Author: Seema Berwal

Many people already know, What yoga is? However, many people do not know. In this article, we will find out what yoga is. After a few minutes of reading, you will have a good idea of yoga and why people rave about it.

The word yoga comes from Sanskrit, considered the world’s oldest language. The Sanskrit word Yuj means “To Yoke.” Therefore, yoga means joining, connecting, and becoming one with the universe. Yoga is aligning one’s body, mind and spirit to the universal energy. It is a technique to know oneself inside out.

A yoga practitioner trains his body on the rhythm of his breath to gain peace, power and longevity. Slowly he moves towards more profound sadhana/practices, which help him know himself and the creation.

The yoga which is prevalent in today’s era is physical postures. These physical postures are known as Asanas in yogic terminology. These asanas create geometrical shapes of the body to channel universal energy through the head and spine, balancing sun and moon energy in the body. Healing occurs naturally when the cooling (Moon) and heating (sun) energies of the left and right nostrils balance; yoga does that. This is why people feel lighter after a few minutes of yoga practice and experience health benefits with regular exercise. It is proven that Yoga helps eradicate several mental and physical disorders.

THE SANSKRIT WORD “YUJ” MEANS “TO YOKE.” 

A farmer tames two Ox, yokes them together for farming, and cultivates the field. Likewise, a yogi tames his monkey mind, gathers his scattered bodily energy, and unites them together to develop higher awareness.

Is Yoga a Religion?

No, Yoga is not a religion. It is the outcome of years of research. This research was conducted by our ancient people/Yogis who sought answers to health, peace, longevity and enlightenment. It is a complete science which is based on energy. The energy that channels through each one of us without discrimination of colour, cast or creed.

The evidence says that it was more than 5000 years ago when yoga was discovered. Yogi lived in solitude to practice Sadhana. All yoga postures, breathing, and meditation techniques are scientific yet connected with nature. The teaching emphasises searching our connections to the roots to stay grounded to reach the sky and beyond. Yoga postures are designed to make the body and mind strong and aligned so that this life stays disease-free and Moksha/enlightenment can be activated in the end.

Yoga is for all. Yes, its roots are in India. It is said that there was no religion in the world at the time of the yogic period; only humanity existed. During the period of wars, scriptures were burnt. Yogis were killed. What we have now is only 84 asanas found in a rotten book. Many enlightened beings have treasured this wisdom for us and the coming generations.

Various Paths of Yoga

The rivers follow their paths to meet the mighty Ocean finally. The same is true of Yoga; no matter your path, the destination is the same.

• Bhakti Yoga – Yoga of Devotion.
• Karma Yoga – Yoga of Perfection in Action.
• Hatha Yoga – Yoga of Balance of (Ha = Sun and Tha = Moon) Prana.
• Ashtanga Yoga – Yoga of Eightlimbs (Asht = Eight, Anga = Limbs).
• Dhyan Yoga– Yoga of Meditation.
• Nada Yoga – Yoga of complete absorption of the mind in Nada (internal sound).
• Jyana Yoga – Yoga of knowledge.
• Kundalini Yoga – Yoga of rising the serpent power, Kundalini.
• Kriya Yoga – Yoga of movement. (Kriya = activity or action).
• Raja yoga – Yoga of Self-realisation.
• Tantra Yoga – Yoga of Tantra. (Tantra = A machine/technology/system ex. Digestive system) (Tantra is something that converts/transforms, a symmetrical drawing on a piece of wood or a metal transforms the negative into a positive).

Meaning of Yoga in various books

    Bhagwad Geeta, the highest song of Yoga, written about 5000 years B.C., says, “Yoga is Equilibrium. It is a path to a balanced life with complete knowledge of self, devoid of any dilemma or confusion”.

• Yoga is life.
• Yoga is Discipline.
• Yoga is a Lifestyle.
• Yoga is a conceptualization of living a Disease-Free Life. 
• Yoga is a sovereign remedy for all illnesses. 
• Yoga is the most glorious spiritual wisdom leading to “Aatma Saksatkar” self-realization.

Yoga is considered the most predominant way of overall personality development. It purifies the whole body, mind, and senses, freeing them from ailments and toxins. It enables us to rise above body and mind to connect with our inner self/Soul.

Yoga is scientifically proven, evidence-based science that does magical healing on the mind, body, senses, and spirit. It teaches us to know ourselves to be our doctors and sustain optimum health. It gives clarity to the mind and sharpens memory.

Regular yoga asana and pranayama (along with the other six limbs) even eradicate the past life karmas and evokes the Kundalini Shakti (Spiritual Powers).

“The body is the Chariot; the Soul is the passenger, the five senses are the five horses, and the Mind is Sarathi (the driver). When mind, body, and senses are hundred percent, the Soul unites with the Supreme Soul”. This Union is Yoga.

HOW TO START YOGA PRACTICE?

Patanjali Yoga Sutra begins with-

Atha Yoganushasanam. – Atha means now. Anushasanam means Discipline.

The very first thing required for a yoga practice is discipline. Discipline in diet, sleep and lifestyle. Dedication and commitment to a disciplined life are fundamentals for the desired outcome.

The Father of Yoga, Maharishi Patanjali, puts a great emphasis on diligently following the eightfold path (Ashtanga Yoga) of Yoga to attain this state of divine Union within, where there is “Shonya” (Zero/The state of nothingness).

This state of shoonya is “ParaAvastha,” Full Enlightenment. It is the state where the mind and body become fully conscious. In this state, there is no past, no future; only this moment exists. Yoga is practising divine Union within, in this very moment.

Determination, Dedication, and Discipline make it possible. read a few good yoga books for better understanding and help.

Must read Yoga Books

Yoga – Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow’s Vision

It is an excellent book for a beginner as well as a practitioner. This book explains why we do it, How we do it and What benefit we get from a yoga pose? The author has poured her lifetime experiential knowledge into this book for you to grow deeper in your yoga practice.

Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha

A Great Book! It covers all the essential yoga poses, their benefits and clear instructions to get in and out of yoga postures. This book contains knowledge of Mudra, Bandhas and Pranayama, which is the base of Yoga.

A Systematic Course in the Ancient Technique of Yoga and Kriya

Must-Have Book! This book helps you progress day by day. Designed consciously to help you achieve the goal starting from zero.

Hata Yoga Pradipika

This ancient text contains Sanskrit scripts, which are translated into English for you. This raw and organic text is essential for all yoga practitioners.

Inner Engineering

This is a life-changing text. We are so used to pointing our index finger towards others and forget about the other three fingers pointing back. This book helps us see those three fingers. Honestly, this will change your life and will help you grow in your spiritual journey.

The Benefits you will reap from these five books can not be described in words. Enjoy!

What is the use of Yoga in today’s modern life?

• Yoga helps you relax in the body; it helps you relax in your mind; it helps you relax in every uncomfortable life situation. 
• Yoga improves digestion, Respiratory System, the Nervous System, Circulatory System.
• Yoga improves Skin, strengthens the Muscular System, and makes the body flexible.
• Yoga calms the mind and improves the function of the five sense organs (Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue, and Skin). 
• Yoga gives clarity to make conscious and wise decisions in day-to-day life. 

Try it Now! 

just one-hour session a day. The rule is simple, The more you do, the more you get. 

All you need is a Yoga Mat and a quiet place to start. Start experiencing yourself, connect with yourself and eradicate your physical and metaphysical ailments with YOGA.

It is my wish and prayer that you grow deeper in your practice to rise above all worldly suffering and shine inside out!

Love and Light

Seema

Dhayana is the 7th limb of Ashtanga Yoga.

Dhyana is Meditation. After establishing total concentration, a Yogi progresses to the next level of meditation on the divine consciousness to discover the ultimate truth.

Yogis say; meditation should not be performed on some physical form or object. It can be a distraction. The God is within. It is omnipresent universal energy that sustains the entire cosmos. That entire cosmos is within you so work on knowing yourself to know God. Meditation 🧘‍♀️ is a great tool in the process.

Our objective in coming to the earth is to know ourselves. This “self-realization” is achieved through meditation. 

There should only be one objective, live each day to the fullest with joy, happiness, and unconditional love; each night, say to yourself, “I have known myself a little more today”. 

Knowing the world is not that important. The world is an illusion. It is only the reflection of our mind. It is what we perceive, and this perception is based on the samskara/imprints on the mind and the soul. The truth is not outside, it is inside. 

“If we attach the mind with Peace, Peace comes to us; if we attach the mind with tension or worry, Worry/depression come to us. It is the universal law of attraction”. This art of self-realisation is Meditation.   

Now is the moment. Any pain, physical or emotional discomfort, address it now. Unaddressed emotions or bodily symptoms get built up over time and become the hindrance on your path of self-realisation. “Meditation is an art of releasing the build-up physical, mental and emotional toxins, untying knots and knowing the pure self, dwelling in this body”.

Everyone wants to stay young forever; it is possible. Let’s find out how?

Eat well! Sleep well! Exercise well! 

Everyone knows that, right? Getting there is difficult because an underlying factor known as stress interferes with everything. Stress causes aging. To get on top of everything, we need to leave stress behind.

Easier said than done, however possible.

Life is a series of events, either good or bad. It is human nature to be happy in pleasant moments and sad in unpleasant moments. Everyone wants sunny days to last forever and live in a fairy tale that bad only happens to others. However, the reality is different. 

Life treats all the same. Everyone has to go through their share of suffering. There is no exception. There are always going to be difficulties and challenges. “Let’s learn not to bother and work on finding solutions.”

The second big problem is “Reminiscence.” There is a problem with all of us. We have a background reel playing in our minds 24 by 7, sometimes pleasant and sometimes distressing. I observed it when I first started to meditate. OMG, I could not even focus on my breath for a short period, like one bloody minute. I sat determined to focus on my breath and my body, but each time I failed miserably. I discovered that the mind loves to live in the past or dream about the future. I discussed it with my teacher, and she said, “It is normal.” Every one of us has the same problem. We do not notice it when we are too absorbed in our everyday routine. We realize it when we decide to be aware, mindful, and observant.

Try a conscious moment now; you will know what I am talking about.

Just relax and sit comfortably, bring your awareness to the nose and watch the breath going in and out of the body. Experience this moment when you connect to your breath and know yourself.

The people who live in the present make the most out of life.

The mind gets tired of too much thinking, especially about the unpleasant past. There is a science behind it – When something terrible happens, the body releases cortisol, which gives us an extra kick to deal with that incident. The body goes into fight or flight mode. This hormonal dysfunction shuts the kidneys; the heart and lungs shrink, the brain gets deprived of oxygen, and body cells start dying. It also disturbs digestion, absorption, and elimination; as a result, toxins build up in the body, and we age before age. 

Reminiscence is ok for some time; however, overindulgence in sad memories is harmful. Past incidents take a toll on the body. The body releases the same hormones each time we re-live the past in our thoughts. Some of us keep dwelling on the same episode for years, which means years of living in parasympathetic mode. Consequently, diseases start to harbour in the dark areas of the body. Then we blame the universe for choosing us for all the pain, heartbreaks, and illnesses in the world. 

No, my dear universe did not pick you for the pain and disease. It was your choice. Sounds bitter but true. The universe works on a set law –

Laws of living. This suffering is the consequence of breaking the rules of the universe. When we constantly dwell in sadness, we tend to start shallow breathing, which means the lungs cannot supply enough oxygen to the blood; consequently, the digestive system gets stuffed. 

For the Liver, stress is as harmful as alcohol; every negative emotion causes significant damage to its function. Gallstones, liver cirrhosis, and fatty Liver develop from years of stress, unhealthy diet, and lifestyle. 

The fact is, the universe wants you to be happy, Always! 

No matter what life brings, accept it and live through it. It is ok to cry for a moment. It is ok to vent out to friends, and it is ok to seek help from therapists. It is ok to be not ok for a bit. However, do not let sadness be part of your personality for a more extended period.

Another enemy – “It was not me; it was that person….” This is called “Blame Business.” We are accountable for all of what has happened. 

Point one finger out to someone, threefold in towards you.

Forgive and move on!

Make your mistakes, your teacher!

Avoid patterns that do not serve You!

Be your best friend and start taking care of yourself!

Continuously, work on becoming a better version of yourself!

Each day, work on adding virtues to your character. By doing so, the stress level drops, and the happiness parameter rises. You start living in permanent bliss. Calm, relaxed, joyful, and carefree, yet energetic and enthusiastic. You possess clarity of mind, wisdom, kindness, and understanding toward everyone you meet. 

Stay conscious of your thoughts. Each time you catch stress in your head, drop it off there and then. It’s not worth carrying the weight that makes you old and wrinkly before age. Replace worry with contemplation. 

Open to the possibilities of life; you can create what you desire.

Use these inner qualities to stay forever young and shine inside out.

Love and Light

Seema