The Purpose of Yoga - Releasing Anxiety

Yoga is a great relief from feelings of anxiety, butAccept and identify anxiety for what it is. In life, you
anxiety is part of life; and some of us have morealso have to have to "come to grips" with hate,
anxiety than others. No matter how many years youjealousy, greed, and anger. We should not embrace
practice Yoga, you are still human. You are bound tonegative thoughts or feelings, but we should quickly
feel feelings of frustration, angst, irritation, andbe able to identify them and their private agendas.
anxiety.Life is a lot easier when we are honest with
Most people think that Yoga practice will make theseourselves. After we find the true nature of a
negative feelings disappear, but that is not entirelyproblem, we can then find realistic solutions to deal
true. Some people think that Yoga will aid you towith our negative feelings. If you wake up feeling a
throw negative feelings into separate compartments,little down, do not waste your time on denial, but do
but that is not really true either.find a solution to rid negativity from within.
So, how do long-term Yoga practitioners release theirMyth 2: Yogis can "bottle up" their emotions.
anxiety? They seem so calm and collected all theHolding emotions inside will still cause damage to the
time. What is the big secret? Firstly, let's cover someindividual. You cannot stop an earthquake with a land
options you should never practice, and then look atfill. This is not a permit to go around making rude
Yogic solutions for releasing anxiety.gestures, "telling everyone off," or an endorsement
Myth 1: Yogis can make anxiety disappear.of "road rage," but there are healthy ways to "let
Never believe that anxiety will magically disappear.steam off."
Yoga, and medical prescriptions, cannot make anxietyThe secret of controlling emotion is: Deflection of
go away permanently. For anxiety to disappear,anger, but it will take much time, and conditioning,
something has to change within you. List the causesbefore you are able to do this. Yoga is, in fact, an
of your anxiety, and how you respond to them.archive of solutions for anxiety, but you must have
Then find solutions for purging them in a healthy way.the will to maintain a regular practice for complete
Yoga does help, but Yoga has its limitations, too.mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health.