Advantages of Yoga and Meditation

Inner beauty helps bring harmony, balance in life

A beautiful woman is one who values herself physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually. Yes, beauty is a total impact of all these aspects. Mind and body are interrelated and interlinked. The state of one reflects on the other. There is yet another dimension. The soul - inner beauty. It is more a part of us than the body and the mind. So, how can beauty be complete without taking inner beauty into account?

If we look around us, we can find enough evidence that all creation is filled with beauty of the soul. We are attracted to nature and its scenic beauty because it has harmony. Look at the colors of nature and see how the different greens blend together perfectly, in harmony. For us too, a harmonious combination of all the aspects of the personality, body, mind and soul makes us more complete, more at peace and more beautiful.

The ancient sages of India advocated yoga, pranayama and meditation to find inner beauty, or what is called self-realisation. These can easily be adapted to our modern lifestyle. Ideally, one should learn these from a qualified teacher, but you can easily start with simple breathing and see how it actually helps to silence the mind and bring about a feeling of calm. Remember that the silence and calmness already exist within you. All you have to do is discover it and you can do so when body and mind are relaxed. So here are some pointers:

PLAN YOUR DAY

Set aside some time for daily exercise and relaxation. Start your day with 10 min. of stretching exercises or a brisk walk. Then do deep breathing exercises for 5 Min., followed by mediation for 15 min. This means you need to set aside about half an hour. Exercise gives you strength, energy and stamina. It helps to reduce mental stress and promote a sense of well-being. Meditation is another useful way of coping with stress. Today, the western world is following the ways advocated by our ancient heritage like yoga and meditation. Deep breathing exercises and meditation help to make the mind calm and peaceful. According to Swami Vivekananda, “The science of breathing is the working through the body to reach the mind.”

DEEP BREATHING REALLY HELPS

You do not need to adopt the yogic posture. You may sit in a comfortable chair, with feet flat on the floor. Your body should be relaxed. Close your eyes and begin breathing, slowly and with ease. Allow your mind to follow your breathing as you inhale and exhale. Breathe in slowly and deeply and then breathe out slowly. Concentrate your mind on your breathing by observing the inhaling and exhaling of breath. You can continue breathing this way for two minutes, normally and easily. If you begin to feel relaxed, continue for another few minutes. You will notice that your mind and body have relaxed and you may even find that your mind is much quieter. Focusing your attention on your breathing has pushed all other thoughts away for a few minutes. This itself can lead on to meditation, which is basically concentration of thought. With eyes closed and continuing breathing in and out slowly and deeply, concentrate your thought on anything or anyone that you wish. For example, you can concentrate on God, or any deity or “guru” of your choice. Or you can think of any aspect of nature, like the sun, or a rose, or a bird. You will find the mind wandering, but all you need to do is to bring your thought gently back to the object of your concentration. Gradually, you will find that your powers of concentration improve.

MEDITATION IS LIKE PUTTING ON MAKEUP

You need to keep trying to improve your skill. As you practice your conscious breathing everyday, you will get better with it, find relaxation, calm and peace. When you have practiced breathing and meditation for some time, you will probably find that your mind is much more alert and much clearer. You seem to have more physical and mental energy. You will find that your dealings with people improve, as your perspectives change, you begin to look at problems and issues differently, with much more clarity and less ego. You will find yourself in a state of calmness, regardless of the situations and circumstances of life and living. Indeed, meditation is the way to the real fountain of youth and is much more effective than all the beauty potions and cosmetic treatments to preserve youth. You will not only look younger, but actually feel the youth and vitality.