- Click Here To Know More About:
- Hamilton Yoga
Submitted by: Yogi Chetan Mahesh Ji
What is yoga?
These days the word Yoga is used in expressions such as Iyengar Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Hot Yoga, Flow Yoga, etc. but Yoga is actually not exercise…
Yoga has its origins in the Vedas and Sankhya philosophy of Indian Culture Which is about 8000 years old. Yoga is a conscious process allowing people to reach an evolved way of being. When one follows yoga one is likely to find happiness inside and to understand the true meaning of reality. It is based on a system which is scientific; it is therefore not a religion.
Most human beings want to live happily, peacefully and successfully. In order to achieve this they acquire more and more possessions and seek always more sensual pleasure. But they never get deep happiness as they always start having a new desire…Yoga gives us a pause…yoga teaches us to remain calm, to slow down the mind and to not become controlled by our senses. Success or failure might be coming, but we learn that it does not matter. Yoga allows us to feel love, energy, awareness and peace and therefore to reach well being at the physical, emotional, mental, social, intellectual and spiritual levels. When we live in this way we experience good health.
The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit ‘yug’ meaning Samadhi, to unite- it means UNION. It is the union or merging between the individual consciousness and the universal consciousness. When one connects inside one finds out universal consciousness as the Self and the Divine are of the same kind. When we are finally able to experience Samadhi we experience ‘a state of mind in which we voluntarily become so deeply joined to the object of our enquiry the limits of our personal identity are temporarily set aside… When we fully become one with our activity it becomes Samadhi. Yoga is a state of mind in which there is oneness.
Yoga also refers to the harmony between mind and body, and mind and spirit.
Manah Prasamana Upayah mentions that ‘Yoga is the skill to calm down the mind’.
3000 years ago Pantanjali defined yoga in the Yoga Sutras as ‘Chitta vritti nirodhah’, the mastery over the modifications of the mind. The mind is made of all the mental activity, thoughts, emotions, attitudes, memories and ego. When the mind becomes quiet -with no ‘modification’- we are meditating. We cannot force this to happen, the mind stops by itself. When one enters Samadhi one can see the Self and the illusion of things. One needs to make the decision to practice to have a peaceful mind.
Yoga is a science of the mind and it helps control the mind through a skillful technique.
The sacred ancient text The Bhagavad Gita says ‘yoga is the ability to maintain inner peace -at all times calmness in action in the secret of Karma Yoga. When we do good work and we remain unattached to the outcome or the reward of our actions, when we are totally focused and motivated, we join the flow of existence and live happily.
The Bhagavad Gita also says that Yoga is equanimity of mind in success and failure, Yoga is discretion of work, Yoga is the remover of misery and destroyer of pain, Yoga is the supreme secret of Life, and Yoga is the giver of infinite happiness.
What is Hatha Yoga?
Yoga has 4 possible paths Jyana Yoga (path of self analysis), Bhakti Yoga (path of self surrender), Karma Yoga (path of self sacrifice) and Raja Yoga (path of self control). Raja yoga encompasses Mantra Yoga, Laya yoga and Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is a science of body purification and awakening of pranic energy. it has its origins in the Tantras and it developed from 6th AD to 15th century. Yogis concentrated on using asanas, pranayamas, krias and bandhas to balance the 2 main channels (ida and pingala) in order to prepare for meditation. So Hatha Yoga -a simplified form of Raja Yoga. it is important to mention that a yoga class in the West comprising only asanas is an incomplete form of Hatha yoga.
What is Ashtanga Yoga?
In the classical period of Yoga Patanjali described the path or system of the Royal Yoga or Raja Yoga or ‘Ashtanga Yoga’. Ashtanga means the 8 Limbs or disciplines of Yoga. They include morality and ethics, attitudes, asanas, pranayamas. The ultimate aim is to reach meditation and then Samadhi.
They are: Yama (social code of conduct), Niyama (self code of conduct), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyhara (sense control), Dharana (focusing), Dhyana (meditation), Samadhi (super consciousness). The first 5 stages are called Bahiranga Yoga or the indirect control of the mind and the last 3 stages are called Antaranga Yoga or the art of focusing and defocusing the mind.
What is Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga?
Pattabhi Joyce created a series of asana which he called Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga. It originates from the Yoga Krunta (1500 years old). The word astanga is not related to the original meaning of the 8 Limbs of Yoga. It is only the name of a brand. In this practice we focus on asana, bandhas, breath control and direction of the gaze. But there is no meditation practice.
It contains: The Primary Series -or Yoga Chiktsa Series (yoga therapy)-including sun salutation A and B, fundamental asana and finishing asana, The Intermediate Series, and the Advanced Series. They start with dynamic asanas and go towards static. Ashtanga yoga gave the foundations of modern yoga.
About the Author: Homepage:
indianyogaassociation.com
Facebook Page:
facebook.com/aymindia
Twitter: @aymindia
Source:
isnare.com
Permanent Link:
isnare.com/?aid=1931841&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet }