The practice of yoga is one of the most effective alternative pain management strategies available. Dating back more than 5,000 years, yoga unites mind, body, and spirit using breathing exercises, stretches, postures, and meditation. Yoga postures are far more than just a series of physical positions; they also mental awareness and spiritual development. Alternative pain management uses this growth to address the physical manifestations of unease.
Our posture is the outer form of our inner attitude. The body is a reflection of the mind—physical tension can be caused by physical activities as well as mental stress. Yoga offers a way to positively affect the mind and restore the body's original wholeness through physical movement and relaxation. It is not primarily concerned with the position. You don't strain or force yourself into a pose.
Yoga provides physical benefits as well - stretching and strengthening the major muscle groups as well as the deeper postural muscles. Flexibility, joint and spinal mobility, proper functioning of internal organs, and overall health can all be improved as a result of continued practice. Yoga is an ideal alternative pain management strategy because this mobility helps to alleviate the tension that can cause chronic pain.
Yet yoga also develops awareness and encourages us to pay attention to the core of our being, not just from the surface. In yoga the goal is to be conscious of each breath, muscle, movement, and posture. You focus your full attention on what you are doing and how you are doing it. Fostering intentional awareness during yoga is designed to eventually lead to greater consciousness in all areas of your life.
Becoming more aware of physical tension and mental or emotional stress is a huge step in personal development. Through practice and awareness, yoga helps develop a deeper connection with self, balance the body's energy centers for optimum health while enhancing strength, flexibility, and relaxation.