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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

THE COMPLETE YOGA



YOGA
Asanas Pranayama
Yoga is a way of life, an art of righteous living or an integrated system for the benefit of the body, mind and inner spirit. This art originated, was perfected and practiced in India thousands of years ago. The references to yoga are available in 'Upanishads' and 'Puranas' composed by Indian Aryans in the later Vedic and post- Vedic period. The main credit for systematizing yoga goes to Patanjali who wrote 'Yoga Sutra', two thousand Years ago. He described the principles of the full eight fold yogic discipline. He composed the treatise in brief code words known as 'Sutras'. 'Yoga Sutra' is the most important basic text on Yoga. It is through this basic treatise that the essential message of yoga spread throughout the world. Aim of Yoga is the attainment of the physical, mental and spiritual health. Patanjali has recommended eight stages of Yoga discipline. They are :

Yamas- Yamas (abstentions or restrains)
Niyamas- Niyamas (observances)-austerities, purity, contentment, study, surrender of the ego
Asanas- Physical postures or exercises
Pranayama- Control of vital energy (Breathing control)
Partyahara- Withdrawal of the senses
Dharana- Concentration of the mind (Contemplation)
Dhyana- Meditation
Samadhi- Attainment of The super conscious state







Pranayama
Yoga is a way of life, an art of righteous living or an integrated system for the benefit of the body, mind and inner spirit. This art originated, was perfected and practiced in India thousands of years ago. The references to yoga are available in 'Upanishads' and 'Puranas' composed by Indian Aryans in the later Vedic and post- Vedic period. The main credit for systematizing yoga goes to Patanjali who wrote 'Yoga Sutra', two thousand Years ago. He described the principles of the full eight fold yogic discipline. He composed the treatise in brief code words known as 'Sutras'. 'Yoga Sutra' is the most important basic text on Yoga. It is through this basic treatise that the essential message of yoga spread throughout the world.
Aim of Yoga is the attainment of the physical, mental and spiritual health. Patanjali has recommended eight stages of Yoga discipline. They are
Yamas- Yamas (abstentions or restrains)
Niyamas- Niyamas (observances)-austerities, purity, contentment, study, surrender of the ego
Asanas- Physical postures or exercises
Pranayama- Control of vital energy (Breathing control)
Partyahara- Withdrawal of the senses
Dharana- Concentration of the mind (Contemplation)
Dhyana- Meditation
Samadhi- Attainment of The super conscious state

Adding Tantra Yoga to a Hatha Yoga Practice
To illustrate the enormous potential that the yoga system can offer even a relative beginner on the spiritual journey, consider the following practice which, in suitable form, is accessible to anyone who would make the effort to try it. It is based upon the tools of Raja Yoga and Tantra Yoga which can be fiercely powerful enablers. The proper synergistic use and cultivation of these tools, via this practice, can fully stoke the flames of a passionate, longing devotion for the divine.
Since any decent spiritual practice will consider all levels of the human experience, the practice being presented does so too. These levels are highlighted in the following table and include: the body (physical), heart (emotional), mind (thinking), mindfulness ("right-brain" awareness), concentration ("left-brain" awareness) and psychology (personality, unconscious processes). The items on the right of the colon indicate some sample tools for working with their related level:



Components of Human Experience Addressed by the Practice

Body : hatha, pranayama
Heart : morals, devotion
Mind : meditation, pranayama
Mindfulness : bare attention, reflection
Concentration : mantra, visualisation
Psychology: love, devotion, surrender, psychotherapy

Body : Asanas


Types of Asanas and Their Psychological Effect


Some prototypical examples of asanas (and their psychological effects) would be:
Forward Bends (calming, inward focussing, surrendering, integrating)
Back Bends (energising, asserting, individuating)
Twists (purging, cleansing, flexing)
Standing Postures (strengthening, mobilising, grounding)
Arm Balances (empowering, steadying, assuring)
Inversions (healing, forgiving, nourishing, envisioning)
Seated Postures (receiving, praying, supporting)




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