Yoga
Meaning of “ Yoga”
The word Yoga is from Sanskrit origin and means “Union”. The idea behind is: the union of the individual with the divine consciousness.
Yoga is a discipline to improve or develop one’s inherent powers in a balanced manner. It offers the means to attain complete self-realization. The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word Yoga is ‘Yoke’, which describes a physical device used to join or to bring cattle together.
Titali Asana / Butterfly Pose
Origin
The beginnings of Yoga were established by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India over 5,000 years ago. The word “yoga” was first mentioned in the oldest sacred texts, the Rig Veda. The Vedas were a collection of texts containing songs, mantras and rituals to be used by Brahmans, the Vedic priests.
Yoga, although not a religion, is an ancient practice able to influence a person in a spiritual sense because of the seven spiritual laws which yoga students are taught to follow. These laws act as guidance to help people find the path to inner peace through love and compassion for themselves and others. Yoga is both spiritual and physical.
Rishikesh – known as the birthplace of Yoga – is located at the foothills of the Himalayas along the sacred Ganges river. It is a recommended as the place to be for a person who is looking for spirituality and solitude.
Why to do Yoga?
The fundamental purpose of Yoga is to nurture harmony in the body, mind and environment. Yoga stands for a complete system of physical, mental, social and spiritual development. Yoga helps to improve happiness and health.
Yoga is an ancient system of physical and mental practices which are performed through “Asana”. This entails a variety of body postures and techniques for physical and mental balance.
Shirsha Asana /Head Stand Pose
Yoga offers both the goal and the means to reach it. It could be said that a primary goal of yoga is to gain balance and control in one’s life. To be free one from confusion and distress. To provide a sense of calmness which comes from the practice of yogic exercises and the practice of breath control. Yoga uses breathing techniques, exercise and meditation. According to the great master of Yoga, Maharishi Patanjali, Yoga is “the cessation of the modification of the mind”
For example, meditation refers to the state of the mind when you are in ‘yoga’ (in union), feeling inner peace and calmness. Vedic texts on Râja Yoga, which is seen as the ‘Yoga of Meditation’, describe yoga, and hence meditation, as the state which arises when you are ‘still’ in the fluctuations of the mind.
In this sense, Yoga strengthens awareness, discipline and virtue, with the ultimate aim of achieving spiritual growth. … Thus, prayer is yoga, if it is done with awareness, discipline and virtue, and, with the sole purpose of spiritual attainment.
Patanjali is often considered to be the father of Yoga. His Yoga-Sûtras still strongly influence most styles of modern Yoga. A few centuries after Patanjali, Yoga masters, the Yoginis and Yogis, created a system of practices designed to rejuvenate the body and to prolong life. These practices, especially in the stressful modern times, many people seek to know as find an anchor of calmness, to stay focused, to revive and refresh, to find ways for meaningful and happy living.
How Yoga Increases Happiness in Present Day’s Life
Yoga helps the body to relax and lowers significantly stress levels. Stress is the biggest enemy of happiness and health. Stress kills joy, love and fun. Stress is the root cause of many diseases. Especially the common health problems of modern civilization, such as high blood pressure, headaches and migrane, digestion disorders and weight problems, neck stiffness, shoulder and back pains typical for people working in offices or other sitting jobs, and, and, and…
Talking about blood pressure: The three important Yoga elements: meditation, breathing and asanas (poses), help to regulate your heart rate variability and to lower stress levels. Lowering the heart rate will make your body calm, thus it increases your resilience and you will be able to respond to stress in better ways.
Or, for example, the issues of body pains and stiffness. Yoga, just exercised for 15 – 30 minutes in a week, reduces chronic pains and improves your body flexibility, stretches and tones your body muscles, nurishes your cells and gives you glowing skin. Further benefits from regular Yoga practising supports, detoxification, weight loss, better all-round fitness, increases your energy level and feelings of happiness and joy.
Vriksha Asana / Tree Pose
Practicing Yoga, furthermore, helps the individual to have a focused mind, enhanced concentration and inner peace. The art of Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve a relaxed body and peaceful mind; it helps to manage stress and to reduce anxiety. Yoga makes you relaxed and gives you a positive spirit.
The main elements of Yoga are physical poses called ‘asanas’ and movements, breathing techniques or ‘pranayama’, and, meditation, all easy to integrate in daily or weekly routines. Yoga can be done in your office or other work place during a just five minutes break. Or, thinking of the modern jet-setters: do your Yoga during a long flight even sitting in the plane or revitalize yourself with Yoga to overcome or reduce the effects of jet-lag. A few minutes during the day can boost your energies, a few minutes of Yoga and meditation in the evening hours comfort you finding good sleep.
Yoga is a life style of self-care. Yoga stands for a life style with happiness. Yoga is rejuvenation, you feel it. Yoga is age-less.
Yoga is Your choice.
Anliveda Yoga Team
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