The meaning of yoga is to connect the soul with God. Moksha (salvation), freedom from all kinds of pain through a balanced life, is the ultimate goal of yoga. Eliminating mundane and trivial cravings that arise in the mind is yoga.
Yoga is a technique by which man exercises control over his physical and mental being in order to attain hitherto unattained states of bliss and be able to conjecture about God or the Supreme Soul, the Parmatma, and the creation and existence of these world to think about. Yoga offers a path to ultimate salvation as well as a more temporal path, temporal in terms of alleviating unhappiness, the kind that surely results from ill health.
The practice or process of yoga is very beneficial for maintaining good health. It helps maintain both physical and mental health, which neither taking pills nor drinking potions can achieve. Yoga helps to overcome mental depression and achieve balance between body and soul. It increases working capacity and benefits the brain by increasing retention and memory.
Yoga is known as Astanga or Eight Facet Yoga and these eight facets are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
Yama: It stands for ahimsa, benevolence towards all living beings, respect and tolerance and objectivity in all feeling, doing and observing.
Satya (Truth): One must always speak and think truthfully.
Asteya (abstaining from stealing): One who overcomes such an act is showered with gems.
Brahmacharya (Celibacy): It is when the mind merges with the Parabrahma or the highest level of consciousness. Brahmacharya would include the abolition of: thinking about sexual partners, chanting about attractions, about women, dating, interacting with other potential partners, other women, coitus and voyeurism, watching entertainment with stimulating content, reading books or discussing or viewing material with pornographic content , and Kriya Nispathi.
Rutu Kala: One may indulge oneself only with one’s lawful wedded wife or husband, and only during Rutu Kala, the period beginning on the fourth day after menstruation and ending on the sixteenth.
Aparigraha: While fun, many of the things we do and depend on, such as some of the foods we eat, are not good for us and must be given up.
Niyama: It includes the five concepts of cleanliness, contentment, penance, swadhyaya and ishwari pranidhana.
Santoshadanuttama Sukha Labha; Being truly happy and content is a state of mind.
Vidhinoktera Margena Kricchra Chandra Yanadibhi:|
Sareera Soshanam Prahu Stapa Sasta Pa Uttanam||
He advocates a frugal life.
Karyendrisiddhirasuddhi Kshaya Staasa:|
Practice the Vedas and Mantras, the root of which is the Gayatri Mantra, strictly according to the procedure prescribed in the Shastras.
Kamatos Kamatospi Yatkaromisubhasubhi|
Tatsarvam Twayivinyasya Twatparata Yuktaha karomyoham||
One should give one’s soul to God and devote one’s work to Him, regardless of whether one’s work brings any material gain.
Samadhi Siddhirswareeswara Pranidhanath|
By practicing yama and niyama and the asanas of yoga, one is able to gain control over one’s body, mind and spirit and thereby gain control over disease.
When the focus of the practice is on the antaratma, the inner spirit of the soul, it is called hathayoga, and when that focus is on the atma or one’s mentality, it is called rajayoga.
In summary, the yoga asanas help condition the body, mind and spirit to be immune to overcome disease, but before asanas can be practiced an appropriate state of mental readiness must be achieved.
The practice of yoga involves the imposition of considerable self-discipline in diet and the activities one engages in. A Satvic diet is advocated for those who wish to take up yoga as a practice. The practitioner’s diet must consist of foods that are healthy and confer strength and well-being, foods of a quality comparable to those offered to the gods.
Yoga can be practiced on different levels and is therefore a useful activity. The place to practice yogasanas must be clean and airy but not windy. It should not be performed in an unclean or smelly area, nor should it be performed on a roof or in a basement.
Before the end of the session, the practitioner should be sweating slightly. At this stage, before bathing, he or she should rub off the sweat on the body itself. At the end of a yogasana session, the body should not be exposed to a breeze for at least an hour, otherwise it will lose strength. Sweat should be rubbed onto the body itself before a bath in lukewarm or hot water. One should not fast or go without food while practicing yoga. Yoga practitioners should respect and obey God, their elders, the gurus and parents.
Yoga practice is beneficial for all ages and genders, starting around the age of eight. Practicing yoga is not recommended for pregnant women. Regular practice of yogasanas rejuvenates the body. It relieves physical and mental ailments.
Asanas in yoga and their benefits:
The Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara):
A suitable starting point for yoga practice is the Surya Namaskara or Salutation to the Sun. The sun salutation brings happiness to the body, mind and senses. It’s good for the heart. The regular performer will live long, alive and well, with a strong and sturdy body and sharp intellect.
Kurmasana:
This exercise reduces mucus buildup in the chest and throat. It is also good for the heart, lungs and cardiovascular system, in addition to strengthening the chest and back.
Padmasana:
It improves consciousness and intellect and leads to mental stability. On a physical level, it will reduce the fat in your thighs.
Sarvangasana:
This exercise stimulates the thyroid and genitals in both men and women. It is also useful in hemorrhoids, hernias and menstrual disorders. But it should not be practiced by people suffering from cervical spondylitis.
Matsyasana:
It offers benefits for patients with bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus.
Bhujangasana:
This exercise is good for developing the ligaments of the back and beneficial for sufferers of back pain. It also benefits those with coughs and respiratory conditions, ridding the body of fat or fatty tissue around the abdomen.
Dhanurasana:
This exercise is designed to relieve stomach discomfort and improve digestion.
Shirazana:
This exercise, which culminates in a headstand, improves blood flow to the brain and induces a high level of conditioning in the body. It stimulates the thyroid and pituitary glands and is good for relieving a condition known as orchitis as well as dysfunctions related to masculinity. It improves blood flow to the brain, benefiting all brain functions. But it should not be practiced by people suffering from high blood pressure, otitis media and eye diseases.
Shavasana:
It is good for lowering blood pressure, promoting sleep, maintaining a calm state of mind and instilling a sense of peace.
Vajrasana:
It offers the benefits of relieving stiffness in the knees and legs and relieving edema.
Hansasana:
It improves digestion, relieves constipation and stimulates the pancreas. This exercise helps relax your wrists and strengthen your arms.
Mayurasana:
This exercise promotes abdominal secretions, relieves indigestion and indigestion, and nourishes the abdominal muscles.
Pavanamuktasana:
It relieves constipation and digestive problems.
Sputa Vajrasana:
This exercise relieves stiffness and pain in the back and joints.
Chakrasana:
This is used to stimulate the nervous system and also offers benefits for asthma, constipation and diabetes. But it should not be practiced by people suffering from stomach ulcers, herniated discs and heart diseases.
Swasthikasana:
This helps the lower limbs lose fat while eliminating stiffness in them. It is also good for stimulating the circulatory system and the mind.
Bhadrasana:
It shapes the thighs and is beneficial for the bladder and urogenital tract.
Simhasana:
This is an exercise for the throat, salivary glands and people with tonsillitis.
Siddhasana:
It is a classic pose for meditation that has been adopted by a variety of sages over the years.
Kukkutasana:
It is helpful for those suffering from constipation and urinary retention.
Gomukhasana:
This exercise is beneficial for the spinal cord, in the treatment of abdominal disorders and aids in digestion.
Facets of Yoga (Samadhi):
This is the eighth facet of yoga, enabling the practitioner to attain a state from which salvation is possible. This is the ultimate goal of yoga practice. Samadhi can take two forms:
Samprajnata Samadhi: Samadhi attained by rejecting attachments to the material world is called Savikalpa or Samprajnata Samadhi.
Asamprajnata Samadhi: It is the final point, when the mind detaches itself from the material world, all sufferings disappear along with the image, sight and senses.
Classification of Yoga:
There are a number of ways to develop awareness. All are yoga of one kind or another. They can be classified as:
- Jnanayoga: Attaining realization through knowledge.
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Karma Yoga: Achieving realization through action.
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Bhaktiyoga: Attaining realization through devotion.
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Mantra Yoga: Achieving realization through mantra.
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Rajayoga: Attain realization through meditation.
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Hathayoga: Attain realization through practice and meditation.
Yoga improves both mental performance and activity. Yoga maintains and protects health by producing antibodies in the blood and regulating the mind.
In the modern world, with air and water pollution and declining nutrition in food due to adulteration and synthetic production, there are many health threats. Yoga and meditation have proven positive health effects and are gaining recognition and popularity around the world.
Thanks to Watham Zenith Chanu
