Yoga
by Krysta CardinaleIn practice, yoga is an applied science of the mind and body. The practice of it can help to bring about a balance of body and mind, so that we can maintain an optimum state of health. Yoga does not create health; it creates an internal environment which allows us as individuals to find our own balance. A healthy person is a complete unit of mind, body, and spirit. Good health requires a natural diet, fresh air, exercise, an untroubled mind, and awareness. As a result, for many followers of yoga, it becomes a whole philosophy that offers insight into all aspects of life.
History of Yoga
The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root 'yuj' which means to join or yoke. It implies the joining of every aspect of a human being; mind, body and soul. Another well-used definition of yoga is 'union', meaning the union of the individual spirit with the universe.
Yoga has been practiced in India for over 2 millennia. There are documented stories and legends that are all testaments to the existence of yoga, and to the practitioners associated with it. Indian literature has a wealth of knowledge about yoga, covering every conceivable level. They are, in chronological order: The Vedas (books of scriptural knowledge), The Upanisads (philosophical speculations), The Puranas (ancient cosmologies) and two epics, The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. The Mahabharata contains within it a masterpiece of Indian scripture, called The Bhagavad Gita.
Towards the end of the Vedic period there was the aphoristic literature with the ‘Yoga Aphorisms' of Patanjali. These are of special interest to yoga students; Patanjali is the legendary founder of yoga. According to tradition he brought to humanity a serenity of spirit through the philosophy of yoga. There are also whole works both ancient and modern dealing with yoga, and yoga philosophy, testifying to the continued relevance of yoga as a discipline.
The Yogis believe that everyone's main goal in life is to search for happiness. They feel that although this is what we all want, most people will still settle for brief temporary pleasures. They state that at some point during our spiritual evolution, over many lives, we will become dissatisfied with these temporary pleasures at which point we will start our quest for eternal bliss.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are text outlining the basic philosophy and practices of yoga. The Yoga Sutras were written sometime in the period between the 5th Century B.C. and the 2nd Century A.D. No one seems to know exactly who Patanjali was, but it is believed that he wrote the Sutras to form the organized yoga systems that we see today. According to Patanjali, yoga consists of eight limbs which are all equally important and are related as part of a whole.
Eight Elements of Yoga
• Yama—Yama is the five universal commandments aimed at creating a better world. They are to not harm anyone or anything, truthfulness, non-stealing, leading a godly life, and being non-grasping. Yama is an attitude and behavior that needs to form a relationship with the individual and the outside world.
• Niyama—Niyama is the five personal disciplines one should follow. They are cleanliness, contentedness, self-discipline, self-study, and the study of the scriptures. Niyama is something much more than something that should be studied, it is an attitude adopted for ones’ self. Compared to the Yama, the Niyama is much more personal and intimate.
• Asana—In yoga, Asana is defined as that which is comfortable and easy, as well as firm. Asana yoga is the devoted and continuous practice of the various types of postures. The sutra states that when on can master it; one will be able to handle opposites. This is because in yoga, Asana is a mental and physical balance. The combination of Pranayama and poses, Asana is a form of yoga meditation in itself. The direct practice of Asana yoga has benefits. In yoga, Asana advantages are a temporary piece and quieting of the mind, and harmonizing of the energy flow in the body.
• Pranayama—Pranayama yoga is the practice of breath control. It is the practicing of breath control with care and discrimination. Pranayama breathing controls the energy within an organism, in order to promote health and evolution. It goes hand in hand with yoga positions, asana. Pranayama breathing is very important in yoga, and is emphasized in the sutras. The benefits of Pranayama yoga are reaching the highest levels of purification and self-discipline in the mind and body.
• Pratyahara—Pratyahara is the detachment from worldly activities. In Yoga, it is developing a non-attached attitude of body and mind to external objects. This means that Pratyahara is the training of our senses to not react to any stimulus. It is not completely severing the link between the mind and the senses; Pratyahara is just the withdrawal from the senses.
• Dharana—Dharana is simply, concentration, the ability to hold onto a subject mentally. The essential idea is to hold the focus of attention in one direction. However, one must know that Dharana is not the concentration used when problem solving, instead it is more a form of yoga meditation.
• Dhyana—Dhyana is another form of yoga meditation, or the process of developing a quiet meditative state. Dhyana must be done after Dharana. This is because the mind needs to focus on a particular object before it can make a connection with it. Dharana is the contact to the object, and Dhyana is then the connection with it. In Dhyana, the mind is not static; it is a flow along a continuous path in one direction.
• Samadhi—Samadhi literally means to bring together or merge. In yoga, Samadhi is the trance or state of bliss by reaching a state of absorption in a subject, or in the divine. During this one is no longer an individual; instead one becomes a whole with the object of choice. Mastering Samadhi embraces and glorifies all aspects of an individual by exposing them to the light of understanding.
Different Forms of Yoga
Yoga can really be done by anyone. It is ideal for mobilizing the joints and increasing your flexibility and suppleness. When studying yoga, one can come across different forms. There are types of yoga including Astanga vinyasa, the power yoga, Hatha Yoga, Sun Salutation. The basic techniques found in all forms of yoga are Mudra and Chakra. Chakra is the energy residing in the human body. It doesn’t really matter which form of yoga is chosen, different types of yoga suit different stages and individuals in life.
Mudra is part of yoga meditation. It is gestures done by usually the hands and fingers. Each position in Mudra has a particular meaning. Abhaya Mudra hand positions symbolize protection and peace. Abhaya literally means no fear. Bhumisparsa Mudra translates to earth-touching. It is the position of Buddha when he dispelled all the suffering in the world. Dharmacakra Mudra hand positions represent the movement in Buddha’s life when he preached Enlightenment. Dhyana Mudra is done during the yoga meditation on the concentration of “good law.” Varda Mudra hand positions represent charity, welcoming, compassion and serenity. Vitarka Mudra is done to signify discussion and learning of Buddha’s teachings. And lastly, the Vajra Mudra hand positions are the gesture of knowledge.
• Astanga Vinyasa—Power Yoga is the sweaty, aerobic form of yoga. It is the series of six difficult power yoga postures linked together lasting from about an hour and a half to three hours. If an individual does the right power yoga positions in the right order, than the mind and body consequentially open up. Each series of power yoga postures opens up a new channel of the mind and body. There is the primary, intermediate, and advanced series of power yoga exercises. The primary power yoga positions purify and realign the body. It emphasizes on building a foundation of core power yoga strength balancing out the flexibility for the next two series. The intermediate power yoga exercises focus on the cleansing of nervous system and energy pathways that link the seven chakras. The advanced power yoga exercises consist of a series of poses. These power yoga positions take the first two series to a new level of flexibility, strength, and concentration.
• Hatha Yoga—In today’s society, Hatha based yoga is practiced for health and vitality through Hatha Yoga positions and breathing techniques. It allows individuals to clear their minds and concentrate. Hatha based yoga is a combination of exercises and stretching that frees the body and opens up the mind and soul. The Hatha Yoga positions harmonize the body, and the Hatha Yoga breathing calms the mind and moves it into a super-conscious state. “Ha” meaning the sun and “tha” meaning the moon, Hatha Yoga concentrates on Asana and Pranayama to bring together opposites. Asana relates to the Hatha Yoga positions and Pranayama to Hatha Yoga breathing.
• Sun Salutation—In yoga, Sun Salutation is a series of twelve poses performed in a single flow. For each yoga position, Sun Salutation corresponds with a certain breathing technique. An individual inhales as he/she stretches, and exhales he/she contracts. The main Sun Salutation benefits are an increase in strength and flexibility. In the Hindu faith, the sun god is worshipped as a symbol of health and immortal life. In yoga, this series is an acknowledgement, or salutation to the sun god. Every position during Sun Salutation yoga counteracts the one before it, stretching the body in all different ways. For the masters of yoga, Sun Salutation is done everyday usually followed by other exercises.
