General Information About Yoga
Yoga is the current of spirituality that has developed on the Indian peninsula over a period of some five thousand years. Its three major cultural branches are Hindu Yoga, Buddhist Yoga, and Jaina Yoga. Within each of these great spiritual cultures, Yoga has assumed various forms.
Hindu Yoga is the most diversified branch of the yogic tree, and its most important forms are Raja-Yoga ("Royal Yoga") - also known as Patanjala-Yoga and Classical Yoga, Hatha-Yoga ("Forceful Yoga"), Karma-Yoga ("Yoga of Action"), Jnana-Yoga ("Yoga of Wisdom"), Bhakti-Yoga ("Yoga of Devotion"), Mantra-Yoga ("Yoga of Power-Sounds"), Tantra-Yoga (Tantric Yoga), Kundalini-Yoga ("Yoga of the Serpent-Power"), and Laya-Yoga ("Yoga of Absorption").
Underlying all forms of Yoga is the understanding that the human being is more than the physical body and that, though a course of discipline, it is possible to discover what this "more" is. Hindu Yoga speaks of a transcendental Self (atman, purusha), which is eternal and inherently blissful, as our true identity. Buddhism and Jainism have their own distinct ways of describing the goal of the transformative path of Yoga.
Yoga entered the West mainly through the missionary work of Swami Vivekananda, who spoke at the Parliament of Religions in 1893. Since then Yoga has undergone a unique metamorphosis. In the hands of numerous Western Yoga teachers, most of whom have learned (Hatha) Yoga from other Westerner teachers rather than native Indian gurus, Yoga has been tailored to suit the specific needs of their countrymen and -women. Thus, by and large, Yoga has been secularized and turned from a rigorous spiritual discipline into an "instant" fitness system. However, there also has been a continuous influx of Indian gurus, who, with varying degrees of success, have tried to communicate the traditional teachings of Yoga.
A century after Swami Vivekananda's successful mission in the United States and Europe, the Western Yoga movement can claim perhaps 20 million members. Most of them are practitioners of one or the other system of Westernized Hatha-Yoga, with those who are spiritually motivated in their Yoga practice forming a small minority. Whatever the inherent problems of Western Yoga movement may be, it has grown steadily over the past hundred years, and more rapidly since the late 1960's. This is undoubtedly due to a combination of factors, not least the Baby Boomers' interest in alternative healthcare and their spiritual and moral confusion. Whether or not the Western Yoga movement will continue to hold appeal for Westerners depends on its degree of integrity and authenticity. Not only must it be informed by the knowledge of modern science, but it must also secure its traditional roots in the psychospiritual teachings of India.
Yoga is best known as a set of physical practices that include gentle stretches, breathing practices and progressive deep relaxation. These physical practices are intended to ready the body and mind for meditation as well as for a meditative perspective on life. These mediative practices include three goals that must be achieved.
1. Develop the capacity to withdraw the senses from focus on the outer world.
2 Develop the capacity to concentrate on a meditative subject - a candle flame, a sacred or uplifting word or image, or movement of breath.
3. This concentration leads into a wordless and timeless experience of inner peace.
Indian mystics, burning incense and exotic music, human beings twisted into pretzel shapes. Are these the image that come to mind when you think about yoga? While many mystics have used yoga as a way of communing with the universe, and while many practitioners do use aromatherapy and music to heighten their yoga experience, you don't need to give up any spiritual faith you now have (or even subscribe to any faith!) or spend any money on candles or CD's to have yoga enrich your physical and mental wellness. And no, you don't have to become a contortionist either! Anyone, from young child or senior citizen, can reap the spiritual, mental and physical benefits of yoga.
Physical Benefits
Yoga benefits the practitioner physically by increasing strength and flexibility. Some forms of yoga, such as Astranga yoga, greatly increase physical strength through a series of very demanding postures. Other forms benefit flexibility through a series of more gentle postures and stretches. Whatever your physical fitness goals, there is a style of yoga to benefit you. In fact, many world class atheletes incorporate yoga into their personal fitness routines. But you do not have to be an athelete to benefit. A recent popular hatha yoga course I taught contained a range of people from children to elderly adults, and those of both beginner and advanced fitness levels. The one thing they all had in common? They all enjoyed the gains and strength and flexibility yoga has to offer.
Mental Benefits
In today's chaotic world, most people suffer from stress - sometimes severe stress! Yoga benefits its practitioners mentally by offering a safe haven, a place to relax their mind and take some time to focus only on themselves and their goals. The deep breathing exercises counteract some of the physical signs of stress by decreasing the heart rate and releasing muscle tension. This leads to greater clarity of thought, and an ability to focus on life's difficulties through a renewed and energized perspective.
Spiritual Benefits
Although not every yoga practitioner subscribes to a particular religious or spiritual belief, through mediation, the practitioners of yoga have the opportunity to reflect on the spiritual side of life, and to get in touch with themselves and the universe. Meditation can involve getting in touch with whatever god one chooses to worship, or simply visualizing an awe inspiring natural setting (a beach, a mountaintop), and feeling in touch with the world that surrounds us.
Jnana Yoga
Jnana yoga is a path oriented towards realizing the eternal in its transcendent aspect. The emphasis of Jnana yoga is on the discernment of pure awareness from nature and all temporal phenomenon. The Jnana yogi seeks to uncover his true Self, the atman, in its state separate from body or mind. He believes that anything which undergoes change is not his Self, and should be transcended. Shankara and Ramana Maharshi are two of the best known exponents of this path, and the principal texts are the Braham Sutra and some of the Upanishads.
The sadhana of the jnana yogi consists in the practice of apply the maxim "neti, neti", "not this, not this", to anything which is not eternal. By denying what is transient, he hopes to abide in the eternal. By denying what is transient, he hopes to abide in the eternal. He seeks not so much to grow towards a spiritual goal, but to transcend all modifications of nature, that which has the potential for growth or decay.
The advantage of jnana yoga is that it provides a strong focus on the goal of Self-realization. Because the jnana yogi seeks the transcendent, he can remain detached from the emotional traumas, physical problems, and the desire for the fruits of yoga practice (such as siddhis, psychic powers) that plague aspirants on other paths. The disadvantage of jnana yoga is that it can easily draw the aspirant into a deluded mental condition. It is easy for the inexperienced aspirant to confuse the elevated state of transcendence of body and mind with his own psychological condition of dissociation from body and personality. The former is a state of enlightenment, the latter is closer to autism. Immature jnana yogis often fail to recognize that God has two aspects: eternal stillness and eternal activity.
Raja Yoga
Raja yoga, literally "kingly yoga", is that branch of yoga which focuses primarily on meditation. The goal of raja yoga is the attainment of samadhi, a state of God awareness accessible to the still, contemplating practitioner. The raja yogi seeks to quiet all aspects of his body and mind, and enter into a transcendent state beyond nature. Some schools define the highest samadhi as taking place when the breath has stopped, obviously necessitating that the body be in an immobile posture. Patanjali is generally recognized as the foremost exponent of raja yoga, and his Yoga Sutras are the primary text of this discipline.
The advantage of raja yoga is that it is a very precise system which is accessible to anyone regardless of current spiritual status. Raja yoga is a science, in which each stage of accomplishment brings an increasing degree of peace and wisdom. Any beginner can grab hold of the ladder of raja yoga and undertake practices which will eventually lead to the summit of samadhi. In addition, raja yoga has been so well explored that its system has been mapped very clearly, making it possible for the aspirant to work within a contextual framework in which he can understand his accomplishments and obstacles.
The disadvantage of raja yoga is that to truly climb its summit one would do well to live a rather isolated existence. Raja yoga requires great periods of time for meditation in a form which is best done in seclusion. It also demands extensive sadhanas for which the contemporary aspirant likely does not have the time.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is a branch of yoga that requires the aspirant to devote colossal amounts of time to physical processes, such as pranayama (breath and energy exercises), and asanas (physical exercises). Hatha yoga attempts to purify the nervous system and strengthen the body to such a degree that the hatha yogi attains a state of freedom from heat or cold, plain and pleasure, even hunger and thirst. Accomplished hatha yogis can remain without food or water for periods of time unreachable by the untrained human being. The hatha yoga tradition also claims that its adherents can attain great siddhis, such as the ability to walk on water or fly in the air. Two of the most renowned texts of this tradition are the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Gerhanda Samhita.
The advantage of hatha yoga practice is that it transforms the ordinary human body into a powerful vessel capable of great vitality and long life. In this way, the aspirant is not delayed in his sadhana by illness or physical discomfort. In addition, by extending the period of life the aspirant will, in theory, have enough time to complete his course of spiritual practice. Some schools even seek to create a physical, or super-physical body capable of corporeal immortality.
The disadvantage of hatha yoga practice is, like raja yoga, a matter of quantity rather than quality. Hatha yoga can certainly bring a person to enlightment, but its demands are unsuited to all but those who are ready to commit themselves to severe discipline. The true hatha yogi must live in isolation from ordinary society and undertake radical practices requiring fasting and potentially dangerous austerities. His sadhanas will take most of his day and night, leaving little time for other activities. If the hatha yoga tradition is still being practiced in its authentic form, it is taking place in remote regions of wild areas, inaccessible to the curious or mildly determined.
Karma Yoga
Karma yoga is the yoga of service to others and to God. It is a suitable orientation for those of an active nature, those who wish to work for the manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. The main thrust of the practice is the renunciation of fruits of action. That is, activities are undertaken for their own sake, the results being left to God. Activities are assumed for the benefit of the greater good, without concern for personal benefit. The path of karma yoga is described in detail in the Bhagavad Gita.
The advantage of karma yoga is that it transforms activity from selfish, goal based-action that results in binding karma, to selfness, ego-free action which produces no karma. In addition, karma yoga is suitable for everyone. As Sri Krishna points out in the Bhagavad Gita, no one is free from action for even a moment. Life in a body is based on action, and even the most reclusive hermit is constantly involved in some form of activity, no matter how subtle. The applicability of karma yoga for the busy modern person, whose responsibilities certainly exceed those of the hermit, is thus apparent.
The disadvantage of karma yoga is that it can quickly become a slippery slope of work-aholism in the guise of spiritual endeavor. The world is always going to need healing. If one were to work at service 23 hours a day, when he laid his head down to rest on the 24th hour there would still exist a multitude of uncompleted tasks and projects. Shankara's objection to karma yoga was that no amount of activity can produce spiritual growth because spiritual growth is the result of wisdom born of inner stillness. If this stillness is lost to an outer focus, regardless of good intentions, then karma yoga becomes a force of positive social action, but nothing more profound.
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti yoga is the path of love and devotion. Traditionally, this has involved the use of external props and external relationships. Rites, rituals and cermonies comprise the props, and adoration of gurus and an external Supreme Being are the focus of the relationships. The beauty of bhakti yoga is that it is so accessible to anyone, regardless of spiritual development, because the aspirant is free to establish a relationship with God in any form that he finds attractive. In addition, it satisfies the primal craving inherent in the soul of all beings - the desire for love. Bhakti yoga satisfies this urge within a spiritual context, permitting love and devotion to be cultivated and directed in a healthy manner. The Narada Bhakti Sutras and portions of the Bhagavad Gita outline this path.
The disadvantage of bhakti yoga is that it can become an escape form the rigors of the deep self-examination required for spiritual growth. Devotion can all too easily deteriorate to a dreamy sentimentalism if it is not balanced with honest introspection. In addition, an overly emotional dependence on anything outside of oneself, regardless of how apparently "divine" prevents one from reaching the state of spiritual maturity. This has been the problem in those sects in which "grace" from the guru is supposed to be the fuel which drives the rocket of the disciples growth. Gurus who claim to do the work the disciples must do for themselves are misleading their followers.
The basic principle of nutrition, from the yoga perspective, is to eat small quantities of high quality foods. The high quality foods are those which promote the life force of the body without producing toxins. The recommended foods are fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts.
Meat
The yoga advises to be cautious of eating meat. Not all yogis are vegetarians, but they all recommend eating meat in strict moderation. According to yoga, the meat, being animal flesh, has a low vibration rate and will lower the life force of the person eating it. This will cause a reduction in vitality and slow down your progress from yoga. Meat also contains toxins, especially lactic acid, which is a waste product of muscle metabolism. We know that meat contains fat, cholesterol and other substances that are toxic to our bodies. Thus the advise to eat meat in moderation is certainly well taken.
Fruit
The yogis' favorite food is fruit. They consider fruit to possess the highest life force of all food. Fruit is also very nutritious. They can be eaten raw or unprocessed and are easily digested. It provides a quick and sustained source of energy with no toxins. It is no wonder the yogis favor fruit.
Vegetables
The yogis consider the green vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and so on, to have the highest life force of all vegetables.
Fresh Food
Yoga also stresses that food should be as fresh as possible. This means we should rely more on fresh fruits and vegetables than on frozen or canned foods. Frozen food is not so bad, since the enzymes are preserved, but canned food has been preheated, which destroys a lot of the vitamins and minerals and the enzymes.
Raw Food
The yogis also state that the greater proportion of our food should be eaten raw; for example, fruits, salad, raw nuts and sprouted grains. They consider that the cooking of food causes it to lose a lot of its life force, as well as its flavor. Because of this we need to add salt, spices and sauces, which often create more problems. Modern science is in complete agreement with this.
Food Temperature
The yogis state that food should neither be too hot nor too cold. They claim that very hot or very cold food or drinks can cause harm to the tissue of the throat. Modern science also agrees with this and considers that food and beverages which are too hot or cold may irritate the throat sufficiently to predispose it to cancer.
Alcohol
Yogis do not touch alcohol, since they consider it to lower the vibrations of their subtle body (astral body). This defeats the purpose of yoga, which is to increase the vibrational level so they can gradually unfold their Higher Self.
Yoga also considers alcohol to have an adverse effect on the central nervous system, and in particular the brain. The integrity of the central nervous system is considered very important by the yogis, since one of the goals of yoga is to improve the health of this system, and much of the progress of yoga is achieved via this vital communication system.
Modern science agrees with yoga on this point, since alcohol is known to first stimulate and then shortly afterwards depress the central nervous system.
Alcohol also causes poor sleep. Alcohol can not compared with the effects of yoga. Yoga produces a natural stimulation without the depressing after-effect. Yoga also produces a general feeling of elation. The increase in life force produced by practicing yoga can not be duplicated by drugs.
Eat Slowly
The yogis place great emphasis on eating slowly. It is more important than on the type of food eaten. The claim that even nutritious food is not properly digested if eaten quickly. This means that, as well as not extracting all the nutrients from the food, you are also creating toxins in the body.
Even if you eat food which is not very nutritious, if it is eaten slowly and your digestive system is in good health from yoga exercises, your body will extract every last nutrient from the food, as well as eliminating all the toxins. Of course the intelligent way is to eat nutritious food and chew it slowly.
Information for this page was obtained from the following sites:
http://www.holistic-online.com