Mind-Bending Facts About Yoga

13 THINGS About Yoga

- Stephanie Gray

1 IT'S BEEN around for roughly 5,000 years first appearing in the Rig-Veda (or Rigveda), the oldest of the sacred books on Hinduism-but yoga is more popular today than ever. Experts say its accessibility and the fact that you can practise it anywhere are big reasons why. An estimated six million Canadians regularly hit the mat, and more than 300 million people practise worldwide.

2 WESTERNERS ADOPTED yoga as a form of exercise, but at its roots, yoga is a way of life. The philosophy of yoga, recorded in the Yoga Sutras by the Indian philosopher Patanjali, is based on the idea that the mind, body and spirit are one. The breath is said to carry a person's life force. Many gurus believe that controlling the breath rejuvenates the body and can extend your life.

3 IN ADDITION to reducing stress, yoga can improve your posture and balance, strengthen bones and muscles and keep your back and joints healthy. Different poses offer different benefits. Downward-facing dog can help relieve back pain, while plank pose is good for building a strong core and upper body. For a quick break, come to your hands and knees and sit back, bringing your chest to the floor, with arms outstretched for child's pose-a gentle stretch that helps you rest and refocus.

4 IF YOU'RE new to yoga, you might hear some words during class that you don't recognize, like Tadasana (mountain pose) or Uttanasana (standing forward bend). These words are Sanskrit, the root of many Indian languages-and the language of yoga. Today, it's spoken by less than one percent of Indians. Yoga (yuj) means "to yoke" or "to unite," and refers to the merging of the two selves: the individual and the divine.