As such, the practice of yoga is the ancient science for developing a healthy body, a clear mind and a vibrant spirit. The principles of yoga create balance in all areas of life. Yoga improves concentration, reduces stress, enhances well-being, increases circulation and nerve energy and improves coordination, posture, flexibility and over all fitness. Yoga utilizes the natural cyclic aspects of the breath to bring the mind to a focused experience of body movement. This, in essence, is meditation in motion.
Controlled breathing helps the mind center on relaxing and developing a sense of the inner spirit.
Focusing the mind and relaxing the body, meditation aims to produce a quite, calm state of mind. It develops concentration and mental clarity. Helping cultivate a focused steadiness of movement, yoga poses alternately stretch and strengthen opposing muscle groups, simultaneously increasing endurance and flexibility. In the ancient yoga tradition, the underlying goal of asana practice was to perfect the body, making it a worthy host for the soul.