6 Interesting Facts About Yoga
These are 6 interesting and lesser-known facts about the practice of yoga.
If you’re familiar with the general practice of yoga, you probably already know most of the common knowledge facts about it, like it began in India, it consists of physical asanas and meditation, it makes you more flexible, etc. But since yoga is such an ancient practice with a rich history, there are bound to be other lesser-known facts that you aren’t familiar with.
Below are six little-known facts about yoga that might motivate you to move deeper into your yoga practice.
1. Want To Spice Up Your Sex Life? Try Yoga
If you’re looking to spice up your sex life, yoga might be just what you’re looking for. Yoga can actually improve your sex life overall and also strengthen your orgasm by strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. Start scheduling time to practice your Downward Dog and Headstand!2. Yoga Could Be Your Fountain of Youth
There is a long list of health benefits that come from a consistent yoga practice. Flexibility, strength, and endurance physically; calm, self-aware, and present mentally. Yoga is also said to help expand your lung capacity through the different breathing exercises, which also help lower your heart rate and blood pressure.Yoga keeps your body limber, in shape, and vital thanks to a combination of the poses and breathing techniques. It’s a natural way to relieve stress and fortify the immune system and other important functions in the body. Yoga is a true elixir for long life!
3. There’s No Shortage of Variety
Believe it or not, there are more than 100 different styles of yoga. The practices range from the more traditional styles, such as Iyengar, Hatha, or Tantra Yoga to more popular styles like Hot Yoga, Vinyasa, or Ashtanga to the more unique offshoots like Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga, Aerial Yoga or Buti Yoga.4. Yoga Literally Alters Your Mind
A consistent yoga practice increases your flexibility. Allowing your body to develop flexibility also opens the door for a much more flexible, open mind. People who have a more flexible mind tend to be more confident, relaxed, resilient and able to adapt to challenging situations.Yoga works through our samskaras, or the grooves woven into our brains through habitual thought processes or habits. By finding new ways to move in yoga, we’re also finding new ways to think and process information.
5. Yogis Wrote the First Spiritual Book Ever!
The Rig Veda is said to be the oldest spiritual text in the world, dating back to 1500 B.C. – some say even earlier! It is the first of the Vedas (a set of four Hindu religious texts), and contains thousands of Sanskrit hymns, mantras, and elements of yoga that are believed to be over 4,000 years old.
6. Yogi’s Aren’t All Organic, Liberal Hippies
The world we live in is full of stereotypes. For the non-yogis looking in, many assume that yoga is a form of religion, and some have even called it “cult-ish.” Other stereotypes of yogis are hippies, liberals, or new-agers.Yet yoga can be – and is – practiced by all walks of life. It’s for all levels, body types, all ages and all skin colors. You don’t have to be a vegan, eat only organic, or never drink alcohol again to practice yoga. Any type of person can practice yoga, and every person will benefit from doing so.
