What yoga does Although the ultimate aim of yoga is spiritual unity and peace, there are many other things that are achieved along the way: vigour, fitness, physical health more energy (less tiredness) weight adjustment relief from stress increased calm awareness a feeling of overall wellbeing treatment of injury, recovery from disease. Medicine prescribes drugs, but it is the body that stages the recovery through its own systems. The medicine activates or assists the healing pathway. Similarly in yoga, postures activate the body's own natural healing pathways. The whole tree is improved! There are also specific approaches in yoga for women's health: puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, menopause. The postures can be modified for all body shapes, sizes and conditions. You start wherever you are at now -- and you feel the benefits straight away! Since yoga is essentially a practical system, you don't need to have any special interest in its philosophy to enjoy these benefits. Nor do you have to make any assumptions or hold any special beliefs. It's a scientific system that has been tried and tested over many hundreds of years. So you can be a sceptic or a believer, it doesn't matter -- just try it and see! Or you can practice for a specific reason such as relief of stress or tiredness. Or because of an injury. Return to Yoga