One just has to enter any bookshop or perform a rudimentary online search to realize that millions of people experience the need to grow as people and to achieve a state of self fulfillment. There is a myriad of books that promise improvement in some area of life and the internet is crammed with sites aimed at helping people to improve themselves. However, those that practice yoga in Temple TX maintain that they have found the perfect way in which to satisfy their needs.

Asana, as this approach or method is properly called, is often misunderstood. Many people think that it is a form of religion, while others think it is a fitness system or a specific method for meditation. In fact, it is all of these but it is much more besides. Asana is a very large collection of different methods and practices that all aim at achieving unity between the body, mind and spirit of the individual.

Nobody can say for certain where and when Asana originated. One thing is known, however. The Hindu philosopher Swami Vivekananda introduced it to the western world in the late eighteen hundreds. It achieved an astonishing level of popularity almost immediately and that popularity has remained to this very day. There are millions of practitioners all over the world and their ranks are swelled on a daily basis.

It is a common misconception to think that Asana is based upon a series of stretching exercises and specific poses. This is true, to a certain extent, but the stretching exercises and poses are nothing but a tool to achieve other goals. They are meant to improve the flexibility and balance of the student and most teachers use specific poses to teach students well defined spiritual principles.

The benefits of practicing Asana are numerous. No competition of any sort is allowed or encourage. Instead, students are allowed to develop and progress at a pace that is comfortable to them. Under no circumstances will a student be forced to master new poses or techniques. Most of the exercises and poses can be learned by any person, even people that are physically handicapped.

There are also many medical benefits and these have been studied exhaustively during a large number of empirical studies. Those suffering from cancer, asthma and constant back pain have all benefited considerably. There are also many distinct psychological advantages. Taking up Asana has proved to be extremely helpful to those suffering from depression and anxiety and therapist routinely recommend that their patients consider this form of exercise as part of their therapy.

The good news is that it is easy to get going with Asana. There are many excellent books on the subject and there are numerous websites that offer free training videos. There are also discussion forums where beginners can get advice. It is important to remember, though, that there are many approaches to the topic, all of them acceptable, but it is best to stick to one approach in a consistent manner.

Asana is one of the most popular methods of improving the body, mind and the spirit of the individual. Millions of people have benefited and there is no reason to believe that the popularity of Asana will ever wane. Students claim that regular practice help them to lead more balanced lives and that they quickly achieve higher levels of self fulfillment.