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What is Yoga?
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[edit] What Is Yoga?
[edit] Introduction
Developed in India, over 5000 years ago, Yoga is an ancient psycho-physical discipline that aims at uniting the body, mind and spirit. The word 'Yoga' means to join or to yoke, implying the integration of every aspect of a human being - from the innermost to the external. Traditionally, the goal of Yoga is a union with the 'Absolute', or with ones own true self. In today’s world the focus is more on the down-to-earth benefits of Yoga, including improved physical fitness, mental clarity, greater self-understanding, stress control and general well-being.
[edit] Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
Two thousand years ago the Indian sage Patanjali wrote a treatise on Yoga called the Yoga Sutra. The Yoga Sutras summarise the various aspects of yoga and outline the eight limbs of yoga:
1. The Yamas or the restraints, which are five ethical guidelines aimed at creating a better world. These are commandments regarding a person’s moral behavior towards others
2. Niyamas or observances which are the five personal disciplines
3. Asana: practice of various types of yoga postures
4. Pranayama: practice of breathing exercises and breath control
5. Pratyahara: detachment from worldly activities through the withdrawal of the senses
6. Dharana: concentration through the ability to focus ones mind
7. Dhyani: meditation through which you develop a quite meditative state
8. Samadhi: achieving a state of bliss or enlightenment
[edit] Practice of Postures
Most people practicing yoga are engaged in the third limb, Asana, which refers to postures or Yoga poses that most people perceive as yoga. Many different styles of yoga have developed over the years; the differences are usually about emphasis, such as focusing on strict alignment of the body, coordination of breath and movement, holding the postures, or the flow from one posture to another. Different gurus have popularized a number of yoga styles; Bikram Yoga’s vigorous postures are to be performed in a heated room, BKS Iyengar’s slower paced yoga uses props and aids to enable you to hold poses for longer while Sivananda Yoga concentrates on 12 basic asanas.
[edit] Yoga Classes
It is important to learn the postures correctly with a teacher before attempting a home practice. Yoga classes include instructions for proper breathing which help in improving oxygen flow and focus the mind; postures or asanas that stretch the body build tone and strength, increase flexibility and improve coordination and deep relaxation practice for stress relief. The asanas are divided into standing postures, seated postures, lying postures, inversions, back bends and forward bends and generally have self explanatory names like cat pose, downward dog and mountain pose.
[edit] Commercialisation of Yoga
Film and music personalities practicing yoga have helped tremendously to popularise it. But Yoga is rapidly being commercialised; bags and clothes are big business for major brands and Yoga now generates business worth over $ 18 billion annually across the world. With mainstream brands cashing in and an increased emphasis on yoga as a form of fitness, purists feel that the true meaning behind the ancient discipline is being lost.
[edit] The Aim of Yoga
Yoga aims to improve every aspect of your life- postures for a fit and supple body and breathing and meditation for the mind and spirit. Yoga is not only about twisting yourself into some impossible posture. It aims to fine tune the body to a state where the mind, body and spirit exist in complete harmony.
[edit] References
Light on Life, B.K.S. Iyengar, 2005
For detailed explanation on yoga asanas and how to perform them go to
http://www.iyogalife.com/cms/publish/beginner_poses.shtml
