| What is more valuable to you - a trained body or | | | | Asanas will help purge negative energy from the |
| a trained mind? Most people would think about this | | | | body and mind, up to a limited point. This is the |
| for a second and decide that physical appearance, | | | | reason why Maharishi Patanjali mentions eight |
| through training the body, is more important to | | | | limbs in the Yoga Sutras. He mentions Yoga as a |
| them. In Hatha Yoga, we can easily see the | | | | way of life and higher levels of concentrated |
| number of students who pursue physical mastery | | | | meditation. He does mention asana, but it is just |
| through asana practice. | | | | one of the eight limbs. |
| Not everyone feels asana is the "Holy Grail" of | | | | The last four of the eight limbs - Pratyahara, |
| Yoga, but physical prowess is still an attraction. | | | | Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi, are concerned |
| However, for one to pursue physical mastery | | | | with meditation and preparation for it. Therefore, |
| over mental mastery, one must feel that his or | | | | the value and benefits of daily practice, go much |
| her mental health is going along just fine. If this | | | | further than the skin's surface. |
| were so, why are so many people experiencing | | | | What are the benefits of meditation? Meditation is |
| chronic stress, anxiety, panic disorder, depression, | | | | the most natural of today's methods to bring the |
| and a variety of mental disorders? | | | | mind under control. Prescribed drugs, alcohol, and |
| Meditation may not be the solution to all the | | | | illegal drugs are often used or abused, with the |
| mental ailments humankind experiences, but it | | | | goal of relaxing the mind. Based on the cost of |
| sure can help. Many Western medical doctors | | | | chemical addictions, people will pay a high price, in |
| recommend meditation as an adjunct therapy. | | | | many ways, to relax their minds. Meditation does |
| Many counselors, psychiatrists, and psychologists, | | | | not have negative side effects. |
| also recommend Yoga to stabilize the mind. | | | | In comparison to many forms of therapy, |
| The most common reason why Yoga students | | | | meditation is extremely cost effective. An |
| want to learn meditation is to relax the mind | | | | intermediate practitioner will have no difficulty |
| when needed. To relieve the mind and body of | | | | practicing alone. A few asanas and pranayama |
| negative nervous energy is the result of a | | | | (Yogic breathing) techniques will aid to relax the |
| complete Hatha Yoga practice. In other words: | | | | body before a meditation sessions. The end result |
| Physical exercises (asanas), alone, will not produce | | | | is a focused and relaxed mind, which is prepared |
| optimum results for holistic health. | | | | for daily tasks. |