THE BENEFITS OF YOGA

I try to maintain a regular yoga practice but it's not as regular as I would like. I am mostly self taught from a DVD years ago, and a yoga book at the moment. However it is recommended that you seek a qualified yoga teacher, as they will show you how to do the positions correctly. A good teacher will ensure that you are working in a safe way.
Yoga is not competitive and you work at your own pace gaining flexibility as you progress. The purpose of yoga is not to build muscle but to build muscle tone.
Yoga also helps to ease tension in the body by the use of deep stretches and breathing techniques. This slow paced workout creates a union of body and mind. You will find that your concentration levels improve with regular yoga practice. The balancing postures are good for this. Internal organs are also massaged and stimulated by  using certain yoga positions which helps to regulate the whole body system.
Always go at your own pace and never force any stretch in yoga and as you continue you will see an improvement in the flexibility all round. The joints will become stronger and more supple and regular practice  also helps to strengthen your back and core muscles. Besides working on breathing, concentration,stretching and strengthening the physical body, yoga works on the chakras (our spiritual energy centres). The postures will release and unblock stagnant energy allowing it to flow through the body , energising, stimulating and healing from within.