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Breeding Love – Yoga For Healthy Relationships

“If you cannot manage yourself, you cannot manage anything around you” ~ Swami Parthasarathy ~

Dysfunctional relationships happen to be the order of the day and it looks like it’s going to be a long haul before things get corrected.  Unhappy relationships are one of the major causes of stress.  They can be with the partner, children, friends and even between countries; everyone is at loggerheads with each other and seem to have no idea how to make relationships work.  Bitterness and hatred are part and parcel of modern humans.  We are just not able to manage ourselves!

What can be done to create healthy relationships, make them lasting and fulfilling?

Healthy relationships result from peaceful feelings.  When we understand ourselves, and have positive thoughts, we free ourselves from stress, anxiety and fear – we give more to others, thus improving relationships.

Why do once healthy relationships turn sour?

The way we react to people around us, be it family or friends, is all dependent on our mind.  It is in our mind that we form opinions about others.

When negative opinions persist over a period of time, they lead to dislike and hatred. Hate fosters a sense of duality and ultimately, a sense of us-against-them feeling develops, which according to the ancient Vedanta, is the root of all our sufferings.

You try to please your mother-in-law, when you are actually dying to have her out of your house! You flatter your boss, when you cannot stand him! But who are you trying to fool?

Instead of struggling with relationships and trying to live up to them, why not change from the inside.  Why not actually mean what we say or feel what we are trying to project?   Imagine the inner peace that would give us!  Imagine how our relationships can transform!

Sukadev unterrichtet Yoga

Source  : commons.wikimedia

Can Yoga help form healthy relationships?

It may be too far fetched to say that Yoga can turn the world around, and make peace on earth.  But surely, Yoga brings awareness to not only the body but the mind.  It leads to self realization and helps in the development of inner power.

The world over, people practice yoga for fitness and losing weight, but one of the main gifts of yoga is that it reduces stress. It trains the mind to control thoughts and keeps us in touch with our inner self.  It helps us balance our mind and body.

It has been seen over the centuries, that regular practice of pranayama (meditation), surya namaskar (Sun worship) and asanas (physical exercises), help us control our emotions easily, and we can keep all our fears and negative influences at bay.

We gain complete control of our body and mind – and the world will be ours.

Daily practice of yoga helps channel the spiritual energy into positive action in daily life. Our innate values are renewed at the deepest level.

We begin to see life with new eyes. We grow to a level where we can focus on the nice points of the people around us.  We would be doing ourselves a great service by learning to like people we dislike.  It is very important and helps us be happy in all our relationships!

But it is not easy at all .…

To think we are all one – which is what all religions preach – is not easy for us mortals.  In fact, it is difficult even for the yogis.  But we can make a small start with yoga, and the change will be visible in no time.

You will notice your health change for the better, as the human body thrives on positivity, and the internal balance or homeostasis is maintained smoothly when there are no negative feelings.

One of the main reasons for our body and mind attracting diseases is when this homeostasis is threatened, as it does with negativity like jealousy, selfishness, or hatred.

Surya Namaskar – The King of all asanas

Surya Namaskar is a popular form of exercise in India and now in the West.  It is said to have originated at least 2,500 years ago, from the Vedas, the oldest texts of Hindu literature. The physical postures also have sound ancient roots and what is said to have begun as a ritual salutation to the Sun, Surya Namaskar has evolved into a popular form of physical exercise today.

Complete surrender to God through physical prostration is the main aspect of the Surya Namaskar procedure. The health benefits of Surya Namaskar are well documented.  Over a period of time, it has evolved as a form of exercise that combines physical and breathing exercises.

It is said to provide all the key benefits of yoga and has a profound effect on all the organs and systems of the body: the circulatory, skeletal, respiratory, reproductory, digestive, endocrine and nervous systems.

This is excellent for reducing tension, stress and anxiety, and makes you feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

Where relationships are concerned, just practicing Surya Namaskaras every day can be a life transforming experience.  You will experience the blossoming of love and positivity, keeping you at peace with the rest of the world.

Enhancing couples’ relationships

For those of you who are interested in saving your relationship with your partner, Yoga can help you both.  These days there are several asanas and loving-kindness meditation in yoga that emphasize focusing on your partner.  There are yogic exercises, where partners physically support the other, and there are eye-gazing exercises, where partners acknowledge the goodness in the other. This form of Yoga is tailored to bring couples closer.

The subtle system of Sahaja Yoga.

Source  : commons.wikimedia

Swásthya Yôga instructor doing úrdhwa parshwa kákásana

Source  : commons.wikimedia

Yoga-Vidya

Source  : flickr

Conclusion

Disagreements and conflicts are inevitable in all relationships, but through the practice of Yoga, you will be able to deal with them in a fair and healthy way.

Approaching conflicts in the wrong way can lead to feelings like resentment, anger or hurt.  This is what leads to problematic relationships.  On the other hand, when problems are approached fairly, both the individuals concerned come out of it relieved and satisfied.

Yoga re-enforces positive energy flow, thus keeping your grounded.

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Written by

Usha is currently a freelance writer and internet marketer. She has worked as a freelance writer for many years and has been an active internet marketer for six years. Having worked in the health-field for ten years in a senior management position, her interests are varied. She writes on a variety of topics, which include business, management, health, tech and a host of others. She is also the author of an e-book on internet marketing, which will be launched soon. Her future plans include publishing a non-fiction novel.

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