"Fast movement will distort both the blood circulation and the respiration. This results in crookedness of the body and injury to the different parts of the body. Slow practice of asanas (postures) with proper respiration will not only remove the defects in the body but results in citta ekograta (mental focus).*
The speed of the life we live is fast, so many things are happening during just a 'normal' day, so many lights, sounds, smells, scenes passing trough our senses, so many thought and feelings inside us...This makes even more important to do our yoga practice in a slow and controlled manner starting with some breathing exercises to clear the toxins, warm up the diaphragm and focus the mind. During the asana sequence to keep deep yogi breath (completely fill in the lungs with air, as though breathing into the belly, rib cage, and upper chest, then exhale completely, reversing the flow). This way of breathing allows us to inhale much more air in each breath (up to seven times more), which brings more oxygen to our body and increases its performance. The deep exhale clears the old air, poor in oxygen from our lungs. Slow and controlled asana practice gives us the time to adjust every part of our body in a proper alignment, dictated by the concrete posture and our unique body characteristics. When we synchronize this process with the breathing - the usual case is inhale with the extensions and exhale with the flexions (in the sense of spin movement), we benefit fully from our practice and keep our body safe. As well even if doesn't seem like this in the beginning actually helps us to progress faster as the proper alignment is the best way to build up the different levels of any asana and to connect them in a flow - a good base makes a stable 'house'.
In this speeding around us reality is so important to have this moment where we feel the seconds passing, where we have the control of our breath, mind and body even just for an hour. It just feels good to get out of the daily race for a moment and really to be in charge with what's happening with our body and in our mind. The best part is by doing this more and more often, we transfer this process step by step to all our activities and eventually we get out of the race and start enjoying more the present moment.
Find what makes you happy and do it often !
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* Tirumalai Krishnamacharya - one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century, often referred to as "the father of modern yoga"
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