga and also since there are some misconceptions surrounding it, don’t you think you need to know more about it? Here are 5 amazing facts about yoga: 1. The origin of the word yoga – The term yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word “root yuj” which means to join together. Thus Yoga literally means to join together, which implies the purpose of yoga which is to unite the body, the mind and the spirit. 2. Yoga is considered to have eight branches or limbs – The 8 branches associated with yoga are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyhara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. It is the third limb or branch “Asana” that reflects the postures and poses associated with the practice of yoga. 3. Patanjali ( B.C) is the father of yoga – Patanjali popularized the concept of yoga by making it more accessible to people through Yoga Sutras. Although yoga did exist long before Patanjali. 4. The “Om” symbol is found in Hindu and Tibetan philosophy – Om is believed to be the primitive sound of the universe which has a strong connection with the Ajna Chakra or the conscience of human beings. It is also sometimes referred to as the third eye region. 5. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung studies yoga in depth – In fact, Carl Jung was one of the first westerners to study yoga in detail and helped a great deal in introducing the concept and practices of yoga to the west. Apart from all these facts, did you also know that Americans spent about $10.7 billion on yoga classes and yoga gear in the year 2012? This is from studies conducted by Sports Marketing Survey and the numbers sure as hell show a rapidly rising trend, especially since the world is increasingly becoming more stressed as a result of the digital age. Now that you know so much about yoga, you can safely raise an argument with everyone who thinks yoga is a religion. What are your thoughts on yoga? Let us know.