Meaning of Yoga
Most people know that the practice of Yoga makes the body strong and flexible. It is also well known that Yoga improves the functioning of the respiratory, circulatory, digestive and hormonal systems. Yoga also brings emotional stability and clarity of mind, but that is only the beginning of the journey to Samadhi, or self-realisation, which is the ultimate aim of Yoga.
The word "Yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root Yuj which means “to join "or "to yoke"; the related meaning is "to focus attention on" or "to use". In philosophical terms, the union of the individual self, Jivatma, with the universal self, Paramatma, is Yoga. The union results in a pure and perfect state of consciousness in which the feelings of "I" simply do not exist. Prior to this union is the union of the body with the mind, and the mind with the self. Yoga is thus a dynamic, internal experience which integrates the body, the senses, the mind, and the intelligence, with the self. On a more practical level, Yoga is a means of balancing and harmonising the body, mind and emotions. This is done through the practice of Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha, Shatkarma and meditation, and must be achieved before union can take place with the higher reality.
The sage Patanjali was a master of Yoga and a fully evolved soul. But this great thinker had the ability to empathise with the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. His reflections and those of other ancient sages on the ways through which every person could realise his full potential were outlined in the 196 Yoga Sutras.
The science of Yoga begins to work on the outermost aspect of the personality, the physical body, which for most people is a practical and familiar starting point. When imbalance is experienced at this level, the organs, muscles and nerves no longer function in harmony, rather they act in opposition to each other. For instance, the endocrine system might become irregular and the efficiency of the nervous system might become irregular and the efficiency of the nervous system decreases to such an extent that a disease will manifest. Yoga aims at bringing the different bodily functions into perfect co-ordination so that they work for the good of the whole body.
From the physical body, Yoga moves on to the mental and emotional levels. Many people suffer from phobias and neuroses as a result of the stresses and interactions of everyday living. Yoga cannot provide a cure for life but it does present a proven method for coping with it.
Yoga as an "...integration and harmony between thought, word and deed, or integration between head, heart and hand". Through the practice of Yoga, awareness develops of the interrelation between the emotional, mental and physical levels, and how a disturbance in any one of these affects the others. Gradually, this awareness leads to an understanding of the more subtle areas of existence.
Asana and Pranayama
Practising Yoga cleanses body. Just as a goldsmith heats gold in fire to burn out its impurities, similarly, Yoga postures, by increasing the circulation of fresh blood through the body, purge it of the diseases and toxins which are then consequences of an irregular lifestyle, unhealthy habits, and poor posture. Regular practice of the stretches, twists, bends, and inversions - the basic movements of postures restores strength and stamina to the body. Yoga postures together with Pranayama, or the control of the breath, rectify physical, physiological, and psychological disorders. They have a positive impact on the effects of stress and disease. Among the many ailments that benefit from the practice of Yoga postures are osteoarthritis, high and low blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, and anorexia.
Mind and Body
The body and the mind are in a state of constant interaction. Yogic science doesn't demarcate where the body ends and the mind begins, but approaches both as a single, integrated entity. The turmoil of daily life brings stress to the body and the mind. This creates anxiety, depression, restlessness and rage. Yoga postures, while appearing to deal with the physical body alone, actually influence the chemical balance of the brain, which in turn improves one's mental state of being.
In the final chapter of the Yoga sutras, the Samadhi Pada, Sage Patanjali discusses the disorders that are the root cause of suffering. According to the Sage, Vyadhi or physical ailments create emotional upheaval. The task of Yoga is to tackle both.
The alleviation of pain is, even today, one of the main reasons for the journey into Yoga for most people. Yoga postures work specific parts of the body to soothe and relax the mind as well. Inverted postures, for instance, simultaneously calm and stimulate the brain. These postures activate glands and vital organs by supplying fresh blood to the brain making it alert but relaxed. Yoga possesses the unique ability to calm the nerves. The nerves function as the medium between the physiological body and the psychological body. Practising Yoga has a holistic impact relaxing the body and calming the mind.
Stages of Yoga
The primary aim of Yoga is to restore the mind to simplicity, peace, and poise, to free it from confusion and distress. This simplicity, this sense of order and calm, comes from practice of Yoga and Pranayama. Yoga postures integrate the body, the mind, the intelligence and, finally, the self, in four stages. The first stage is one which we practise at the level of the physical body. The second stage is, when the mind learns to move in unison with body. The third level occurs when the intelligence and the body become one. The final stage is the state of perfection. Spiritual awareness flows into the student of yoga through these stages. Misery and pain, vanishes, and the art of living in simplicity and peace is realised.
Yoga fills the spiritual void
The world today is overwhelmingly materialistic, and this has created a spiritual void in our lives. Our life styles are unduly complex and we become stressed primarily as result of our own actions. Our existence feels barren and devoid of meaning. There is a lack of spiritual dimensions to our lives and in our relationships. This has led many reflective people to realise that solace and inspiration, peace and happiness, cannot come from the eternal environment but must come from within.
The freedom of Yoga
The impact of Yoga is never purely physical. Yoga postures, if correctly practised, bridge the divide between the physical and mental spheres. Yoga stems the feelings of pain, fatigue, doubt, confusion indifference, laziness, self-delusion, and despair that assail us from time to time. The Yogic mind simply refuses to accept such negative emotions and seeks to overcome these turbulent currents on the voyage to the total liberation of the self. Once we become sincere practitioners of Yoga, we cease to be tormented by these unhappy and discouraging states of mind.
Yoga illuminates our life, if we practice sincerely, with seriousness and honesty, its light will spread to all aspects of our life. Regular practice will bring us to look at ourselves and our goals in a new light. It will help remove the obstacles to good health and stable emotions. In this way, Yoga will help us to achieve emancipation and self-realization, which is the ultimate goal of every person's life
The way to Health
Health is not just freedom from disease. For good health, the joints, tissues, muscles, nerves, cells, glands and each system of the body must be in a state of perfect balance and harmony. Health is the perfect equilibrium of the body and mind, intellect and soul.
Health is like the flowing water of a river, always fresh and pure, in a constant state of flux. Humans are a combination of the senses of perception, the organs of action, the mind, the intelligence, the inner consciousness, and the conscience. Each of these is worked on by the practice of Yoga.
Yoga postures help to ensure an even distribution of bio-energy, or life-force, which brings the mind to state of calm. A practitioner of Yoga faces life not as victim, but as a master, in control of his or her life situations, circumstances and environment.
Yoga postures balance the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, hormonal, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems perfectly. The equilibrium in the body then brings mental peace and enhances intellectual clarity.
Harmony of body and mind
Yoga postures cater to the needs of each individual according to his or her specific constitution and physical condition. They involve vertical, horizontal, and cyclical movements, which provide energy to the system by directing the blood supply to the areas of the body which need it most. In Yoga each cell is observed, attended to, and provided with a fresh supply of blood, allowing it to function smoothly.
The mind is naturally active and dynamic, while the soul is luminous. However, unhealthy bodies tend to house inert, dull, and sluggish minds. It is the practice of Yoga which removes the sluggishness from the body and brings it to the level of the active mind. Ultimately, both the body and mind rise to the level of the illuminated self.
The practice Yoga stimulates and changes emotional attitudes, converting apprehensiveness into courage, indecision and poor judgement into positive decision-making skills, the emotional instability into confidence and mental equilibrium.
Benefits of Poses
The Sanskrit term, asana, is sometimes translated as "pose" and sometimes "posture". Neither translation is wholly accurate, as they don't convey the element of thought or consciousness that must inform each movement of any asana. The final pose of an asana (posture) is achieved when all the parts of the body are positioned correctly, with full awareness and intelligence.
Importance of practising yoga
The practice of Yoga has a beneficial impact on the whole body. Yoga postures not only tone the muscles, tissues, ligaments, joints and nerves, but also maintain the smooth functioning and health of all the body's systems. They relax the body and mind, allowing both to recover from fatigue or weakness, and the stresses of daily life. Yoga postures also boost metabolism, lymphatic circulation, and hormonal secretions and bring about chemical balance in the body.
It is really important to keep practising until you are absolutely comfortable in the final pose. It is only then that you experience the full benefits of Yoga.
The Sage Patanjali observes in Yoga Sutra 11.47 "perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it become effortless and the infinite being within is reached."
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