Written by Yogini Gonika

A blissful and healthy body is a stepping stone to an ideal life and this can be achieved through Yoga. On a practical level, Yoga is a means of balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions whereas; in spiritual sense Yoga is the awakening of the self. It is the method that allows us to wake up to who or what we really are and to what life is all about. It allows us to be more aware of ourselves and keep us connected with ourselves. From the practice of Yoga, if one aims to relax and gain optimum physical benefit, it is necessary to concentrate on something by directing the mind to a specific region of the body or to the breath. However, if one aims to get spiritual benefit from Yoga then concentration can be directed to the chakras while performing the asanas. Concentration on chakras while performing Yogic practices stimulates the flow of energy through the chakras and helps to activate them. This in turn awakens the inactive dormant areas in the brain allowing one to experience higher level of consciousness which normally is inaccessible.

Let’s explain this through an example – While practicing Parvatasana (Mountain Pose) for gaining physical benefit one can keep the awareness on relaxing the hips or on the throat region. But, if an individual wants to attain benefit on the spirituality side then he/she can keep the awareness on Vishuddhi chakra (throat chakra).

The practitioner can observe which particular chakra is getting involved in the asana and accordingly observe different chakras in different asanas thereby awakening the physical self and spiritual self.      

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