From decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and ailments like diabetes and cancer to reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety—the benefits of movement are endless.

Scientists have long accepted the fact that movement is inextricably linked to the state of an individual’s mind and soul. Through years of research, it’s been proven that physical activity is vital to our long-term physical, mental, and emotional health.

In fact, evidence of this is clear throughout the natural world. For many living creatures, movement means survival, communication, and even connection with the external world.

Naturally, the actual movements bodies make don’t happen independently—flexing your fingers, for example, might seem like an instantaneous action, but your hand won’t move until your brain commands it to do so. Movement is therefore intrinsically connected to how our brain functions.

The yogis discovered that the breath is one of the few involuntary processes in the body that can also be consciously controlled. Pranayama, therefore, refers to the conscious control of the breath, with the intention of affecting the life force (prana) and in turn, focusing the mind.
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The breath gives us a tool with which we can explore the subtler structures of our mental and emotional worlds. When the breath changes, that tells you that something is happening in your mind.

"Mauna" derives from the Sanskrit word Muni, an ascetic who practices silence to reach a state of oneness with the Self. Mauna is sacred practice of observing silence for a specific period of time. This practice helps yogis to gain control over speech, emotions, and brings inner peace and joy.
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Auditory stillness helps us focus. Freed from the external stimulus of noise, our brains can better concentrate on the task at hand. This can have benefits for our work, education, relationships, and more.

Nada is the Sanskrit word for “sound” or “tone.” Many yogis believe that nada is the hidden energy that connects the outer and inner cosmos. Nada yoga, or nada philosophy, is based on the premise that the entire universe consists of sound vibrations called nadas.
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Sound has the power to move us. Studies have shown that sound can stir human emotions and elicit specific reactions. Sound frequencies are at the center of the latest developments in sound research and innovation. New research is revealing how different sound frequencies (measured in Hz) can mimic and induce electromagnetic activity within the brain. Audible sound waves at 528 Hz were played from a diversity of music genres and were found to create resonance in DNA with healing effects.