Does Yoga Make You Happy?

Colette Barry, Contributing Writer
Waking Times

There’s no doubting that fact and most of our efforts are directed towards achieving that state of ultimate happiness, where everything is bright, cheery, and downright wonderful. But while living a lightening-paced busy life, we set up hurdles for our mind which obscure us from relishing the freedom in an unhindered state of happiness. As Rumi said,“Your task is not to seek for love but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built.”

You’ll be surprised and pleased to know that there are activities that you can incorporate in your daily routine which will help you achieve your ‘happy goals’. Now all you need is a starting point. I’m going to provide you that starting point that is pertaining to the topic: Yoga. Yes, Yoga makes us happier, and if you need a boost in the right direction, you’ll be glad to know that science is on our side now too. Research and medical studies have shown that Yoga can turn out be a metaphoric shoulder to cry on that will make you feel better andadvance towards a happy life.

The Scientific Fact That Yoga Makes You Happy

Yes, you’ve heard this before, but obviously you’ll need proof before you start investing your time and energy into a yoga regime. A recent study, conducted by researchers from Boston University’s Medical School, revealed that yoga protects our brain from depression attacks. Now, you’re probably wondering how they established this theory. Well, things are going to get a little ‘technical’ now. The study revealed that the levels of the amino acid GABA are higher in those who perform yoga, compared to those who don’t. GABA plays a very important role in determining the state of your mind. If the amount of GABA present in your system is high, you’ll automatically feel happier and relaxed. On the other hand, lower levels of GABA lead to a distressed and disturbed mind by causing conditions like depression and anxiety.

Abraham Lincoln once said, “We are as happy as we make up our minds to be.” Yoga is a truly wonderful exercise that leads to emotional development in the form of increased self awareness, and feelings of compassion and interconnection. By doing so it enables you to handle everything that you feel in a more mature manner. So, if you are feeling extremely negative, yoga will help you gather all that negative energy and convert it into something positive and beautiful. This will help you improve your life and tread towards a happier tomorrow in so many ways. Moreover, this battle against negativity will save you from certain physical ailments that are linked with negative emotions, such as anger and frustration. And obviously, it will make you look good too which will automatically make you grin every time you look at yourself in the mirror. Yoga away!

About the Author

Colette Barry is an author and the founder of the Barry Method Yoga. The Barry Method Yoga goes far beyond muscle isolation. Colette’s techniques include using visual cues to connect the mind and body. This results in a harmonious muscle and overall body alignment. Join Colette’s online training program “Science of Gravity with Wall Yoga” at Udemy.

This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It’s okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.

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