Name one form of exercise, and chances are, I’ve already done it. For years, I’ve been dabbling in almost every kind of workout that comes along just to stay fit. From Tae-Bo to Pilates, I’ve done them all, and modesty aside, I’ve got the body to show for it. Nothing, however, comes close to the benefits I get when I’m doing Yoga. And no, you don’t have to be a human pretzel to be able to practice Yoga, which, after all, literally means “discipline”, something which all of us can certainly use in our daily lives.

I understand that Yoga has some mystic connotation surrounding it, but believe it or not, doing yoga exercises has done wonders for my health, both physical and mental.

For one, my flexibility has improved by leaps and bounds. Most workout regimens focus on increasing strength and stamina, but they don’t do much for your flexibility. When I was just starting out with my Yoga classes (which could be a bit pricey), doing something as simple as the Lotus position, that is, the pose that we see on statues of Buddha, took a certain amount of effort. Now I could perform some of the more complicated postures with relative ease.

But the one thing I love the most about yoga is how much it relaxes me. Everyone suffers from stress, no exceptions. While we couldn’t exactly stop stress from creeping into our lives, we sure could do a number of things that would help us manage it. Yoga is right on top of that list. It is, after all, regarded as the oldest existing form of stress management. And the most effective too, if I may add. The meditation and the breathing exercises that come with yoga are great ways of calming the mind and spirit. Nothing better than a few minutes of being alone in your room, meditating and letting go of all your worries after a hard day’s work.

Now Yoga in itself is pretty relaxing, but I go one step further when it comes to total relaxation. Every now and then, after Yoga classes, I hie off to my friend’s place and get a massage. You see, my friend is a licensed massage therapist, and she gives the most soothing body massage. As far as I’m concerned, a full body massage after performing all those yoga poses makes for one of the most relaxing experiences ever. But don’t just take my word for it. Try it for yourself, and see the changes it would most definitely have in your life.