The Many Forms of Yoga Movement and Their Physical, Spiritual, Psychological, and Social Benefits
by Sanjana Ramesh
I discovered my passion for yoga in my early 20s. I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training in 2019 and 10 hour prenatal training in 2021 at Yogaview, a Chicago-based yoga studio.
Yoga is physical movement and its physical benefits are what drew me, and probably most other yogis, to this practice. Yoga is a wonderful combination of strength, flexibility, and balance that feels really good for most bodies. Through continuous practice, yoga alos opens the bodies in ways that once felt impossible. Yoga can be physically transformative.
Yoga is spiritual movement. At its core, yoga is rooted in Hindu philosophy, and is an outlet for cultivating a deeper spiritual connection. I find it similar to Bharatanatyam, which is a classical South Indian dance form that combines intricate footwork, facial expressions, and mudras (hand gestures) to illustrate and emote mythological stories in Hinduism. Yoga, in Sanskrit, means the union of breath and body and, as quoted in the Bhagvad Gita, it is the journey of the self, to the self, through the self. Yoga can be spiritually transformative.
Yoga is psychological movement. A consistent yoga practice leads to mental and emotional clarity. As a person who struggles with anxiety and depression, I am astounded by the positive impact yoga has had on my mental health (in addition to medication and therapy, of course). Yoga is a safe space to confront, negotiate, and overcome difficult emotions and foster greater self-compassion for yourself. Yoga can be psychologically transformative.
Yoga is a social movement. There is an opportunity for yoga to contribute to women’s health outcomes, especially related to reproductive health. Yoga is a tool through which women can learn and understand their bodies throughout the reproductive life course and, in turn, empower them to make better decisions around their health. As a yoga teacher and women’s health advocate/researcher, I believe yoga can also amplify the feminist movement. Yoga can be socially transformative.
Yoga is a practice that offers many forms of movement: physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and even social.
Sanjana Ramesh is a Ph.D. candidate at Northwestern University, where her research focuses on broadening conversations about pelvic and reproductive health. She is also a certified yoga instructor with a prenatal certification. Her goal is to integrate her knowledge of health communication & yoga to support women throughout their reproductive life course.
