Why is yoga different to other forms of exercise?

Leo Bunyard comments . . .

Often people come to a yoga class thinking that it will be the same as going to the gym or an exercise class, but what is it that makes yoga different to other forms of exercise.

Yoga asanas or poses do make your muscles and joints stronger and more flexible; but perhaps even more importantly, they are operating at a deeper level to improve the health of the internal body. These yoga asanas have been developed over millennia to systematically stimulate and pacify every organ, muscle, gland, nerve and cell in the body.

The body systems: digestive, nervous, circulatory, as well as the reproductive, endocrine, lymphatic and integumentary systems are classified as being separate from one another for the purposes of scientific study, but in fact, in a healthy individual they function as a holistic, homeostatic system maintaining the harmony and well-being of the body and the mind. Yoga asanas stretch, bend, rotate and relax different parts of the body, opening specific areas and blocking others; and these movements have varying effects on the systems within the body, encouraging these systems to function in synchrony and at an optimal level.

We live in a world where we are constantly beset by all manner of demands. This often creates stresses on our bodies’ systems, which in turn can lead to physical or mental ill health. Most forms of exercise will strengthen the musculoskeletal system but a dedicated and balanced yoga practice can, in time, restore and maintain balance within all the different bodily systems, bringing health and peace in the mind as well in the body