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The entire world today is practising and experiencing the benefits of Yoga and Ayurveda. But isn’t it also important to understand the Origin and the Purpose of Yoga?
To find the answer we need to understand the definitions of Yoga in the ancient Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) texts. These ancient texts are giving a powerful message of Yoga that is much deeper than what we understand in the modern world. Yoga is a word derived from the Sanskrit word “Yoj” which means union. Everything around us and within us is essentially in union or perfect “Yoj”. The tree is in “Yoj” with the land by its roots; the earth with the Sky is in “Yoj” using air; the Sun is in “Yog” with the Earth through its Sun rays. Similarly, the organs in our body by their mere position and due to the circulating blood flow are in “Yoj” with each other, everything is in “Yoj”
ASHTANGA YOGA - In Yoga Sutra, Sage Patanjali Defines Yoga as “Yogah Chitta Vritti Nirodhah” - Chitt – mind or the consciousness; Vritti – ripples in the mind or tendencies; Nirodha – complete cessation of the mind. We have our thoughts, emotions, feelings, and conditions in the mind. It is very difficult to control the mind in challenging situations. Through the practice of Yoga and some of its processes, methods, and techniques a person is well equipped to control his or her emotions through the thick and thins of life.
BHAGAVAD GITA – Lord Krishna defines Yoga as “Samatvam Yoga Uchyate” – Samatvam – balanced state and inclusiveness or in other words equal consideration of all human beings, through the practice of Yoga as; Uchyate means Yoga being supreme!
A true Yogi or Yogini is always trying to achieve a balanced state. Yoga is a balanced state of the body and mind. Yoga is a balanced state of emotions. Yoga is a balanced state of thoughts and intellect. Yoga is a balanced state of behaviour. We are excited in the situation of pleasure and we become sad when it is a negative situation. Yoga is to maintain the equilibrium of the mind in any situation of life. This equanimity of mind is the ultimate objective of Yoga.
Yoga is so old, that nobody knows exactly when it started.
Lord Shiva is considered to be the first “Yogi” the “Adiyogi”. And many thousands of years ago, Shiva started expounding on the mechanics and the intricacy of life through the practice of Yoga in the upper region of Himalaya “Mount Kailash”.
Shiva had his seven disciples who are known as the first seven sages and are considered the founders of most spiritual traditions in the world.
Bhakti denotes "Devotion" which also means being in a state of complete surrender to the divine. It is the desire to serve the divine, accompanied by love and gratitude.
Bhakti Yoga is a Yoga of devotion. This path is the way of love and devotion. It is a path of self-surrender, of devoting dedicating all resources, to attaining the ultimate reality. We find this bhakti elaborated in Bhagavadgita
Bhakti Yoga is one of the types of Yoga mentioned in the ancient Indian scripts which denotes the spiritual practice of lovingly devoting oneself to a personal form of God. Bhakti is a Sanskrit term for Devotion.
Carrying out one’s duties without any attachment to the results is Karma Yoga. Bhagavad Gita mentions Karma Yoga as one of the paths to purify the mind and ultimately leads to spiritual liberation.
The path teaches us to do our duties in life selflessly, dedicating the fruits of our actions to mankind. Practising this aspect of yoga helps us to live in the world without being distressed
Karma or actions should be such that one’s dharma is like doing God’s work and in that sense being “like unto God Krishna” in every moment of life. Simply put it do your duty with utmost care and dedication without any expectations and attachments to results.
Sanskrit for "knowledge" or "wisdom," Jnana is the intellectual path of scriptures and self-study, considered to be one of the most direct and yet challenging means of spiritual development. The concept of Jnana Yoga was first described in the Bhagavad Gita, which focuses on liberation from suffering.
Although Jnana Yoga involves the progressive study of the scriptures, it is not solely theoretical, encompassing the practical, experiential knowledge which stems from meditation training. It is the path of knowledge and wisdom. This involves intense mental discipline. The student learns to discriminate between the real and the unreal, between finite and the infinite.
Raja Yoga, also known as the "Royal Path," refers to the journey toward personal enlightenment. This path consists of balancing the three main Yoga types just described - Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana - while integrating the eight limbs, or stages, of yoga (The Eight Limbs of the Royal Path).
Raja Yoga is also known as a synonym of Samadhi. Patanjali’s Yoga has been identified as Raja Yoga. It is interesting that Patanjali’s Yoga contains the essence of almost every variety of Yoga styles and can be practised by a person of any faith and thus seems very much relevant to modern society.
The Sutra of Patanjali, divided into four chapters, is a psychological exposition of Yoga. Its field of action is to refine the activities of Chitta (the whole psyche of man) and thereby get absolute mastery over it.
The entire system deals with the means and ways to achieve this state of mind. Thus, keeping this theme in mind, Patanjali defines Yoga as “Chitta – vritti – nirodha”.
It does not mean that a student becomes a ‘mindless’ being, rather he is left ‘conscious full with a transformed mind which due to its transparent (sattvika) nature can function to actualize the Self, as well, as the not-self. This state can be achieved in and through dedicated and determined practise (abhyasa) and dispassionate objectivity (vairagya).
Patanjali, as well as, all the above-mentioned schools of yoga develop a process of self-transformation wherein moral (yamas) and ethical (niyamas) purity is the foundation and considered to be indispensable for this journey.
One can’t allow himself to be impure, insincere, untruthful, and harmful to others and at the same time try to practice yoga. Thus one has to be rooted in goodness, purity, truthfulness, self-reliance, patience and preservation, sincerity and honesty, contentment, and selfless services. Unfortunately, these virtues are ignored in contemporary times.
The self-awareness you gain by practising the five Yamas can help you transform negative energy and cultivate a deep, abiding sense of peace. Here is a brief definition of each Yama, along with some advice about how to start practising them today.
The five niyamas are constructive tools for cultivating happiness and self-confidence; the opportunities to practice them arise every day. Here is a brief description of each niyama, along with helpful tips to put your spirituality into action.
Asana is a Sanskrit term that is often translated as “posture” or “pose.” Asana can also be translated as “a steady, comfortable seat,” particularly for meditation.
Pranayama is the formal practice of controlling the breath, which is the source of our prana, or vital life force. Here, read up on pranayama exercises & poses, breathing techniques and sequences.
Pratyahara is a Sanskrit term, generally translated as "withdrawal of the senses." It is the fifth limb of the eightfold path of yoga, believed to be a vital preliminary step before the more advanced practices of Dharana and Dhyana.
Dharana is the sixth of the Eight Limbs of Yoga Sutras. It refers to the concentration of the mind. Practising Dharana involves fixing the mind on a particular object — either external (such as an image or deity) or internal (such as a chakra).
Dhyana is a Sanskrit word meaning "meditation." It is derived from the root words, dhi, meaning “receptacle” or “the mind”; and yana, meaning “moving” or “going.” An alternate root word, dhyana, means "to think of."
Samadhi is a state of profound and utterly absorptive contemplation of the Absolute that is undisturbed by desire, anger, or any other ego-generated thought or emotion. It is a state of joyful calm, in which one maintains one's full mental alertness and acuity.