Essence of Yoga!
Yoga is a system of self transformation that brings us into harmony with all living forms. Yoga originated in India approximately 5000 years ago. The yoga tradition has developed into many different types of yoga. Often we start with the physical aspects of yoga, asana practice. But yoga is more then a physical practice. Yoga is intended to be a tool and help us embody love, peace, joy, happiness and connect with the flow, the path to unification and to celebrate our essence.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is the guide of classical or raja (royal) yoga.
It was written at least 1,700 years ago and it is made up of 195 sutras, or words of wisdom. Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga can be seen as a path for enlightment and liberation, and lead us through a natural cycle of self-transformation. The eight limbs are: Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi.
Yamas,universal guidelines for ethical and intelligent behavior.
Ahimsa:practicing and choosing nonviolence.
Asteya: non coveting and non stealing.
Brahmacharya: harmonizing your desires.
Aparigraha: non attachment, practicing generosity.
Niyamas, rules of personal behavior and attitude, qualities expressed in an evolutionary personality.
Shauca: purity, practice of keeping mind, heart and body pure.
Santosha: contentment, mindfulness of living in the moment, inner acceptance.
Tapas: purity, discipline, passionate commitment and reflection.
Svadhyaya: practice self study of the higher Self.
Isvara-pranidhana: devotion and communion with God, surrender to the Divine energy of the universe.
Asana: posture, seat, connection to the earth. Yoga Sutra, ch. 2, v. 46: "Asana or posture is that which is stable and comfortable. When properly practiced, one is both alert and relaxed." Sthira-sukham asanam: The connection to the earth should be steady and joyful.
Pranayama: conscious breathing, the art of extending your vital energy. prana: life force, life energy, yama: to extend. Breath is life, the most fundamental expression of being alive.
Our breath is the best guide in yoga. By noticing our breath during
asana practice we can start to feel were there is restriction in the
body. The breath has a direct link to the mind and can reveal truths
about our emotions and body. Through the practice of yoga the breath
will naturally lengthen and become more steady. That brings stillness
and peace to the mind.
Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the senses. It is the process of directing our senses inward in order to recognize the sensations of our inner world. Pratyahara which also means "flowing towards center" provides a bridge from outer to inner.
Dharana: focusing attention and concentration. To bind your attention to a single point. The one-pointed focus can be placed on anything such as your breath, your heart, your third eye, or a mantra etc. The more we encourage the mind to focus on that thing, the stronger that connection becomes. Dharana eventually leads spontaneously to Dhyana.
Dhyana: (meditation) sustaining attention, like a stream of flowing water, a form of self-exploration were
we practice stillness to know and experience our true self. Yoga Sutra, ch 3, v 2: "Continuing the state of attention causes an uninterrupted creative flow in relation to the idea or object." Meditation can be a walk in nature or other movement meditation, a process of observation or visualization, to stay with a feeling or sensation in a mindful sense, or ritual with a sacred mantra and mudra.
Samadhi: super-conscious state, absorption.
Hatha Yoga is
the form of yoga that emphasize the physical aspects. Ha means sun
(solar) and tha means moon (lunar). In hatha yoga we balance the solar
and lunar energies in our body. It is a vigorous practice of
purification, a path of action.
Prana is the sanskrit word for breath. The meaning of prana is life force, vital energy. Prana is the animating source that brings life. Prana flows in channels (nadis) throughout the body. The body has around 72,000 nadis. The 3 most important nadis are sushumna nadi, and ida- and pingala nadis.
They run from the base of the spine up to the crown of the head.
Chakrasare spiraling energies that run up through the sushumna nadi. In our body we have 7 main chakras and they are main receivers of prana. Through attention and intention with asanas, pranayama, mudras, visualization/meditation we can open up to the positive qualities of every chakra and create balance within our emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual body.
Mudras are yoga in your hands. Mudra means seal. Anyone can enjoy these healing mysterious gestures while sitting, standing, lying down or walking. Mudras can create a healing quality and can improve the quality of life.
Tantra is a development of early Hindu-Vedic thought. The different schools and philosophies of Tantra are many and varied. The Hindu Gods and Goddesses, especially Shiva and Shakti are embraced. In Tantric philosophy the universe is a divine play of Shakti, who is the creative power of the universe, and Shiva, who is the consciousness that exists everywhere.
Tantric practitioners seek to use prana that flows through the universe to attain spiritual well-being and to awaken into the vibrating field of consciousness. Tantra is about experience and embracing life fully in everything we do. There is no separation between our self and the Divine, the unity of all things resides within us.
Bhakti means devotion. Bhakti signifies a spiritual practice for God realization. Practicing bhakti is a path living life with an open heart and participating fully with a devotional state of mind.
Nataraja- The Lord of Dance represents the source of all movements, the God of Gods that is choreographing the eternal dance of the Universe. The dance of Shiva is called ananda tandava which means "dance of ultimate bliss." Shiva is dancing out of pure joy and bliss and his vibration is the longing for movement. The Lord of Dance has four arms. The upper right hand holds a drum which represents the heart beat of all creation. The front right hand is raised in the abhaya-mudra (have-no-fear mudra). The back left hand holds agni (fire). The flame represents Shiva's destructive and transforming energy, destroy to create something new. Front left arm reaches across the chest in the gahahasta (elephant trunk) pose that represents Shiva's grace, a way to liberation for everyone. The left leg is raised in grace and represents eternal bliss. Shiva's right foot is firmly rooted to depress a body of a demon representing ignorance. The ring flame around Shiva represents a timeless state of pure being. Around his waist he has a cobra which is Kundalini-Shakti, feminine creative power that resides within all. The place of Nataraja and his dance is taking place at the center of the universe. The center of the universe is within our heart. Om Namah Sivaya.
• • • • •
