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History Of Yoga
Origin of Yoga
Yoga is an ancient art based on a harmonizing system of development for the body, mind and spirit. The word 'yoga' comes from the Sanskrit root "yuj" which means "to join" or "to yoke". Yoga is one of the six syatems of Indian philosophy.The history of yoga can be divided into the following four broad categories:
Vedic Yoga:
The yogic teachings found in the Rig-veda and the other three ancient hymnodies are known as Vedic Yoga. The Sanskrit word veda means "Knowledge", while the Sanskrit word Rig means "Praise". Thus the sacred Rig-veda is the collection of hymns that are in praise of a higher power.The other three vedic hymnodies are the Yajur-veda ( knowledge of sacrifice) , Sama-veda (knowledge of chants) and Atharvana-veda ( knowledge of fire priest)
Pre classical Yoga:
This category covers an extensive period of approximately 2,000 years until the second century. Preclassical yoga in various forms and guises. The earliest manifestations were still closely associated with the vedic sacrificial culture as developed in the Brahmanas (are sanskrit texts explaining the vedic hymns and the rituals behind them) and Aranyakas ( are ritual texts specific to those who choose to live in seclusion in a forest hermitage)Classical Yoga:
This label applies to the eight fold yoga also known as Astanga-yoga or Raja-yoga taught by Patanjali in his yoga-sutra. This sanskrit text consisted of 196 sutras or aphorisms, which have been commented on over and over again through the centuries.The great saint Patanjali believed that each individual is a composite of matter (prakriti) and spirit(Purusha). He understood the process of yoga to bring about their separation. Thereby restoring the spirit in its absolute purity.
Post classical Yoga:
This is again a very comprehensive category, which refers to all those many types and schools of yoga that have sprung up in the period after Patanjali's yoga sutra and that are independent of this decisive work. In contrast to classical yoga, post classical yoga affrima the ultimate unity of everything. This is the core teaching of Vedanta, the Philosophical System based on the teachings of the Upanishads.What is yoga:
A systematic scientific process of self unfoldment.Yoga is the best curative and preventive medicine for most of the ills of man resulting from the so-called modern living.Classical Definitions:
__ YUJYATE ANENA ITI YOGAH ( Dictionary meaning) that which unites in yoga
__ YOGAH CHITTA-VRTTI-NIRODHAH ( Patanjali) yoga is the cessation of vrttis (modifications) of mind.
__ MANAH PRASAMANAH UPAYA YOGA- ITYABHI DHIYATE ( Vasistha) yoga is a (subtle) technique to calm down the mind
__ YOGAH KARMASU KAUSALAM ( KRsna) yoga is skill in action.
__ SAMATVAM YOGA - UCHYATE ( Bhagvad Geeta) Equanimity of mind in yoga
__ Sri Aurobindo says : Yoga clevates a man from the level of animal man to Divine man
__ Swami Vivekananda - Yoga is a way to condense the process of evolution. Concept of Yoga:
Yoga is an ancient discipline. It is recognized as one of the most important and valuable gifts of Indian culture ( Our Rishi Culture). It is a Science and art of pure life style. Yoga offers man a concious process to solve his problems. Yoga helps the man to evoke the hidden potentialities of man in a systematic and scientific way by which man become a fuller individual.
Yoga is NOT:
- A rope trick
- magic
- Exhibition of powers ( showing some difficult yoga postures)
- Physical Exercise
- Aerobics
- Asanas ( bending body) only
- Only for patients
- Age related
- Inhibitions
- easy chair philosophy
- Religion, money making or business
Streams of Yoga There are more than 40 types. Some important are
| Adhyatma- Yoga | Laya - Yoga |
| Kundalini - Yoga | Buddhi - Yoga |
| Mantra - Yoga | Dhyana - Yoga |
| Nada - Yoga | Guru - Yoga |
| Samadhi - Yoga | Japa - Yoga |
| Saptanga - Yoga ( Seven Limbs) | Shadanga - Yoga ( Six Limbs) |
| Kriya - Yoga | Tantra - Yoga |
| Sidda - Yoga | Yantra - Yoga etc. |
Modern Style:
| Chain Yoga |
| Simple Yoga |
| Artestic Yoga |
| Namste Yoga |
| Vinyasa Yoga |
| Power Yoga |
| Bikram Yoga |
| Jal Yoga ( Water yoga) |
Important Streams: Jnana Yoga - Union by Knowledge
Bhakthi Yoga - Union by love and devotion
Karma Yoga - Union by Action and Service
Raja yoga - Union by mental mastery ------ Ashtanga Yoga or Patanjali yoga
Hata Yoga - Union by Bodily mastery
Patanjali yoga Or Ashtanga Yoga:
Astanga Yoga consists of Bahiranga Yoga ( Indirect Method) and Antaranga Yoga( Direct Method) (Hatha Yoga pradipika of SWaatmarama deals solely with
physical discipline) Bahiranga or external has five steps or components:
Yama ( DON'Ts), Niyama ( Do's), Asana (Posture), Pranayama ( Breath Regulation)
and Pratyahara ( Mastery over senses) Yoga sutras of Patanjali deal with spiritual
discipline, you can call as Raja yoga aslo because it is a mastery of the self
Antaranga Yoga has three steps: Dharna ( intense concentration),
Dhyana ( Meditation) and Samadhi ( State of Super Consciouness)
There are five Yama: AHIMSA ( non-violence), SATYA ( not to tell a lie),
ASTEYA ( non-theft), BRAHMACHARYA ( non-indulgence)
and APARIGRAHA ( non- accumulation)
Niyama are also five: SAUCHA ( purity, both external and internal),
SAMTOSHA( contentment),
TAPAS ( austerity) ,
SWADHYAYA ( self- study) and
ISHWARA-PRANIDHANA ( surrender to the Divine)
Yama are negative in nature ( nishedha) whereas Niyama are positive ( vidhi).
Yama are for social harmony whereas Niyama are for individual growth. They are to be
practiced by thought ( Manasa), Word ( Vacha) and Deed ( Karmana) till a yogi is SET
( established) in these virtues as indicated in following sutras.
AHIMSA PRATISHTHAYAM TAT-SAMNIDHAU VAIRA-THAGAH
Abandonment of hosility in the presence of a yogi set in non-violence.
SATYA-PRATISHTHAYAM KRIYA-PHALA-ASRAYATVAM
Development of intuitive faculty in a yogi set in Truthfulness
ASTEYA- PRATISHTHAYAM SARVA-RATNA-UPASTHANAM
Knowledge of hidden treaure to a yogi set in Non-theft
BRAHMACHARYA PRATISHTHAYAM VIRYA-LABHAH
Gain of vigour for a yogi set in Non-indulgence
APARIGRAHA - STHAIRYE JANMA - KATHAMTA - SAMOBODHAH
Mystery of life resolved for one who is established in Non-possession
SAUCHAT SVANGA-JUGUPSE PARAIH - ASAMSARGAH
From ( practice ) of Purity, disillusionment and detachment from gross bodies
SATTVA-SUDDHI-SAUMANSYA-AIKAGRYA-INDRIYA-JAYA-ATMA-DARSANAA-YOGYATAMCHA
From mental purity Sattva, cheerfulness, concentration, mastery over senses and capacity to 'see' the Self
SAMTOSAT-ANUTTAMAH SUKHA-LABHAH
From Contentment, superlative happiness
KAYA-INDRIYA-SIDDHI-ASUDDHI-KSHAYAT TAPASAH
From Austerity, destruction of impurity and perfection of body and sense organs
SWADHYAYAT- ISTA-DEVATA-SAMPRAYOGAH
From Self-study, union with the desired deity.
SAMADHI-SIDHI-ISWARA-PRANIDHANAT
From Surrender to the Divine accomplishment of Samadhi
THEORY OF YOGIC PRACTICES- ASANAS
The Dynamic ( Hatha Yoga like) and Patanjalis's School of AsanasDynamic : Fast, witnrepetition
PATANJALI : Performed as per his following sutras:
1). Sthira Sukham Asanam ( Posture shold be stable and relaxed)
2). Prayatna Saithilya Ananta Samapatibhyam ( (Relax it) by withdrawing the effort and attuning to infinity)
3). Tath Dvandwa Ana-abhi-Gatah ( Then freedom from the pairs of opposite)
PATAJALI'S SUTRAS ABOUT ANTARANGA YOGA OR RAJA YOGA
DHARANA ( INTENSE CONCENTRATION)DESHA BANDHA CHITTASYA DHARANA
Holding the 'mind' at one point is Dharana
DHYANA ( MEDITATION)
TATRA PRATYAYA EKA-TANATA DHYANAM
(In the state of meditation) the 'object' is retained continously ( un-interrupted)
( in mind) (Un-interrupted flow of conciouusness towards the object)
SAMADHI ( STATE OF SUPER CONCIOUSNESS)
TADEVA ARTHA MATRA NIRBHASAM, SWARUPA SUNYAM IVA SAMADHI
(When) the same object only shines, as if(you) are not there, it is Samadhi
( In the state of samadhi only the object remains, the self is, as if, not there)
This is called TRIPuti BHANGA i.e, the merger of the Seer ( Subject), process of seeing
and Seen ( Object)
* Before coming to Dharana we have to learn Ekagranta ( concentartion) to tame
the randomness
of mind ( chanchalata)
CHANCHALATA (Multiple object, Multiple thoughts),
EKAGRATA ( Single Object, Multiple thoughts)
DHARANA ( Single object, Single thought ),
DHYANA ( Single object , single thought effortlessly) ,
SAMADHI( Only the object with single thought shines)
MEDITATION:
It may probably be desired from the same root as the latin word "mederi" meaning"to heal" meditation can certainly be looked on as a healing process, emotionally,
mentally and physically too.
METHODS OF MEDITATION:
* A few make an idea and follow it to arrive at a given result (Ex. Active Meditation)
* A few may sit down and try to concentrate on something without following an idea
( Ex: guided meditation)
* A few may sit to arrive true silence and tranquil with or without detatching from
external things for the spirtuality (ex. different school of meditation)
Concept:
a) Normal mind - money, food, jobs, hobby, etc.
b) Concentrating mind - Distraction + one object
c) Meditation mind- object of meditation
d) Contemplating mind - Cosmic consciouness
Mind:
Mind is nothing but Atma - Sakthi. The vast majority of men know not the existence of the mind and it's operations. It is only the Yogis and those who practise meditation and inrtospection knows the existence of the mind. Its nature, ways and suble workings
Types: Concious, sub concious, super concious, western philosphers-
sensational, rational and intuitive.
Mental Process: Cognition, desire, volition
Functions: Sensation, thought, volition
States: Active, passive , neutral ( Alpha, beta, theta, delta)
Activities: Thinking, planning, feeling, and knowing
Powers: Sensation, grasping, imagination, judgement, power to hold , etc.,
Note: The concious mind and unconscious mind hasso many powers. These powers
influences our attitudes, personality etc ( see TTC manual book)
Sanskar- Re- Engineering:
A sanskar is formed when a particular type of action or thought is repeated and after several repetitions it gradually becomes spontaneous, i.e.,natural, which is called 'habit'. We have repeated several unrighteous action due to body consciousness and finally had resulted into being loaded with some dichard sanskars (habits). Therefore to win over these dichard sanskars we have to form a selected positive sanskar and that shoul be so much emotionally dominant that it would merge out all the efforts of the existing negative sanskar ( see manual for details)
Yogic concept of human body:
According to the World Health Organization ( WHO) the state of health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual well being and not merely an absence of disease or infirmity. As per the yogic tradition and taittariya upanishadic principles, there are five sheathes of existence of man called 'kosha' yogic management ( therapy) provides various techniques to bring back the balance of each koshas.
1) Annamaya Kosha( physical ) - Asanas, kriyas, diet and relaxation
2) Pranamaya Kosha ( prenic) - pranayama, breathing techniques, etc.
3) Manomaya Kosha ( Mental) - Mediation , devotional sessions, alpha music therapy
4) Vijnanomaya Kosha ( rational) - National corrections through councelling
5) Anandamaya Kosha - Practice of joy in all circumstance and work in relaxation ( Karma Yoga, Seva Yoga) Chakras ( Psychic energy centres):
If the aim is to relax and gain optimum physical benefit from yoga practices, it is necessary to concentrate on something. By directing the mind to a specific region of the body or the breath, the effect will be increased. These particular region is called chakras associated with the major nerve plexuses ( medical Science and endocrine glands in the body. The major chakras are seven in number and are locted along the pathway of the spiral cord for practice, sanskrit alphabet, petals, location mantra ( sound), healing, colour ( see TTC manual)
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOGASANA AND PHYSICAL EXCERCISE:
YOGASANA:
1. Aim to achieve sense of well-being
2. Static in nature
3. Slow, steady movements
4. Possible to practice throughout life without limitations
5. No fatigue and injury
6. No violent muscle movement
7. Stimulates para sympatactic nervous system
8. Solutions ( weight loss) is permanent
PHYSICAL EXERCISE:
1. Awards and trophies
2. Dynamic
3. Fast movements
4. There is limitations ( age, injury)
5. Fatigue and injury
6. Violent muscle movement
7. Stimulates sympathetic nervous system, etc
8. Solutions may not be permanent.
.
Santhosh Kumar,
Sumana Complex ,SBM building,
9th Cross , 2nd Main,
Gokulam 3rd Stage,
Mysore,
Email Copyright © Yogadarshanam, Maintained by Surabhi Softwares, Mysore
Email Copyright © Yogadarshanam, Maintained by Surabhi Softwares, Mysore