Sivananda Yoga: Health and Wellness Yoga

This yoga type centers around spiritual, physical and mental wellbeing and also a vegetarian lifestyle.

Sivananda Yoga is based on the teachings of its developer, Swami Sivananda, who also gave the name of this discipline. This type of yoga was among the first ones to be brought in the West, in the year 1957. By being presented to people in America, it also became as popular there as in India, its country of origin. Nowadays there are multiple centers specialized in teaching this kind of yoga all over U.S., but also in Europe. In addition, there are also no less than nine retreats of this type in the world.

What is Sivananda Yoga?

Sivananda Yoga represents a non-proprietary yoga type inspired by hatha yoga. Therefore, the focus of this discipline is set on the practitioner’s wellness and health preservation. As this discipline is not so difficult to practice, the students going to classes range in age. Usually, they are taught to do a yogic, full breathing and to relax in the main poses of this kind of yoga that aims at retaining the body’s vitality and at decreasing chances of getting diseases by naturally and simply cultivating the human body.

Sivananda Yoga principles

Sivananda Yoga has five basic principles that summarize the philosophies of the discipline. These are represented by proper exercises known under the name of Asanas, by proper breathing techniques called Pranayama, by a proper type of relaxation named Savasana, by meditation and positive thinking known as Dhyana and Vedanta, and by a proper vegetarian diet. As far as the diet is concerned, practitioners are encouraged to have a yogic one. Therefore, it must be limited to only sattvic foods, tamasic foods and rajasic foods.

Benefits of Sivananda Yoga

Sivananda Yoga has numerous health benefits that its practitioners can benefit of. For instance, this type of yoga can enhance the flexibility of ligaments, joints, tendons and muscles. In addition, it can improve circulation, organ functions and massage the organs as well. By practicing this type of yoga the energy level can be boosted and multiple diseases can be alleviated. Stress can also be eliminated and the body can be cleansed. It can also be maintained powerful and young. Fatigue and worry can be eliminated as well through the practice of this discipline on a regular basis.

Basic Sivananda Yoga poses

Sivananda Yoga typical classes are slow paced. Therefore, all poses can be meticulously explored and the warming up can be done in peace. After the sun salutation that must be done at the beginning of every class, practitioners must focus on no less than twelve main poses. These are represented by the Headstand, the Shoulderstand, the Plow, the Fish, the Seated Forward Bend, the Cobra, the Locust, the Bow, the Seated Spinal Twist, the Crow, the Standing Forward Bend and the Triangle.

As soon as you learn to practice all of these poses in a gentle and slow pace, you will start taking advantage of all the benefits that this discipline can offer. The goal of these poses is to encourage and to support a spiritual, physical and mental wellbeing that all people should be able to benefit from.