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The 5 Principles of Yoga
Until few decades ago the science of
Yoga was considered to be very mysterious and difficult to follow.
The five principles of Yoga were summarized by Swami Vishnu
Devananda, a disciple of Swami Sivananda. The purpose was to make the
Hatha Yoga philosophy simple and understandable for western students
who didnt know the proper meaning and purpose of Yoga.
These five principles of Yoga are to be applied and practiced in
daily life in order to get complete benefit from any of them.
Classically Yoga is based on 8 principles/ 8 limbs also called
Ashtanga yoga. Those 8 principles are summarized into 5 principles
for easy understanding and practical application in this era.
Proper Exercise
To develop a healthy and disciplined mind it is necessary to have
a healthy and disciplined body.
Asanas are practiced to keep
the body fit and disciplined. Asana means steady pose thus a
pose to be held for a period of time so the body develops the
awareness to handle it and also increase the strength, flexibility
and vitality of the spine. The basic Yoga asanas are:
Shirshasana,
Sarvangasana,
Halasana,
Setubandhasana,
Matsyasana,
Pschimottanasana,
Purvottanasana,Gomukhasana,
Bhujangasana,Shalabhasana,
Dhanurasana,
Ardha Matsyendrasana,
Kakasana,
Trikonasana,
Vrikshasana,
Tadasana
The regular practice of these Yoga asanas helps to make the body
strong, flexible and energetic. There are 84 classical Yoga
asanas which can be practiced by everyone.
Shirshasana (Head stand) is
considered to be the king of asanas.
Proper Breathing
According to the Yogic philosophy there is direct relation between
the breath and the mind. The quality of the breath directly affects
the quality of the thoughts and the mind. Most of the people develop
the habit of shallow breathing which prevents the proper intake of
oxygen and limits the proper usage of lungs. This results in
fatigue, headaches, dullness and improper working of internal organs
as well as it slows down the self healing capability of the body.
Pranayama consists of
systematic and controlled breathing exercises which help to control
the mind and regulate proper supply of oxygen to vital organs.
Proper Relaxation
We constantly have tension in our body which most of us can not
release even while trying to rest. Due to this tension the body
keeps on using energy and we feel tired even after a long period of
rest or sleep. It is same as if a car's engine is on start 24 hours
a day / 7 days a week, what will happen to the car? the engine will
wear out much sooner. Similarly when the body is constantly holding
the tension and can not rest completely it leads to fatigue, illness
as well as hinders the self healing capability of the body. In
Shavasana we practice to completely let the tension go and let the
body relax deeply.
Proper Diet
Vedas say "What you eat is what you are", the diet directly
impacts the quality of your thoughts and physical condition. In
order to have clear mind and healthy body it is necessary to have a
quality diet. One should include fresh fruits, grains, vegetables
etc in his diet and avoid frozen, canned food items.
Yogic diet is primarily lacto vegetarian diet, which consists of
fresh vegetables, grains, nuts, fruits, fresh milk, pulses etc.
Proper diet not only includes what to eat but also how to eat and
when to eat. One should be aware of his nature of the body, weather
conditions and the reaction of the body to particular foods to
decide for the proper diet for himself.
Meditation
Meditation is the food for the mind. In order to have clear and
balanced mind one should meditate on regular basis. According to
vedas, state of Meditation is described as a tranquil state
when all the five senses completely shut off. This state comes after
the mastery the concentration.
There are many concentration exercises and methods which can help
anyone to calm their mind, control their senses and the
reactions arising from the continuous thought process. The important
thing to remember is that the goal is not to stop the thoughts or
reach the thoughtless state
but just to ignore them and let the five senses switch off.
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