BASIC CONCEPTS OF YOGA - THE WAY IT IS EXPLAINED IN THE CENTRE

YOGA – AN ETERNAL TRADITION

Yoga is a science and art of living. The science of living aims at systematic approach towards life, mind and body for self perfection. Yoga is an eternal tradition of India discovered with much contemplation, understanding, experiment and experience of day-to-day life, its sufferings, problems, worries, stress, afflictions etc. It is eternal because it offers a discipline and practices that are still very much relevant in the present world. It is eternal because it takes one to experience eternity or transcendental consciousness beyond mind. It is eternal because it guides life, mind and body to freedom, higher consciousness and helps one to dive into eternal peace, bliss, truth, love and delight of being.

YOGA - HISTORY

Yoga has influenced the lives of people for thousands of years as it discovers one’s potential for excellence, health, harmony and happiness in its journey for spiritual awakening within. Indian scholars claim that yoga is more than 50,000-100000 years old. However, it is clear that yoga originated in India by saints, spiritual masters who lived in forests and did penance for years together. The depictions engraved on seals that resemble like Yoga Postures and other figures show amazing continuity of yoga tradition. The first written text and scripture is RigVeda, as old as 10000 years, has many references of yoga. The epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana known as Panchm Veda has references about yogic lifestyle, yoga practices.

The history of Yoga can be divided into the four broad categories:

Vedic Yoga
Preclassical Yoga
Classical Yoga
Postclassical / Modern Yoga.

• YOGA - What it is not?
• Yoga is not physical exercise
• Yoga is not a religion
• Yoga is not a magic / miracle performance
• Yoga is neither renunciation nor indulgence
• Yoga is not perfromance of rites and rituals

YOGA IN THE SCRIPTURES

There are many references in scriptures of India. Almost all scriptures Veda, Upanishads, Puranas , Ramayana, Mahabharata , Smritis, Samhita have references of yoga. Selcted references are produced here for easy and clear understanding of yoga

The Bhagavad Gita :

"Yoga is skill in actions."
"Eqanimity is Yoga (samatva)."

Patanjali Yoga-Sûtra :

"Yoga is the restraint of modifications of the mind."

Yoga-Bhâshya (a commentary of Patanjali Yoga Sutra by Vyasa) :

"Yoga is trance (samâdhi)."

Maitrî-Upanishad :

"Yoga is said to be the oneness of breath, mind, and senses, and the abandonment of all states of existence."

Katha-Upanishad :

"This they consider Yoga: the steady holding of the senses."

YOGA – SCHOOLS OF YOGA

Every human being is unique and has set of habits, predominance of attributes, qualities, talents, wekanesses and behviour traits. A hyepractive person may not be able to sit for longer period in any asana as prescribed in ancient texts while an emotional person may not able to stick to physical culture for long. Similarly, persons having different temprament may not be able to practice set of practices in yoga. That is why different forms of practices in yoga had been developed by ancient masters. When these different forms of yoga were practiced for long by a group, followers devloped these practices into different schools of yoga. This is the progess in knowledge of yoga. Infact, after experimentation over years by ancient masters, different schools of yoga were devloped without changing the fundamentals and goal to be achived. The yoga is one like a tree but having different schools like branches of a tree.

A brief description of all forms of yoga are expalined for clear udnerstanding:

• Ashtânga-Yoga: The unifying discipline of the eight limbs as expounded by Patanjali.
• Bhakti-Yoga: The Bhagavad-Gîtâ, the Bhâgavata-Purâna, and in the scriptures of the Vaishnavas and Shaivas and Narada Bhakti Sutra expalines in detail about love, devotion and emtional integration.
• Dhyâna-Yoga: The profound discipline of meditation.
• Japa-Yoga: The centralizing discipline of recitation of the mantras
• Jnâna-Yoga: The exercise of wisdom and knowledge, which is the approach of the Upanishads.
• Karma-Yoga: The discipline of self-surpassing action as expounded in the Bhagavad-Gîtâ; the theory of action and reaction, cause and effect.
• Kundalinî-Yoga: The discipline fundamental to the Tantric tradition; the exercise of the serpent power, kundalinî-shakti
• Laya-Yoga: The yoga that features the absorption or dissolution of the elements ere their natural dissolution at death Râja-Yoga: The yoga synonymous with Pâtanjala-Yoga, Ashtânga-Yoga, or Râja-Yog
• Siddha-Yoga: The discipline of the experts; found in the Tantras
• Tantra-Yoga: The practice of the Tantras based on the serpent power in the body, the kundalinî
• Yantra-Yoga: The power of focusing the mind upon yantra, geometric representations of the cosmos.

The most important schools of Yoga are Râja-Yoga ("Royal Yoga") - also known as Pâtanjala-Yoga and Classical Yoga, Hatha-Yoga ("energy balancing Yoga"), Karma-Yoga ("Yoga of Action"), Jnâna-Yoga ("Yoga of Wisdom"), Bhakti-Yoga ("Yoga of Devotion").
YOGA –APPLICATIONS AND BENEFITS

Patanjali says the Abhaysa (regular practice) and Viragya ( detattachment ) are the two key words for perfection in yoga practices. The perfection results into expereince of benefits at physical, mental, emtional and spriitaul levels.

The benefits are : Improve balance and grace and flexibility, increase muscle tone, remove any problem of posture and relax back, releives shoulder and neck pain, increase your stamina, balances endocrinal secertions, relives problems of digestion and elimination, balances circulation, strenthens repairatory system, increase immunity, bring down cholesterol and blood sugar levels, enhance concentration, memory, retention.
Yoga is a way of life. The holistic apparoch of yoga takes care of all layers of existence. Body, mind, emotions, ego etc are all influnced by the practice of yoga. The emptying the contents of mind brings peace, harmony, light, wisdom etc. The withdrawal of mind from their respective objects calms down the mind.

Following benefits can be derived by regular Yoga practice:

• Self Realization
• Self-Awareness
• Flexibility
• Self - Massaging
• Detoxification
• Body – mind Harmony
• Internal purification
• Preventive, and Promotive Health Care
• Health, Hamrony and Happiness
• Yoga as Alternative/Adjunctive management of diseases
• Yoga is Drug Free system and Free from side effects
• Stress management through Yoga

APPLICATIONS OF YOGA

Health care management:

It is difficult to find a cure of any disease, however, management that includes symptomatic relief, minimising the impact of illness, prevention, preservation , promotion etc can be effctively done by the integrated practice of yoga. Yoga can be applied alternatively and adunctively in many diseases without any side effects.

Yoga practices can help in the management of follwing diseases:

Musculoskeletal problems, Insomnia, Slipped and herniated discs, Arthritis, Scoliosis, Chronic Fatigue, Stress reduction for cardiac conditions, migraine headaches, asthma, diabetes, blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, obesity, varicose veins and heart conditions.

PREPARING YOURSELF FOR YOGA

Getting started

Time : Yoga can be practiced at anytime empty stomach and three hours after meals. However, the best time for yoga practice is early in the morning

Duration : There are different durations for different people. A normal person can practice yoga for one hour that should consists of prayer, asana or physical practices, pranayama or breath regulation, relaxation practice, meditation etc.

Season : Hatha yoga recommends that yoga practice should begin in winter or spring season. A normal person or a diseased can begin yoga in any season depedning upon the problem he/she suffers.

Teacher : Yoga is a traditional knowledge and practice passed on from master to disciple. That is why yoga is always practiced under the supervision of a teacher. Further, teacher is considered as a guide, philospher, friend and wise who imparts yoga training after analysing deeply the temprament of disciple.

Requirments for yoga practice:

Yoga is easy, cost effective, relaible practices requires only a little space, a ventilated room, a carpet and will to persue the path of yoga. Regular practice and detachment are the other important requisites for yoga practice.

Who can practice?:
There are no age limits either young or old for the practice of yoga. However, Any person above the age of 5 years can practice yoga. Yoga is beyond religion, caste , creed, dogma, hence can be practiced by everyone. A normal person and a patient should practice under the supervision of an expert.

How to practice? :
There are many practices of yoga that should be practiced regularly while other practices are done mentally. The simple, easy practices of physical yoga should be done in the beginning to remove stiffness and gain flexibility. In addition, relaxation and meditation practices should become an integral part of regular practice.

How many hours of practice every day?:
30 minutes to 60 minutes of practice regularly can help practitioner to live a life free from stress, anxiety, common problems. There should be a prorgam designed by an expert should be practiced regularly. The constant interaction with teacher can help the practitioner to gain proficiency.

Before and after yoga practice : What You Need to Know

• Do not take a bath or shower for at least a half-hour before or after practice.
• Relax in Shava Asana for few minutes before , after and during the practice to avoid overexertion, fatigue etc.
• A practice with humility aims at inner progress and development is the key to all yoga practices.
• Practice yoga three hours after meals. Take any food after half an hour of practice.
• The place of yoga practice should be free from dust, insects, unpleasnat smell, draught and moisture. The place should also be free from all distractions. The well ventilated room, open space, quiet place are ideal for yoga practice.
• One should empty bowels and bladder before yoga practice.
• Clean your nostril so that nasal pasage is free from any obstructions.
• Every yoga practice demands self awareness that should be maintained even during during the practice of asana, pranayama , mudra and sat karma. That is why slow, gradual and gentle movement is required in the practice of asana that not only helps in preventing wear and tear of tissues but also mantains higher level of awareness.
• The slow, gradual and gentle practice means starting yoga with easy , comfortable postures, practicing pranayama without kumbhaka or retention of breath and relaxing in between are the secrets of success in yoga.
• Avoid over eating, over exertion, fasting, eating junk and instant foods during yoga sadhana( practice).
• Wear loose, comfortable clothes during yoga practice. The ancient masters used to wear only Dhouti( a 6 metre long and one and half metre wide cloth) to keep body free from any obstructions.
• The breath should be deep , silent and slow to keep higher level of awareness during yoga practice. The shallow, irregular breathing pattern distrubs the mind and body.
• Never practice any yoga techniques under the influence of alcohol or mind altering drugs.