Although Yoga is designed for relaxation, there are a number of very complex poses and steps that can be adopted if you are prepared to put the requisite time and effort in. Once you reach the highest level you will have attained a state of deep relaxation that is widely sought after the world over. Far from the basic steps which go no further than sitting and standing correctly, there are a range of handstands  and other moves which rely on assiduous use of the arms.

At the highest level, Yoga is far from simple poses, being in fact combined with breathing exercises and meditation that some Yogis believe can lead to attaining Moksha – literally a “release” and an escape from the banal limitations and pain of human existence. As one would expect from a practice dating back almost three thousand years, there is a very wide range of exercises backed by meditative mindsets that allow the Yogi to seek Moksha.

The physical aspect of these yogic practices requires the practitioner to be at a high level of physical fitness – this in itself necessitating a level of discipline that is rare and awesome. For many casual and even more serious practitioners this higher level of discipline and spiritual attainment is simply a long term target which may never be achieved, but aiming for which allows a Yogi to put him or herself through a lifestyle which has clear positive benefits.