Some reflections on Yoga
There is often confusion in people's mind regarding yoga. Yoga, as I found, is a unique experience, to say the least. We've all thought of yoga as a body-bending, flexibility and mind-relaxation exercise, but what's yoga all about, and why is it supposed to be such an intense experience as so many said?
Subtly if we think of yoga, without it no human can survive in poise. It has become something of a formula/way for aspirants and others alike. Yoga is not an ancient myth. It is the essential needs of all times. Resultant has approved it's significant that is more scientific. We are adopting very unhygienic living style such as; lack and improper sleeping, collapse body posture while sitting and walking, eating inorganic junk and packed foods, thinking and reading fantasy, etc. how to adopt right habits is the main objectives of yoga. Therefore, to yoga I would rather prefer to call science of art of living .Science is the study of the behaviors of physical and natural world, esp. through observation and experiment. Art is beautifully and systematically designed technique to look matter gorgeous. Living means survive. Thus, science of art of living stands for beautiful life without any hindrance.
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word "Yuj" which mean to join. The unity or joining is described as link between body and mind. In spiritual term yoga is the union of the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. On a more practical level, yoga is a means of balancing and harmonizing. The unity or joining indicates stability, synchronization, peace and superb. Yoga is the integration of body, senses, mind, intellect, reasoning, consciousness and self. No conflict in work and word is yoga. Buddhism belief eightfold path for Nirvana (away from defilement); right speech, right effort, right livelihood, right understanding, right mindfulness, right action, right meditation and right resolution. Thus, right way of doing anything and experiencing emptiness is yoga. None stealing, not backbiting, not killing, contentment, truthfulness, positive thinking, proper exercise, proper relaxation, pure organic food, proper breathing and so on. They are the right attitude, and the right attitude is the right living, right living is the yoga.
Consciousness of water is flowing downward. Whether it is water of river or lake or ocean. Although water resides in different locality, finally merge with ocean. All water comes to unite, it's because of similar characteristics. Ultimate destination is one .Similarly, if a doctrine is true, right, then that view can be applicable in all vicinity. There would be no pain and biasness. In higher level, leaving some condition that fact has same destination as other principle and their prime ideology is one. Science of Economics, Science of Mathematics, Science of Chemistry, Science of Ethic, Science of Law, Science of Medicine and so forth. All have own area of scope. All are part of living life. Joining, linking or connecting them each others is yoga. We can also say, right attitude merge with these sciences in right way is yoga.
There are four main branches of yoga.each employing different technique but all designed to achieve the same unifying objective. They are following.
1. Bhakti Yoga
Yoga of devotion. Transforming human emotion into devotion, through pure love and respect of god. Prayer, chanting, puja etc, are the basic technique of bhakti yoga. Bhakti yoga rids the aspirant's emotion and egocentricity by developing humility and self surrender in the hand of god and liberate finally.
2. Karma Yoga
Yoga of selfless action. This path involves the dedication of all works without personal reward and expectation of fruit. By not thinking of own personal needs and developing compassion in all being is right karma yoga.
3. Jnana Yoga
It is Yoga of wisdom. The intellectual approach of evolution. Through correct view Yogi (aspirant) learn to discriminate between what is finite and infinite, real and unreal, and eventually experience one.
4. Raja Yoga
Yoga of mind control. Techniques are applied to bring mind under control and to achieve higher states of consciousness. Two sub path of raja yoga is hatha yoga and kundalini yoga. Asana, pranayama, kriya, dharana , dhyana, are specific technique . Asana constitute physical exercises. This is physically holding posture, controls our physical body and allows our body to stay for long time steadily and comfortably. Pranayama is controlling prana, vital energy of body through breathing. Kriya means cleansing internal and external body in order to purify the body of toxin and to ensure safe and successful progression for asana practices. Dharan means concentration and Dhyana is meditation, thoughtless state, where conscious mind no need to work. Yoga has to be done using the intellect of head as well as the intellect of the heart,
All approach are for liberation from pain, for greater peace, where one can experience neither existence nor non existence, greater joys that help to harmonize body and understand the fact.
Hatha yoga of raja yoga is more popular these days among people. Therefore, in common people when say yoga, they will only come to understand asana and pranayama of hatha yoga. It is less worthy defining asana to individuals who already have gained some access to the world of yoga. but for the newer ones, it is worthwhile. Simply said, yoga is the physical exercises. But, what I particularly, wish to say is that if we miss fundamental of yoga i.e. yama and niyam – moral character and ethical conduct for purification, our practices become worthless. For materialist people and especially for those who want quick scientific result and proof as well as perceptible benefit asana and pranayama do effect apparently in our body and mind.
I m very much anxious nowadays, in the name of yoga people are doing various things. Propounding own philosophy and technique unlike to philosophy of yoga is main concern. Here I have few experiences to that I called very scientific and spiritual. As I m a practitioner of hatha yoga I incline to speak of how our body get dirt, and why do we need such physical yoga.
Well, all know that we have gross body to that is called physical body. This gross body constitutes muscular system, skeleton system, respiratory system, circulatory system, digestive system, nervous system, etc. all the system keep on working in their own pace very well. But our day to day work, food, stress, pollution, thought and so forth, disturb to regular functions of those system. The very first noticeable effect we can observe is that they tense, squeeze and stiffen muscle of body. This process happens every day if we involve in those activities. Another clear hindrance can be seen in circulation of blood. Path of circulation could not smooth and higher chance of pressure in the body. Next difficulties are in deep and natural breathing. If you have noticed we always breathe half and fast. Moreover, our immune system gets feeble. We can not aware but we are always under pressure and disturb mind, very difficult to stay calm. Many parts get frail and disease arises in the physical and mental body as suffering. They are the very reality for both robust and drain people, which are unavoidable but can be lessen affliction. The question comes how can be drained away? Before it's practical implementation, I intend to give one example
Leave your room with open doors and windows for few days . after that check this room out , you can clearly see full of dust and filth . now shut all the doors and windows for few days and come back later. but your room won't be undust. You have to clean up. Similarly, as I mentioned earlier, our body also constantly get contaminated and toxic. So that, tension in muscles, fast breathing, dizziness, quick weariness appears in the body like slow poison. If we stay without any proper care one day it will be collapsed.
Therefore, we need to do stretching , where twisting, bending forwards and backwards, inverted posture and various manipulation helps to unlock muscular tension, let circulation smoothly and slower breathing. But still I get feed back from people and myself as well. Different undesired sensations have been experienced. Now I m sure that just as, every thing has some wholesome and unwholesome effect so as exercise. then how should we have to practices? Now I came very close to conclusion. Five things I have remarkably learned in yoga that has enhanced my well being.
1. Proper relaxation – as everyone knows that persistent practice of any physical things creates fatigue and may injury body parts, relaxation would help greatly. We stretch our body to release soreness, but at the same time we exert some pressure which later become side effect and cause another problem. Here relaxation before, meanwhile, after every asana and at the end of asana practices cool down pressure that exerts during practice. It reenergize for next .moreover, you get up very refreshing experience. It certainly felt like I was releasing my fair share of toxins
2. Proper movement – I would rather prefer slowness. As violent movement may cramp and split body parts, gentle and graceful and mildness movement regulates body nicely and gives soothing effect. Also while we do asana we aren't allowed to use power and afford too much to achieve. It may hurt you. Violence force we use to break sth . so, violent movement in the body may break us. The more slow and gentle you do ,deeper down you can go and you can feel your stiffness and tense body . asana means to stay in steady posture comfortably for long time, such movement , therefore, allowed to sit long and abandon pain.
3. Proper awareness and observations are the keys to health. Nutrition is important, drinking lots of water is important, getting proper amounts of sleep is important, exercise is important --all things I had been doing throughout my life. Unfortunately, I had overlooked the two most important things. Awareness and observation, yoga is inadequate (and I dare say useless) without attempting to fix the consciousness fully on all movements of the body and not allow it to wander. During our practice we become totally involved in what we are doing. You must feel what is happening. This awareness doesn't allow your body to injury and observation help to understand how you are changing and growing. Also what effect are you getting? The most impressive effect underlying all the physical changes has been my greatly increased ability to confront life in the proper perspective--that I'll call the "learn to feel."
4. Proper breathing - the body can go for weeks without food , sleep and water , but life will expire in minutes without air. In the yoga this subtle element is known as prana or life force. We extracted it from different sources but breathing is most accessible. Most people breath shallow. One healthy people breath 15 – 16 times in a minute . but we breaths more that 30 times . which is obviously sign of stress and tension. Deep breathing practices , various other breathing technique synchronizing movement brings tranquility.
5. I have found is very best time. More you do yoga more deep you can meditate and relax.
Although I gained relatively good effect from yoga, it is amusing how in many cases, it tends to hit the wrong chord. I became aware of this during my earlier practicing time. The instructor was trying to eliminate all problems. But I was still disturbed. Later, trying to have organized pure food, some negative habit once avoided. My practice became more fruitful and lead towards spiritualism
spiritualism is not that to be a religious , believe in god, accept higher soul and so on. To be good, to be positive, do right and live happy life without hurting others and comprehending properness, and furthermore love, compassion, serve, purity and realization is spiritual. This is what I learned from yoga. This has delighted me. So all good human being either scientist or non scientist are spiritual being. From one way you are physically fitting and another way you are becoming more and more cal m and quiet. effect does not seem directly and at once, but when you start to become spiritual and learn to observe and feel that will make you perfect and gorgeous. Lightness and comfort is what really good to experience after yoga.
Whatever it is, it has restored my sense of humor, allowed me to rediscover my enjoyment of living, and added an aura of leisure in everyday activities, even as I find myself accomplishing more
When there is sudden change in environment , unfavorable food and adverse work, not only physical but also mental affliction appears. Frankly speaking I haven’t used any antidotes yet. Yoga has helped me to see, feel and adjust body even in very difficult problem. I think I conquered fear of physical and mental burden. Any time if I wish I can relax my body . I can make my mind stressless. This is what I pride of having great achievement
To sum up: correct, proper and right activities such as; thinking, eating, working, relationship through non violent, gracefully, rhythmic is called yoga.. There is no difference between two substances, as long as they are true. Therefore, yoga is everything and living life in yoga is the fullest which prevent from all suffering Yoga is designed to assist you to lose stress. Since yoga helps lower stress levels, it can improve mental clarity and focus. This, in turn, enhances our overall levels of performance both on the job and in our personal life pursuits. before I make conclusion , my suggestion to the housewife , office worker and professional. At the end of the the work day spend five to ten minutes in performing the chest expansion , back stretch, simple twist and complete breath. Yoga stretching is the key to relieving tension and releasing trapped energy..
Thus, yoga in my own point of view is gentleness, positive attitude, awareness and relaxation .which lead life towards wholesome.
