The Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) holds weekly yoga practices with the aim of developing self-awareness, expanding participants' perception and promoting comprehensive health.
The ancient practice works on the state of presence through postures (asana), breathing techniques (pranayama), meditation — passive, with focus of attention, and active, through repetitive movements — and relaxation. The proposal integrates the physical, mental, emotional and energetic systems, favoring the perception of oneself, the environment, repetitive behaviors and the possibility of living in a more peaceful, authentic and receptive way.
During the meetings, sounds produced by instruments such as gong, crystal bowl, shutter box, hang drum, rain stick and xylophone are also used. These resources help the central nervous system to reach a state of balance, favoring the alternation between action and pause.
Postures contribute to the functioning of organs, tissues, muscles and the circulatory and respiratory systems. Pranayama helps regulate muscle tone and raise awareness of the emotions present during practice. Meditation stimulates a state of observation of the information that reaches the body's systems, while relaxation favors detachment, changing the perception of the physical body and contact with more qualitative thoughts in relation to life situations.
Activities take place weekly on Saturdays, lasting one hour per meeting. The practices are not necessarily progressive, allowing participants to develop, throughout the course, different aspects related to the cultivation of the state of presence through postures, pranayama, meditation and relaxation.
The initiative's objectives include developing self-awareness, expanding participants' perception, promoting comprehensive health and exercising a more peaceful state in everyday life.
As expected results, the activity seeks to contribute to achieving a state of health and good living, expanding awareness to deal with life's challenges, strengthening the physical and psychic systems and cultivating virtues such as self-confidence, courage, empathy and resilience.
