YOGAS

Yoga is a term that has two meanings:

  1. A school of thought in the Hindu religion
  2. A system of mental and physical exercise

Practitioners of Yoga are called yogis. They use Yogasana (exercise) to achieve their goal of isolation of the soul from the body and mind. The word Yoga means discipline in Sanskrit language (one of the most ancient and scientific languages of the world).Yoga believes in the principle that, every human being consists of Prakriti and Purusha. Prakriti includes a person’s body, mind and ego (conscious self), Purusha is pure, empty consciousness of the soul. The Yoga teaches that the soul is completely separate from the rest of the person, but the person does not realize it. Human beings suffer because of their wrong belief that their soul is bound to the body and mind. The Yoga exercise aims to give people knowledge of the meaning of their soul. After a person has obtained this understanding, his soul will gain moksha (release) from the sansara (world-cycle of rebirth). A yogi under the guidance of a guru (teacher), goes through eight stages known as Asthanyoga on the way to moksha.

The eight stages are:

Yama means restraint or abstention. It contains five moral practices:
a. Ahimsa (Non-violence): It means not to hurt any creature mentally or physically through mind, speech or action.
b. Satya (Truthfulness): It is the presentation of a matter as perceived with the help of sense organs.
c. Asteya (Non-stealing): It means not to cover and acquire physically, mentally or by speech other’s possessions.
d. Brahmacharya (Celibacy – Moderation in sex): Brahmcharya does not mean life-long celibacy, but moderation in sex between married couples.
e. Aparigraha (Non-acquisitiveness): It means abandoning wealth and means of sexual pleasure.

Rules of conduct towards oneself consist of certain disciplines, which are both physical and mental. These are five in number:

a. Shauch (Cleanliness): It means internal and external purification of the body and the mind.
b. Santosha (Contentment): It is a state of mind by which one lives happily and satisfied in congenial or uncongenial atmosphere.
c. Tapas (Austerity or penance): It is the conquest of all desires or sensual pleasures by practicing purity in thought, speech and action.
d. Swadhyaya (Self-study): It means exchange of thoughts in order to secure purity in thought and accomplish knowledge.
e. Ishwara Arpan (Surrender to God): It consists of pure devotion to God and surrender of all actions to him.

Asana means holding the body in a particular posture to bring stability in the body and to the mind. The practice of Asana brings purity in tubular channels, firmness to the body ad vitality of the body and the mind.

The literal meaning of Pranayama is controlling breath. The aim of practicing Pranayama is to stimulate, regulate and harmonize vital energy of the body. Just as a bath is required for purifying the body, so also Pranayama is required for purifying the mind.

The extroversion of the sense organs is due to their hankering after worldly objects, has to be restrained and directed inwards towards the source of all existence. This process of drawing the senses inwards is Pratyahara or putting the sense under restrain.

Dharana means focusing the pure mind on one’s personal deity or on the individual self. The practice of Dharana helps the mind to concentrate on a particular object.

When one sustains and maintains the focus of attention through Dharana unbound by time and space, it becomes Dhyana (meditation). Deep concentration destroys the Rajas (good virtues) and Tamas (bad virtues) Gunn of the mind and develops the Satvika gunn (gentleman qualities).

The eighth and the final stage of Yoga is Samadhi. At this stage, one identity becomes both externally and internally immersed in meditation. During Samadhi supreme happiness free from pleasure and pain is experienced. It is the climax of Dhyana.

Different types of Yoga Asanas:
  • Ekpaaduttansan
  • Bhujangasana
  • Ardha Shalbhasana
  • Dhanurasana
  • Utthipadmasana
  • Paschimottanasan
  • Ustrasana
  • Ardh Matsyendrasana
  • Gomukhasana
  • Surya Namaskar
  • Dakshasana
  • Namaskarasana
  • Parvatasana
  • Hastapadasana
  • Ekapadaprasaranasana
  • Bhudharasana
  • Ashtangapranipatasana