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What is Yoga
According to vedas, Yoga means to join, it is further explained
as joining of the individual soul jiva to the super soul
paramatama. Yoga comprises of
eight limbs (Asht-anga) which are Yama, Niyama, Asana,
Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dhyana and Samadhi.
In easy words, Yoga means union with the true self which
frees us from the slavery of the five senses. The goal of Yoga is to
gain control over the five senses (see, smell, hear, taste and
touch). Our whole life revolves around satisfying these five
senses. But as universal law these senses are never satisfied thus
the desire to satisfy these senses brings us pain, sadness,
frustration and sorrow. Yoga is the practice of following the
universal principles of nature and evolving our awareness to the
highest level.
The Four Paths of Yoga
As contrary to popular belief that Yoga is a form of physical
exercise, Yoga is actually a consistent way of living. Any
or all of these paths can be followed to reach the goal according to
the personality and preferences.
Jnana Yoga
The path of Jnana Yoga
is the path of learning and evolving the understanding.
This practice includes gaining true knowledge through reading
spiritual literature like Vedas, Upnishads etc and understanding the
laws of nature and the self.
Karma Yoga
The path of Karma Yoga includes providing selfless services to the others. It
helps to diminish the ego and raise the spiritual awareness.
Bhakti Yoga
Tthe path of Bhakti Yoga is the path of complete
surrender to the God.
This practice involves japa, chanting, bhajan, mantras or just
chanting or singing praise of the masters or Supreme.
Raja Yoga
The path of Raja Yoga involves purifying and strengthening the three bodies
(Physical, Astral and Spritual) by intense physical exercises and
meditation. Raja Yoga brances into Hatha Yoga, Kundlaini
Yoga etc.
Yoga of Synthesis
At
Arhanta Yoga
we follow the rich tradition and philosophy of
Swami Sivananda and Sri Vivekananda and insists on the practice of the Yoga of Synthesis. Swami Sivananda recognized that every human being possesses intellect, heart, body and mind. Therefore he advised to everyone to practice certain techniques from each of the four paths. He also taught that considering the individual temperament and taste one can emphasize the practice of certain Yoga over other.
The 5 Principles of Yoga
Swami Sivananda summurized the complex eight limbs of Yoga into 5
principles. These
five principles are: Proper Exercise, Proper Breathing, Proper Relaxation, Proper Diet, Positive Thinking and Meditation.
It is not possible to make progress in Hatha Yoga if any of these
principles are ignored.
Proper Exercise: Regular
exercise to keep the physical body fit and free from diseases.
Proper Breathing: Taking regular and deep breaths to supply
sufficient oxygen and prana to the body.
Proper Relaxation: Even in the moments of no activity our
bodies are not completely relaxed, there is certain amount of
tension in the body. To relax the body completely at will.
Proper Diet: A healthy diet is necessary for fit body and
mind. In Yoga, lacto vegetarian diet is considered proper diet due
to physical, astral and spiritual reasons.
Positive Thinking & Meditation: Thoughts have profound
effect over body and vice versa. Positive thinking and Meditation
helps to calm the mind and regulate the thoughts. |
