eng what is yoga

7/31/2019 Eng What is Yoga

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The wisdom and techniques of yoga brought to you in a simple and Joyful manner

What is Yoga?

Perform action, O Arjuna, being steadfast in Yoga, abandoning

attachment, and balanced in success and failure.

Evenness of mind is called Yoga.

The Bhagvad Geeta

Yogash Chitta Vriti Nirodha.

A wave uniting with the depth is Yoga.

Sri Sri

yuj

Lord ShivaParvati

It is an inherent desire in humans to be happy. The ancient sages, through

inquiry about life, were able to reach a state of consciousness in which the


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secrets of healthier, happier and meaningful living were revealed to them.

Sages called that secret and sacred knowledge Yoga.

The term Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, meaning union; the

union of the individual consciousness with the universal Consciousness. The

knowledge of yoga can be found in ancient scriptures dating back over 5000

years. According to Hindu mythology, this knowledge was first revealed by

Lord Shiva to his wife Parvati (also known as Shakti, the cosmic creative

energy).

Yoga transcends any religion or culture. Its application is universal. Yoga is

not merely a form of exercise for the body, but a path towards total harmony

of body, mind and spirit. It is ancient wisdom for a healthier, happier and morepeaceful way of living that ultimately leads to Self-realization, the union with

the Self. It was from this state of union when Jesus said Me and My Father

are one.

http://srisriyoga.info/index.html

Different Paths of Yoga

Yoga is the journey as well as the goal.

Just as all rivers lead to the ocean, all paths of yoga

lead to Self-realisation.

There are many paths of yoga prescribed in the scriptures. Though the

journey may begin on any single path, for full blossoming and fulfillment, a

multi-path approach needs to be followed. All paths can be categorized into

following primary paths.

1. Bhakti Yoga The Path of Devotion


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Gods love is unconditional.

Acknowledging that love and reflecting it

back to God is devotion. Blossoming of

devotion toward God is the sweetestexperience one can have. Devotion means

being in a state of complete surrender to

God. It is the willingness to serve God with

love and with feelings of gratefulness. A

devotee sees divinity everywhere and yet has an intense longing for God.

Love toward God can take many forms with many different feelings. For

example, it can be the feeling of a true friendship with God; of being a faithful

servant to God; of being a beloved of God; of being a child of God; or of being

a parent to God.

A devotee transcends worldly sorrows or pains. It is in devotion that one

experiences total freedom from fear and worry. Devotion is the simplest way

of receiving freedom from worldly bondage. A true devotee has no self-

desires, including the desire for liberation.

Devotion in ones heart is kindled by the grace of a guru, by being in the

company of other devotees, and by reading and listening to the stories of

other devotees.

Those who worship the imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest,

the omnipresent, the unthinkable, the immovable and the eternal,

fixing their mind on God, ever steadfast and endowed with supreme

faith, are the best in Yoga.

The Bhagvad Geeta

2. Karma Yoga The Path of Selfless Service

Karma Yoga is the path of serving others selflessly:

putting in 100% effort but not expecting anything in

return. Karma Yoga is closely linked to Bhakti Yoga for

without love and devotion it would not be possible to

serve others selflessly. Performing ones duties and

serving humanity without any selfish motives purifies

the heart and brings fulfillment.


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Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits; let

not the fruits of action be thy motive, nor let thy

attachment be to inaction. As the ignorant men act

from attachment to action, so should the wise actwithout attachment, wishing the welfare of the world.

The Bhagvad Geeta

3. Gnana Yoga The Path of Knowledge

We have read and heard that God is Omnipresent and every one is Divine.

And that the reality of life lies hidden behind what one can see or touch. For

most people, however, this is only a concept. The path of knowledge is the

experiential knowledge of the Self, it is wisdom that discriminates betweenthat which is real and unreal. The true and the highest knowledge is the

knowledge of the Self. Though one begin begin on this path by

reading scriptures and listening to the wise, the knowledge flows

from within by the grace of the Guru. The knowledge gained by

reading or hearing only may give rise to the I know it attitude

which feeds the ego and can be an obstacle in ones spiritual

evolution. The wisdom or the knowledge of the Self, on the other hand, brings

surrender and devotion in ones life. A wise person remains unaffected by thetransient, unreal events in life.

The wise, ever steadfast in the knowledge of Self, excels. He

gradually evolves and realizes the Self. He is exceedingly dear to Me

and I am exceedingly dear to him. Such a great soul is very hard to

find.

The Bhagvad Geeta

4. Ashtanga Yoga Eight Limbs of Yoga

The mind is constantly engaged in all kinds of mental activity. The more

activity there is, the more clouded the mind is. When the mind is calm, ones

perception is clearer and one is free from fears and worries.

Patanjali, an ancient sage, defined yoga as the restraining of thought waves.

He compiled Patanjalis Yoga Sutras, the aphorisms of yoga, in which he

provides eight-limbed approach for the well-being and purification of body,

mind and soul.Eight- limbed approach, known as Ashtanga Yoga consists

practicing of: social ethics, individual ethics, postures, breath control,


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discipline of the senses, concentration, meditation, and self-

realisation or equanimity.

5. Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga, a very popular path of yoga, consists of some of the elements of

Ashtanga yoga, primarily, the Postures, Breath control, and Meditation.

http://srisriyoga.info/types.html

What is Sri Sri Yoga?

Sri Sri Yoga is a prayerful and balanced discipline, which offers a multi-pathapproach for uniting body, breath and mind with awareness. Sri Sri Yoga

brings you the wisdom and techniques of yoga in a very joyful, sincere and

thorough manner. A combination of gentle and vigorous series of asanas is

taught for the well-being of the body, while an equal emphasis is placed on

techniques for nurturing the mind and spirit.

Sri Sri Yoga brings you back to your natural self, thereby nurturing all the

virtues that you are born with.

For those interested in exploring their inner Being further, a vast ocean of
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knowledge and many meditative techniques are available through our Art of

Living courses.

http://srisriyoga.info/whatis_sri.html

Benefits of Practicing Yoga

Yoga and Body

On the physical level, some of the benefits of yoga are that it:

Improves flexibility, the range of joint movements, the posture and alignment

of the body, blood circulation and digestion.

Strengthens, nourishes and tones the muscles, joints, bones, internal tissues

and organs.

Enhances the function of endocrine glands;
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Provides prevention, relief and helps recovery from many illnesses such as

chronic pain, anxiety and panic, gastro-intestinal disorders, sleep

disturbances, fatigue, high blood pressure, headaches, depression, etc.;

Overall the body feels healthier, more energetic, balanced, graceful, withgreater immunity to disease and stress-related effects.

Yoga and Mind

If the mind is well, all else feels well. That is why, in Sri Sri Yoga, a great

importance is given to the wellness of mind.

With regular practice of yoga some of the benefits one experiences are:

More peacefulness and calmness

Improved alertness and clarityIncreased ability to deal effectively with short and long term stressful

situations.

Increased concentration of mind

Improved self-esteem

Decreased reliance on drugs.

Greater energy and enthusiasm for life.

Yoga and Spirit

It is the ignorance alone that keeps one from seeing the reality of life.

Ignorance alone is the cause of all sufferings. Through the regular

practice of yoga one develops skills and experiencial understanding

to see the reality of life and appreciate its beauty. When you see the

beauty in life, you are able to admire and adore the Creatorthe

Spirit---the God. You see the Divine presence every where including in

yourself. You form a stronger and loving connection with yourself

which brings fulfilment and a meaningful purpose to life. It is out of

this fulfilment you experience unconditional happiness and are able

to share this joy with others. http://srisriyoga.info/benefits.html
http://srisriyoga.info/benefits.htmlhttp://srisriyoga.info/benefits.html

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