WHAT IS YOGA ALL ABOUT?
Accredited with authoring the Yoga Sutras between 100-400bc
"Yoga believes in transforming the individual before transforming the world. Whatever change we want to happen outside should happen within. If you walk in peace and express that peace in your very life, others will see you and learn something."
- Sri Swami Satchidananda
The aim of Yoga is to bring about a balance of Prana, ("life force" also know as Chi or Ki) with the mind, so that the body functions with increased vitality and becomes less susceptible to disease and ageing.
Once this has been achieved ,the body will be ready for the next stage which is meditation.
In the "Yoga Sutras" Patanjali emphasizes all aspects of human life,including our relationships with others,our behaviour,our health,our breathing,and our meditation path.
Non Violence,truth,Non Stealing,Continence and the absence of greed for possessions beyond one's need are the Five Moral Codes(Yamas) of Yoga
With the increasing pressure of modern day living,Yoga has taken on a new level of importance for many of us looking to bring back meaning and calmness into our lives.
Yoga ,according to Pantanjali,who wrote the "Yoga Sutras" over two thousand years ago is "The cessation of the fluctuations of the mind."
In a nutshell he was talking about meditation,a chance to go inwards and reconnect with our true self.
He goes on to say that "asanas bring perfection in body,beauty in form,grace and strength."
The "Yoga Sutras" state that "each person gets different things from the same teaching based on his or her perspective."
We are living in an increasingly violent world with a philosophy of revenge and not justice.
Mahatma Gandhi warned us, that in a world ruled by an eye for an eye,soon the whole world will be blind.
At the very heart of Yoga, is the principal of Ahimsa........Non Violence, in Word,Thought or Deed.
The food we are eating is destroying us!.........Latest research proves the link between the use of pesticides and Parkinson's disease
and who knows how many other diseases................Its time we start looking after ourselves.The human body is capable of 100 years of good health.
Yoga teaches us awareness about our bodies,state of mind,our fellow humans and our environment.
What is an Asana?
The word Asana translates as posture.The word is derived from the Sanskrit root "as" which means "to stay,""to be,""to sit," or "to be established in a particular position."
What is Vinyasa?
Vinyasa means breathing and movement system. For each movement, there is one breath.
The purpose of vinyasa is for internal cleansing. Breathing and moving together while performing asanas makes the blood hot, or as Pattabhi Jois says, boils the blood. Thick blood is dirty and causes disease in the body. The heat created from yoga cleans the blood and makes it thin, so that it may circulate freely. The combination of the asanas with movement and breath make the blood circulate freely around all the joints, taking away body pains. When there is a lack of circulation, pain occurs. The heated blood also moves through all the internal organs removing impurities and disease, which are brought out of the body by the sweat that occurs during practice.
Sweat is an important by product of vinyasa, because it is only through sweat that disease leaves the body and purification occurs. In the same way that gold is melted in a pot to remove its impurities, by the virtue of the dirt rising to the surface as the gold boils, and the dirt then being removed, yoga boils the blood and brings all our toxins to the surface, which are removed through sweat. If the method of vinyasa is followed, the body becomes healthy and strong, and pure like gold.
(Source: Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute)
What is Pranayama?
Prana,refers to "that which extends everywhere."Ayama means to "stretch" or "extend."Prana is considered to be the life force also know as "Chi" or "Ki."It is our vitality,our state of mind is closely linked to the Prana within.We can influence the level of Prana through the flow of our breath,so pranayama exercises can bring clarity and energy.These are various forms of breathing exercises some of which involve breath retention.
In any given day we have tens of thousands of different thoughts racing through our heads.That's alot of random noise to deal with.
By focusing on our breathing (Pranayama)and working on the Yoga Postures (Asanas),we are able to slow down our thought processes and through that become much more focused,balanced and aware.
Yoga is about gaining awareness with our bodies,our mind and the world that we live in.
Yoga brings flexibility by concentrating on the spine.If you look at a baby or a kitten,the first thing you will notice is both how energetic and flexible they are.
If you look at humans as they start to get older,the first thing you will notice is the stiffness.
By regular practice of Asanas,we can keep the spine flexible and remain in a youthful state for a much longer period of time.
The Asanas act as a lubrication for the joints,muscles,ligaments,tendons and so forth.
Why are many people unable to feel fulfilled in todays world?
They are living their lives, based on their emotions and desires,the former is always changing and the latter can never be fulfilled for more than a fleeting moment.
Yoga is about Peace and helping others without expecting reward.
Yoga is NOT a religion.(Interestingly, the Latin root of the word religion is relegere,which mean to be aware).
Yoga is a way of life......Look at it as a path.
You can be from any faith,or no faith, in order to practice yoga.
Yoga is not about getting anywhere,but about being where you are.
You can take out as much or as little from your practice as you want.
If you just want to practice Yoga to remain supple and reduce your levels of stress,or if you want to use it to deepen your spiritual awareness,its up to you.
You don't have to give up eating meat,drinking,or even smoking to practice yoga.
After practising for a while you may however decide to change your habits,having come to your own conclusions.
What are all these different Yogas? I am confused.
All Yoga stems from Hatha Yoga.
Yoga is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning to yoke or to bond.
Hatha is derived from the word Ha meaning Sun and Tha meaning Moon.
Yoga can be traced back nearly five thousand years and pre dates all organised religions.
Over time various Yogis have branched out and developed their own unique style.
I always recommend people try different styles and teachers and then decide what style they feel comfortable with.
Always moving,never constant.Flexibility is one of the most important aspects to a healthy life.
The ability to face changes and the unknown without fear is one of the greatest challenges for most people.
Yoga offers a chance to conquer our senses and bring about a life of unending joy and peace.
Yoga is one, amongst multiple paths, to self realisation.
Footnote
Great spiritual traditions in every age offer many vehicles for awakening.These include body disciplines,prayer,meditation,selfless service,ceremonial and devotional practices,even certain forms of modern therapy.All of these are used as means to ripen us,to bring us face to face with our life,and to help us see in a new way before
developing a stillness of mind and strength of heart.Undertaking any of these practices requires a deep commitment to stopping the war,to stopping running away from life.Each practice brings us into the present with a clearer more receptive,more honest state of consciousness,but we must choose.
While choosing among practices,we will often encounter others who will try to convert us to their way.There are born-again Buddhists,Christians and Suffis.There are missionaries of every faith who insist they have found the only true vehicle to God,to awakening,to love.Yet it is crucial to understand that there are many ways up the mountain - that there is never just one true way.
Another quality of spiritual maturity is Flexibility.Spiritual maturity allows us,like bamboo,to move in the wind,to respond to the world with our understanding and our hearts,to respect the changing circumstances around us.The spiritually mature person has learned the great arts of staying present and letting go.Their flexibility understands that there is not just one way of practice or one fine spiritual tradition,but there are many ways.It understands that spiritual life is not about adopting any one particular philosophy or set of beliefs or teachings,that its is not a cause for taking a stand in opposition to someone else or something else.It is an easyness of heart that understands that all of the spiritual vehicles are rafts to cross the stream to freedom
(Source- A Path with Heart,Jack Kornfield,Bantan New Age Books)
This wonderful teaching from a trained Buddhist monk, who has a Ph.D in clinical psychology, as well as being a husband and father, could not be more applicable to the world of Yoga.
James
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