Managing Stress by Practicing Yoga

Peace of mind is much sought after in the modern times. The more we need it the less we get it. The lifestyle generally led by us leads to stress accumulating within us and is the main cause of all health problems. We generally try to escape stress by running after luxury or taking intoxication. But the truth is that stress is not on the outside but lies within us.

Luxury or intoxications are just a distraction and not the solution to the problems. In fact they add to the stress. The stress is in the mind and Yoga helps relieve stress. The stress elements get rooted deep in our minds and affect us from the sub-conscious level. Stress can be broadly divided into: 

• Stress of the body
• Stress of the mind and 
• Stress of the emotions.

Stress of the Body – This is the stress of the body, which leads to problems in hormones, digestive systems or the nervous system or any other ailments of the body. They can be measured using tests. Thus stress on the heart can be measured by used ECG (Electro Cardiogram). The way to manage body stress is by practicing Hatha Yoga asanas and Pranayam taught in the 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh.

Emotional Stress – The feeling of happiness, hate, love, failure etc. are all causes of emotional stress. Emotions confuse the mind and hence cause stress of emotions. The biggest issue is not expressing what you want to. For example you are not satisfied with the way your relationship is going but due to some reason cannot express it. It is really difficult to express clearly and be honest in the world surrounded by falsehood and deceit. Our body tries to handle this stress by way of dreams but more effort is required to neutralize emotional stress. Emotional stress can be handled by practicing Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.

Karma Yoga – It does not involve any physical exercise or asanas. It requires disciplining senses. It is about doing what you are doing with full focus. You should get joy while doing work. You should not expect anything in return. “Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kada Chana” the verse in Bhagwad Geeta tells the same. It means “Do your work but do not expect the fruits of your action”. This verse is the basis of karma yoga.

Bhakti Yoga – Another way to manage emotional stress is submit to a higher power known as God. Accept yourself as just a tool for the way things are being done. The devotion to the higher power channels the emotional stress giving peace. The focus point of Bhakti yoga is do things for a higher purpose and stop chasing perishable things which is the main cause of emotional stress.

Mental Stress – This form of stress is experienced by people involved in indulging in too much of intellectual activity. This causes imbalances in the mind which can cause illusions and fantasies which can lead to mental illness. Many intellectual scientists have experienced this stress at the highest level. The way to counter this form of stress is by meditating. Meditation can be done by practicing Mantra Japa, Keeping Silent (Mauna) or Yoga Nidra. Meditation can take some time to practice but is the best all round way to counter stress. For more information  Yoga Teacher Training Rishikesh