Health is not just freedom from disease. For good health, the joints, tissues, muscles, cells, nerves, glands, and each system of the body must be in a state of perfect balance and harmony. Health is the perfect equilibrium of the body and mind, intellect and soul. Health is like the flowing water of a river, always fresh and pure, in a constant state of flux.
Humans are a combination of the senses of perception, the organs of action, the mind, the intelligence, the inner consciousness, and the conscience. Each of these is worked on by the practice of Yoga.Yoga Asanas help to ensure an even distribution of bio-energy, or life-force, which brings the mind to a state of calm. A practitioner of Yoga faces life not as a victim, but as a master, in control of his or her life situations, circumstances, and environment.
Asanas balance the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, hormonal, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems perfectly. The equilibrium in the body then brings mental peace and enhances intellectual clarity. Harmony of body and mind Asanas cater to the needs of each individual according to his or her specific constitution and physical condition. They involve vertical, horizontal, and cyclical movements, which provide energy to the system by directing the blood supply to the areas of the body which need it most. In Yoga, each cell is observed, attended to, and provided with a fresh supply of blood, allowing it to function smoothly. The mind is naturally active and dynamic, while the soul is luminous. However, unhealthy bodies tend to house inert, dull, and sluggish minds. It is the practice of Yoga which removes this sluggishness from the body and brings it to the level of the active mind. Ultimately, both the body and mind rise to the level of the illuminated self. The practice of Yoga stimulates and changes emotional attitudes, converting apprehensiveness into courage, indecision and poor judgement into positive decision-making skills, and emotional instability into confidence and mental equilibrium.
A healthy body is like the flowing water of a river — always fresh and pure.
