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Yoga was developed about 5 thousand years ago. Its
founders were great Sages who carried out intense feats
of physical and mental concentration. Yoga has its origins
in the Vedas, the oldest records of Indian culture.
The great Indian sage Patanjali who described a series
of postures or Asanas, which the student gradually tries
to attain, systematized it. Maharishi Patanjali rightly
called as the "Father of Yoga" compiled and
refined various aspects of Yoga systematically in his
"Yoga Sutras" (aphorisms). He advocated the
eight-fold path of Yoga, popularly known as "Ashtanga
Yoga" for the all-round development of the human
personality.
According to Patanjali, within the human body there
are channels called Nadi & centres called chakra.
If these channels & centres are tapped, energy hidden
in the body can be released. This energy is called kundalini.
The eight stages of yoga stated by Patanjali:
• The yama (universal moral commandments)
• Niyama (self-purification through discipline)
• Asana (posture)
• Pranayama (breath control)
• Pratyahara (withdrawal of mind from external
objects)
• Dharana (concentration)
• Dhyana (meditation)
• Samadhi (state of super consciousness)
Besides the different stages in yoga, there are various
forms of discipline touching different aspects of human
life. These disciplines include
Hathyoga (physical exercise)
Gyanayoga or Dhyana yoga (exercise for the mind &
intellect)
Karmayoga (disciplined action in daily life)
BENEFITS OF YOGA
This ancient health & fitness practice provides
both physical & mental therapy. It considers ageing
as largely an artificial condition, caused mainly by
autointoxication or self-poisoning. By keeping the body
parts clean and well lubricated, cell deterioration
can be greately reduced. To get the maximum benefits
of yoga one has to follow
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three main guidelines i.e. practice
of asanas, pranayama and yoga nidra. With the regular
practice of asanas, we control our cholesterol level,
reduce weight, normalise blood pressure and improve
cardiac performance. Asanas harmonize our mental energy
flow by clearing any blockages in the subtle body, leading
to mental equilibrium & calmness.
PRANAYAMA
The practice of pranayama, the correct breathing technique,
helps to manipulate our energies. Most of us breathe
incorrectly (only thoracically not using our abdomen,
thereby utilizing only half of our lung capacity). Pranayama
is a technique where in it re-educates our breathing
process, helps to release tensions and develop a relaxed
state of mind. It balances our nervous system, reduces
the need for sleep and encourages creative thinking.
Increasing oxygen to our brain, improves mental clarity,
alertness and physical wellbeing.
Yoga nidra is a form of medication. Performed while
lying on the back in the shavasana pose, it relaxes
the physiological & psychological systems. This
technique completely rejuvenates the body & mind,
giving a sense of wellbeing.
People from all over the world travel to India to learn
the ancient science of yoga. The tradition of Yoga was
born in India several thousand years ago. Yoga is practiced
all over the world today.
TRAINING IN YOGA
Gurus such as Bikram Singh have coined their own brand
of Bikram Yoga and popularized it. It continues to be
practiced in the traditional way in India and its gentle
stretching and mental concentration exercises have been
proven to have a beneficial effect on the body and mind.
Each posture or asana exercises some of the muscles
of the body and combinations of these asanas can provide
you with a complete physical and mental workout routine.
Asanas such "Suryanamaskara," an invocation
to the Sun god can be the ideal way to start your day.
Savasana while involves meditation while lying flat
on ones back, can provide relief from stress and restore
you to a sense of calm.
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There are many ashrams
across India where Yoga is practiced. Yoga is not merely a form
of exercise or meditation but is a complete health giving system
that will keep you fit as you travel on your journey through
life.
MEDITATION
More and more doctors are prescribing meditation as a way to
lower blood pressure, improve exercise performance in people
with angina, help asthmatics breathe easier, relieve insomnia
and generally ease the everyday stresses of life. Medication
is a safe and simple way to balance a person's physical, emotional
and mental states. The concept of meditation works on the principle
that when the mind is calm and focussed on the present. Neither
is it reacting to memories from the past nor being preoccupied
with plans for the future: two major sources of chronic stress
known to impact health.
There are several techniques of meditation but they all have
one thing in common - focus on quietening the busy mind. The
concept is not to remove stimulation but rather to direct concentration
to one healing element: one sound, one word, one image, or one's
breath.
All forms of meditation can be broadly classified into concentrative
meditation and mindful meditation.
Concentrative meditation focuses attention on a breath, an image,
or a sound (mantra), in order to still the mind and allow greater
awareness and clarity to emerge. The simplest form of concentrative
meditation is to sit quietly and focus attention on the breath.
Yoga and meditation practitioners believe that there is a direct
correlation between one's breath one's state of the mind. For
example, when a person is anxious, frightened, agitated or distracted,
the breath will tend to be shallow, rapid and uneven. On the
other hand, when the mind is calm focussed and composed the
breath will tend to be slow, deep and regular.
As one focuses one's awareness on the breath, the mind becomes
absorbed in the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. As a result,
breathing will become slower and deeper, and the mind will become
more tranquil and aware.
Mindful meditation, involves becoming aware of the continuously
passing parade of sensations and feeling, images, thoughts,
sounds, smells, and so forth without becoming involved in thinking
about them. The person sits quietly and simply witnesses whatever
goes through the mind, not reacting or becoming involved with
thoughts, memories, worries or images. This helps to gain a
more calm, clear and non-reactive state of mind. Studies show
that after meditation, reactions are faster, creativity greater
and comprehension broader. In addition, by silencing the mind,
meditation can also put one in touch with the self, allowing
the body's own inner wisdom to be heard. |
