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YogaYoga is a Sanskrit word. It has many meanings. It is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning 'unite'. Union of Jivatma (Individual soul) with paramatma (Universal soul or God) is called Yoga. Meaning of Yoga is very vast. Yoga is associated with all the religions of India. Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism have adopted meditation practices of Yoga. Yoga is also one of the six Astika (orthodox) schools of Hindu philosophy. Texts on Vedas, Upanishads, Hindu Tantras and Buddhist Tantras have all extensively use the Yogic practices. Major branches of Yoga are Jnanayoga, Bhaktiyoga, Karmayoga and Rajayoga. Veda and Upanishads are the source of Jnanayoga, Narada Bhaktisutra is a text on Bhaktiyoga, Bhagavadgita is an authoritative text on Karmayoga and Patanjala Yoga sutras on Rajayoga. Bhagavadgita covers all the major Yogas. Hathayoga is a major branch of Rajayoga. Hathayoga Pradipike, Shiva Samhita and Gheranda Samhita are the major texts on Hathayoga. Now a days in West the word "Yoga" is more associated with physical exercises and yogasanas which have therapeutic use. The word "Yoga" is mainly associated with Hathayoga and Yogasanas(Postures). A beginner in the path of Yoga is called Yogarudha. An advanced practitioner of Yoga is called "Yogi"(masculine gender) and "Yogini" (feminine gender) History of yogaThe origin of Yoga can be found in the time of Vedas. Meditation was the only method by which ancient seers tried to discover the nature of things. Vedas, Upanishads were the results of deep meditation and ascetic practices(Tapas). The ascetic practices are referenced in Upanishad, Veda and Brahmana (900 BCE and 500 BCE) . Main textual sources for the concept of Yoga are Upanishad, (ca. 400 BCE) Great epics Ramayana(400 BCE), Mahabharata (5th c. BCE) , Bhagavadgita and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Bhagavadgita and Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are the authoritative scriptures on Yoga. Bhagavadgita describes four Yogas namely, Karmayoga, Rajayoga, Jnanayoga and Bhaktiyoga. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali mainly concentrates on Rajayoga. Yoga in Bhagavad GitaBhagavadgita(song of God) is a part of great epic Mahabharatha. It has eighteen chapters. In Bhagavadgita Lord SriKrishna teaches Arjuna in the middle of the war field. It is very strange that one of the greatest spiritual works i.e. Bhagavadgita was taught in the middle of war field. Bhagavadgita is a very popular scripture in India. Hundreds of commentaries were written on Gita. In Bhagavad Gita Lord SriKrishna teaches four main divisions of Yoga. Although aim of these Yogas are same, they are told so as to suite the intrinsic nature or dominent nature of a Sadhaka or practitioner of Yoga. They are
Yoga Sutras of PatanjaliThe great Sage Patanjali formulated the Yoga sutras(formula). It is very precise and practicle as mathematics. Yoga is one of Shad Dashanas (Six orthodox philosophical schools i.e
Although Yoga of Patanjali agrees with Sankhya Philosophy, it is more theistic than Sankhya. Patanjali is known as the founder of formal Yoga Philosophy. The Yoga of Sage Patanjali is known as Rajayoga. Sage Patanajali in his Yogasutra defines Yoga as "Yogaschitta vritti nirodhaha". Yoga is the cessation of mental waves. Swamy Vivekananda describes this sutra as "Yoga is restraining the mind (Chitta) from taking various forms (Vrittis)" Rajayoga is also called as Ashtanga Yoga(Eight-limbed Yoga).The eight limbs of Rajayoga are
In the third chapter "Vibhutipada", Sage Patanjali give Sutras to attain super human powers. The last chapter is about "Mukti" (liberation, self-realisation). Yoga in other traditionsBuddhismYoga is the base for all the practices of Indian religions. Buddhism and Yoga are very closely connected to the spriritual practices of Indian religions. Yoga is widely used for all the practices, meditations of practical Buddhism. Buddhism-YogacharaYogachara means practice of Yoga.(Achara means practice). The Yogic practices which lead to Nirvana (enlightenment) in Buddhism is called Yogachara. The Yogachara and Madhyamika are the two main schools of Mahayana Buddhism. Zen (cha'n/Seon) BuddhismZen, Chan or Seon is derived from the Sanskrit "Dhyana" meaning meditation. Zen Buddhism is a form of Mahayana Buddhism. Zen uses the meditative methods of Yoga. Philosophy of Mahayana Buddhism is very much similar to that of Yoga Philosophy. Main ArticleTantraMain divisions of Indian spirituality are Veda and Tantra. In the beginning Tantra meant a special knowledge. In course of time Tantra became the scholl of Shakti worship. Tantra means tehnique of spreading knowledge and giving protection to the Sadhakas of Tantra. Divisions of YogaClassical YogasImportant divisions of Yoga are:
Yogas based on the principles of Rajayoga
Other Yogas
Texts
List of Yoga Schools and Gurus
Aim of YogaAim of Yoga slightly differs for main divisions of Yoga i.e., Karmayoga, Jnanayoga, Bhaktiyoga, and Rajayoga. Although the descriptions of Moksha or Mukti in each Yoga slightly differs, ultimately they concur at the last point. The main aim of Yoga is liberation (Mukti or Moksha). Liberation from the wheel of Samsara i.e., from the cycle of birth and death is the goal monist schools of Advita. Introduction to Yoga: Yogasana:The aim of Yogasana (Yoga Posture) is to attain transquility of the body. It is the first step in yoga, as it leads to transquility of body and mind. Before doing Yogasana's we should first look into the concept of Asana in the eyes of Patanjali. He says "stira sukhamasanam". Asana should be firm and comfirtable. Based on this aphorism we should move in to the practice of Asanas. According to some scriptures there are only eighty four Asanas. Some says there are eighty four lac Asanas. They mean Asanas are countless. Authorative scripture on Yogasana, Hathayoga Pradipike lists only few Asanas and proceeds to Pranayama and other practices. Sage Patanjali in his Patanjala Yoga Darshana gives only three sutras (Aphorisms) for Asana.
First Sutra on Asana is "stira sukhamasanam". On the first sutra, great commentaror Vyasa says "That which is firm and comfirtable is Asana. He says some Asanas, they are, Padmasana (Lotus posture), Virasana, Bhadrasana, Swastikasana, Dandasana, Paryankaasana, Krounchanishadaasana, Hastinishadana, Ushtranishadana and Samasamsthaana. On second Sutra he comments, you get success in doing Asanas by minimizing your efforts and meditating on Anantha or infinity. Anantha is also God serpents. It is a customary practice in Yoga to begin practice by soluting the God Anantha. On the third Sutra he says when one succeeds in doing Asanas he will not be affected by opposites i.e., cold or heat and other things. The view of Patanjali is very much different from ordinary physical culture. In his view Asana is an aid to advanced practices of Yoga. Body is the foundation for all spiritual practices. It should help one in doing meditations for long time. Patanjali gives only broad outlines for doing yogasana. He does not prescribe a particular Asana, how much one should breath, whether in right or left nostril etc. Asana is the first step in the sadhana of getting into subtle realms of mind through body. In the next sutra Patanjali tells a wonderful thing. Success in Asana comes by minimizing the effort. This will look absurd to modern mind. How success can be achieved by lessening the effort? How is it possible? Modern mind is filled with the idea that more effort leads to quick success. But the eastern mind thinks the other way. Yoga should not be done as in body building exercises. In these physical exercises increase in efforts leads in increase in body size and strength. Understand the subtlity of this Sutra. Patanjali says to minimize the efort while doing Asana. He means Asanas should not be done forcibly. Persistent and minimized effort will lead in quick success in Asanas. Hard and forcible practices should be avoided. Patanjali advocates a smoother and body friendly method of doing Yogasana. In the second part of the second aphorism on Yogasana Patanjali says Asana will be achieved by meditating on Anantha, "prayatnasheythilyaananta samapattibhyam". What is Anantha? According to some Anantha is the King of Serpents. Anantha is the name of infinity also. One meaning of this Sutra is by meditating on the infinite Asana will be achieved. According to Vysa meditating on Lord Anantha Yogasana becomes easy by the grace of Lord Anantha. Patanjali's greatness is that, he deduced these Sutras as mathematical formulas. He is more of a mathematician than a seer. All great personolities like Buddha, Christ, Mahavira; although they were enlightened they become emotional at some point. Patanjali differs from them at this point. At no point in his Sutras he becomes emotional. He does not advocate a theory or dogmas. He shows a way which is logical and mathematical. He gives you methods by which you can realize the truth yourself. Then in the third Sutra he says after the Asana is achieved the practitioner will not be affected by the opposites, such as cold or heat. When practitioner is stabilized in Asana he will not experience cold or heat. Even extreme cold or extreme heat cannot affect him. This is a very important step in the long journey of Yoga Sadhana. Patanjali tells the Sadhaka to proceed to Pranayama after achieving success in Asana. Yogasana in Hathayoga:Hathayoga Pradipike gives only some important Asanas which are accepted by Great sages such as Vasishta and Great Yogis such as Matsyendra. They are:
PranayamaThere are eight important Pranayamas according to Hathayoga Pradipike. They are:
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