On the occasion of the date, the president of the Yoga Association on the island, teacher Eduardo Pimentel, exclusively for Prensa Latina highlighted the evolution of this movement in the Caribbean nation and its growth, with different nuances and aspects, among them kundalini yoga and the art of living, among others.

“The yoga taught by the Association, specifically the Vidya Yoga studio, is Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar yoga, also known as Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar: an Indian master, considered one of the most important yoga teachers in the world,” he noted.

B.K.S. Iyengar revolutionized many aspects of the discipline, making it structurally much safer with the introduction of some accessories for practice, such as chairs, blocks, tapes and even the wall; so that all those people who are limited for certain reasons when executing a posture benefit are not harmed,” he explained.

He added that this system transformed the discipline in a very effective way, so that yoga is for people, not people for him, and is based on precision, health and safety in the execution of the posture, taking into account biomechanical principles.

He highlighted that yoga promotes physical health, the motor skills of the body, the proper functioning of the organs, especially the lungs, heart, circulatory system and others.

“It is also characterized by the emphasis it places on discovering how the mind behaves and creating a new relationship with it and that distinguishes it from other purely physical training,” he said.

The other nuance, Pimentel added, is related to research on the mind, precisely the processes of sustained attention, concentration, meditation, which occur when the individual tries to unidirectionally direct his or her mind.

“Therein lies the importance, the special touch of yoga, as it involves not only all the physical advantages and also the energetic ones with breathing, but also those linked to the intellect, the brain,” he stressed.

This is how it is used today, especially in times of many difficulties, stress and tensions; Since it combines physical training with breathing, relaxation and meditation, or putting the mind in a more fixed and attentive state, it enhances it. Among the activities organized by the Embassy of India, the Yoga Association of the Caribbean nation, the National Institute of Sports and Recreation (INDER) and other organizations on the occasion of the date, the First Cuban Scientific Yoga Symposium at the Academy of Sciences of Cuba.

Some 500 million people in the world practice this discipline, which is why, in recognition of its international popularity, in December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed June 21 as its International Day.

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