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WHAT IS YOGA?

Yoga means ‘Union’. It is an Indian spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which includes breath control and adoption of specific body postures. Yoga is widely practised for better physical and mental health. The basic premise is to internally integrate the individual’s body, mind and soul; and externally integrate the individual with the day today life.

BENEFITS OF YOGA

* On the physical plane, the individual exercises every limb and organ of his / her body. Yoga can also be pictured as ‘internal massage’, which means that all the internal organs are scientifically driven - not just the outer limbs

* On the mental plane (which can also be identified as psychological), a person learns to focus his / her entire concentration on the yogic process, including Pranayama or “proper breathing”.

* On the spiritual plane, a person learns to expand his / her spiritual mind and lead a stress free life. ORIGIN OF YOGA

* Shrouded by the veils of pre-history, yoga is believed to have manifested itself to Patanjali, the serpent-seer and founder-deity of this most ancient of arts, directly by Lord Shiva in answer to Patanjali’s deepest penances.

* It has always been practised in India, over millennia, and its precepts have helped many enlightened persons realize their soul’s potential.

* Yoga remained in relative obscurity for ages, passed down only from guru (teacher) to initiates, and hence has retained its original purity over thousands of years.

* In recent times (and Swami Vivekananda’s celebrated American journey was probably a turning point), the West has caught on to the benefits of yoga; and today Americans, Europeans, British and others practice yoga and spiritual seekers are fast growing.

* Tamilnadu Tourism is pleased to provide information on the authentic yoga schools of Tamilnadu to the millions of spiritual seekers across the country, and around the world.

Some of Tamilnadu’s most revered Yoga Institutes are

1. KYM Institute of Yoga Studies www.kym.org (Krishnamachari Yoga Mandiram) 2. Isha Yoga Center www.ishafoundation.org 3. Vivekananda Yoga Centre, Ice House www.sriramakrishnamath.org

4. Vivekanandar Kendra , Kanniyakumari www.vkendra.org 5. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Yoga & Meditation Centre,Chetput www.maharishi.org 6. Asana Andiappan Yoga Research Centre www.andiappanyoga.com 7. Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre www.sivananda.org 8. Siddha Yoga Centres www.siddhayoga.org.in 9. Sahaja Yoga Meditation Centres www.tnsahaj.org