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Unit5ThetermyogacomesfromaSanskritwordwhichmeansyokeorunion.TraditionallyyogaisamethodjoiningtheindividualselfwiththeDivine,UniversalSpiritorCosmicConsciousness.Physicalandmentalexercisesaredesignedtohelpachievethisgoal,alsocalledself-transcendenceorenlightenment.Onthephysicallevel,yogapostures,calledasanas,aredesignedtotone,strengthen,andalignthebody.Theseposturesareperformedtomakethespinesuppleandhealthyandtopromotebloodflowtoalltheorgans,glands,andtissues,keepingallthebodysystemshealthy.Onthementallevel,yogausesbreathingtechniques(pranayama)andmeditation(dyana)toquiet,clarify,anddisciplinethemind.Howeverexpertsarequicktopointouttheyogaisnotareligion,butawayoflivingwithhealthandpeaceofmindasitsaims.YogainAmericaDouglasDupler1.YogaoriginatedinancientIndiaandisoneofthelongestsurvivingphilosophicalsystemsintheworld.Somescholarshaveestimatedthatyogaisasoldas5,000years;artifactsdetailingyogapostureshavebeenfoundinIndiafromover3,000B.C.Yogisclaimthatitisahighlydevelopedscienceofhealthylivingthathasbeentestedandperfectedforalltheseyears.YogawasfirstbroughttoAmericainthelate1800swhenSwamiVivekananda.anIndianteacherandyogi,presentedalectureon.meditationinChicago.Yogaslowlybegangainingfollowers,andflourishedduringthe1960swhentherewasasurgeofinterestinEasternphilosophy.TherehassincebeenavastexchangeofyogaknowledgeinAmerica,withmanystudentsgoingtoIndiatostudyandmanyIndianexpertscomingheretoteach,resultingintheestablishmentofawidevarietyofschools.Today,yogaisthriving,andithasbecomeeasytofindteachersandpractitionersthroughoutAmerica.ArecentRoperpoll,commissionedbyYogaJournal,foundthat11millionAmericansdoyogaatleastoccasionallyandsixmillionperformitregularly.Yogastretchesareusedbyphysicaltherapistsandprofessionalsportsteams,andthebenefitsofyogaarebeingtoutedbymoviestarsandFortune500executives.Manyprestigiousschoolsofmedicinehavestudiedandintroducedyogatechniquesasproventherapiesforillnessandstress.Somemedicalschools,likeUCLA,evenofferyogaclassesaspartoftheirphysiciantrainingprogram.2.ThereareseveraldifferentschoolsofhathayogainAmerica;thetwomostprevalentonesareIyengarandAshtangayoga.IyengaryogawasfoundedbyB.K.S.Iyengar,whoiswidelyconsideredasoneofthegreatlivinginnovatorsofyoga.Iyengaryogaputsstrictemphasisonformandalignment,andusestraditionalhathayogatechniquesinnewmannersandsequences.Iyengaryogacanbegoodforphysicaltherapybecauseitallowstheuseofpropslikestrapsandblockstomakeiteasierforsomepeopletogetintotheyogapostures.Ashtangayogacanbeamorevigorousroutine,usingaflowinganddance-likesequenceofhathaposturestogeneratebodyheat,whichpurifiesthebodythroughsweatinganddeepbreathing.3.Yogaroutinescantakeanywherefrom20minutestotwoormorehours,withonehourbeingagoodtimeinvestmenttoperformasequenceofposturesandameditation.Someyogaroutines,dependingontheteacherandschool,canbeasstrenuousasthemostdifficultworkout,andsomeroutinesmerelystretchandalignthebodywhilethebreathandheartratearekeptslowandsteady.Yogaachievesitsbestresultswhenitispracticedasadailydiscipline,andyogacanbealife-longexerciseroutine,offeringdeeperandmorechallengingpositionsasapractitionerbecomesmoreadept.Thebasicpositionscanincreaseaperson'sstrength,flexibilityandsenseofwellbeingalmostimmediately,butitcantakeyearstoperfectanddeepenthem,whichisanappealingandstimulatingaspectofyogaformany.4.Yogaisusuallybestlearnedfromayogateacherorphysicaltherapist,butyogaissimpleenoughthatonecanlearnthebasicsfromgoodbooksonthesubject,whichareplentiful.Yogaclassesaregenerallyinexpensive,averagingaround10dollarsperclass,andstudentscanlearnbasicposturesinjustafewclasses.ManyYMCAs,colleges,andcommunityhealthorganizationsofferbeginningyogaclassesaswell,oftenfornominalfees.Ifyogaispartofaphysicaltherapyprogram,'itcanbe.reimbursedbyinsurance.5.Yogacanalsoprovidethesamebenefitsasanywell-designedexerciseprogram,increasinggeneralhealthandstamina,reducingstress,andimprovingthoseconditionsbroughtaboutbysedentarylifestyles.Yogahastheaddedadvantageofbeingalow-impactactivitythatusesonlygravityasresistance,whichmakesitanexcellentphysicaltherapyroutine:certainyogaposturescanbesafelyusedtostrengthenandbalanceallpartsofthebody.6.Meditationhasbeenmuchstudiedandapprovedforitsbenefitsinreducingstresses-relatedconditions.Thelandmarkbook,TheRelaxationResponse,byHarvardcardiologistHerbertBenson,showedthatmeditationandbreathingtechniquesforrelaxationcouldhavetheoppositeeffectofstress,reducingbloodpressureandotherindicators,Sincethen,muchresearchhasreiteratedthebenefitsofmeditationforstressreductionandgeneralhealth.Currently,theAmericanMedicalAssociationrecommendsmeditationtechniquesasafirststepbeforemedicationforborderlinehypertensioncases.7.ModernpsychologicalStudieshaveshownthatevenslightfacialexpressionscancausechangesintheinvoluntarynervoussystem;yogautilizesthemind/bodyconnection,thatis,yogapracticecontainsthecentralideasthatphysicalpostureandalignmentcaninfluenceaperson'smoodandself-esteem,andalsothatthemindcanbeusedtoshapeandhealthebody.Yogapractitionersclaimthatthestrengtheningofmind/bodyawarenesscanbrin