INTRODUCTION TO YOGA
Yoga has the surest remedies for man’s physical as well as psychological ailments. Yoga makes the organs of the body active in their functioning and has good effect on internal functioning of the human body. Yoga changes for good man's views on and attitude to, life. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root Yuj meaning to bind the yoke. It is true union of our will with the will of God. Our ancient sages have suggested eight stages of yoga to secure purity of body, mind and soul and final communion with God. These eight stages are known as Ashtangayoga. The eight stages of Yoga are as follows:
1. Yama (Social Discipline)
2. Niyama (Individual Discipline)
3. Asana (Postures)
4. Pranayama (Breath Control)
5. Pratyahara (Discipline of the Senses)
6. Dharana (Concentration)
7. Dhayana (Meditation)
8. Samadhi (Self-realisation)
1- Yama (Social Discipline) : Yama means restraint or abstention. It contains five moral practices. They are: Non-violence (Ahimsa), Truthflness (Satya), Non stealing (Asteya), Celebacy (Brahmacharya), and Non-acquisitiveness (Aparigraha).
Non-violence (Ahimsa) means not to hurt any creature mentally or physically though mind, speech or action. Truthfulness (Satya) is the presentation of a matter as perceived with the help of sense organs. Non-stealing (Asteya) means not to covet and acquire physically, mentally or by speech others’ possessions.
Celebacy- Moderation in sex (Bramacharya) : Bramacharya does not mean lifelong celibacy, but moderation in sex between marred couples. Non-acquisitiveness (Aparigraha) means abandoning wealth and means of sensual pleasures.
2- Niyama (Individual Discipline): Rules of conduct towards oneself consist of certain disciplines which are both physical and mental. These are five in number:
Cleanliness (Shaucha), Contentment (Santosha), Austerity (Tapas), Self-study (Svadhyaya) and Surrender to God (Ishvara Pranidhana) Cleanliness (Shaucha) means internal and external purification of the body and the mind. Contentment (Santosha) is a state of mind by which one lives happily and satisfied in congenial or uncongenial atmosphere. Austerity or penance (Tapas) is the conquest of all desires or sensual pleasures by practicing purity in thought, speech and action.
Self-study (Svadhyay) means exchange of thoughts in order to secure purity in though and accomplish knowledge. Surrender to God (Ishvara Pranidhana) : It consists of pure devotion to God and surrender of all action to Him.
3- Asana (Postures): Asana means holding the body in a particular pouter to bring stability to the body and poise to channel, firmness to the body and vitality to the body and the mind. There are many asanas, but keeping in view a common man’s health, 65 asanas have been presented and explained in this SITE.
4-Pranayama (Breath Control) : The literal meaning of Pranayama is Breath Control. 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.
5- Pratyahara (Discipline of the Senses) : The extroversion of the sense organs 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 sense inwards is Pratyahara or putting the sense under restraint.
6- Dharana (Concentration): Dharana (Concentration) means focusing the pure mind on one’s personal deity or on the individual Self. The practise of Dharana helps the mind to concentrate on a particular object.
7-Dhyana (Meditation): When one sustains and maintains the focus of attention through Dharana unbound by time and space, it becomes Dhayana (Meditation). Deep concentration destroys the Rajas and Tamas Gunas of mind and develops the Satvika Gunas (Qualities).
8- Samadhi (Self-realisation): The eighth and final stage of Yoga is Samadhi. At this stage, one’s identity becomes both externally and internally immersed in meditation. The meditator, the act of meditation and the object meditated upon, all the three shed their individual characteristics and merge with one single vision of the entire cosmos. Supreme happiness, free from pleasure, pain or misery, is experienced. Samadhi is the climax of Dhyana.
The group of Dharana, Dhayana and Samadhi is called ‘Samayama’ (the internal Yoga) in the Science of Yoga. The first five stages- Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara- constitute the External Yoga. If all these five stages are practised and followed in life, virtues like morality, morally sound conduct and good character are developed in man. Besides, there is all-round progress in human life, physically, intellectually and spiritually and man attains physical fitness and mental equanimity. Thus, asanas are only one of the stages of Yoga. Most of the aspirants practicing Yoga practise, in fact, these asanas. However, all the eight stages of Yoga are of importance. The practise of all the stages together and Pranayama bring a good deal of permanent benefits.
Yoga has the surest remedies for man’s physical as well as psychological ailments. Yoga makes the organs of the body active in their functioning and has good effect on internal functioning of the human body. Yoga changes for good man's views on and attitude to, life. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root Yuj meaning to bind the yoke. It is true union of our will with the will of God. Our ancient sages have suggested eight stages of yoga to secure purity of body, mind and soul and final communion with God. These eight stages are known as Ashtangayoga. The eight stages of Yoga are as follows:
1. Yama (Social Discipline)
2. Niyama (Individual Discipline)
3. Asana (Postures)
4. Pranayama (Breath Control)
5. Pratyahara (Discipline of the Senses)
6. Dharana (Concentration)
7. Dhayana (Meditation)
8. Samadhi (Self-realisation)
1- Yama (Social Discipline) : Yama means restraint or abstention. It contains five moral practices. They are: Non-violence (Ahimsa), Truthflness (Satya), Non stealing (Asteya), Celebacy (Brahmacharya), and Non-acquisitiveness (Aparigraha).
Non-violence (Ahimsa) means not to hurt any creature mentally or physically though mind, speech or action. Truthfulness (Satya) is the presentation of a matter as perceived with the help of sense organs. Non-stealing (Asteya) means not to covet and acquire physically, mentally or by speech others’ possessions.
Celebacy- Moderation in sex (Bramacharya) : Bramacharya does not mean lifelong celibacy, but moderation in sex between marred couples. Non-acquisitiveness (Aparigraha) means abandoning wealth and means of sensual pleasures.
2- Niyama (Individual Discipline): Rules of conduct towards oneself consist of certain disciplines which are both physical and mental. These are five in number:
Cleanliness (Shaucha), Contentment (Santosha), Austerity (Tapas), Self-study (Svadhyaya) and Surrender to God (Ishvara Pranidhana) Cleanliness (Shaucha) means internal and external purification of the body and the mind. Contentment (Santosha) is a state of mind by which one lives happily and satisfied in congenial or uncongenial atmosphere. Austerity or penance (Tapas) is the conquest of all desires or sensual pleasures by practicing purity in thought, speech and action.
Self-study (Svadhyay) means exchange of thoughts in order to secure purity in though and accomplish knowledge. Surrender to God (Ishvara Pranidhana) : It consists of pure devotion to God and surrender of all action to Him.
3- Asana (Postures): Asana means holding the body in a particular pouter to bring stability to the body and poise to channel, firmness to the body and vitality to the body and the mind. There are many asanas, but keeping in view a common man’s health, 65 asanas have been presented and explained in this SITE.
4-Pranayama (Breath Control) : The literal meaning of Pranayama is Breath Control. 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.
5- Pratyahara (Discipline of the Senses) : The extroversion of the sense organs 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 sense inwards is Pratyahara or putting the sense under restraint.
6- Dharana (Concentration): Dharana (Concentration) means focusing the pure mind on one’s personal deity or on the individual Self. The practise of Dharana helps the mind to concentrate on a particular object.
7-Dhyana (Meditation): When one sustains and maintains the focus of attention through Dharana unbound by time and space, it becomes Dhayana (Meditation). Deep concentration destroys the Rajas and Tamas Gunas of mind and develops the Satvika Gunas (Qualities).
8- Samadhi (Self-realisation): The eighth and final stage of Yoga is Samadhi. At this stage, one’s identity becomes both externally and internally immersed in meditation. The meditator, the act of meditation and the object meditated upon, all the three shed their individual characteristics and merge with one single vision of the entire cosmos. Supreme happiness, free from pleasure, pain or misery, is experienced. Samadhi is the climax of Dhyana.
The group of Dharana, Dhayana and Samadhi is called ‘Samayama’ (the internal Yoga) in the Science of Yoga. The first five stages- Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara- constitute the External Yoga. If all these five stages are practised and followed in life, virtues like morality, morally sound conduct and good character are developed in man. Besides, there is all-round progress in human life, physically, intellectually and spiritually and man attains physical fitness and mental equanimity. Thus, asanas are only one of the stages of Yoga. Most of the aspirants practicing Yoga practise, in fact, these asanas. However, all the eight stages of Yoga are of importance. The practise of all the stages together and Pranayama bring a good deal of permanent benefits.