YOGA

Healthy living

Yoga is derived from the word "Yuj". It means to add, to sum up and to connect. Yoga is a way to connect and to add the internal and external energies. When things get connected flow of energy is enhanced and gets regularized. Energy is best in a flowing mode. Not in a stagnant mode. Stagnancy brings incapability in expressiveness, makes things complicated and puzzled and leads to sedative stages. Today, we all are facing problems caused by this impairment of flow of energies and facing the problems of depression, anxiety and unhappiness.

Another meaning of Yoga "Chitta Vruti Nirodhah" means- to control the senses and the uncontrolled movements of Psycho. Concentration is a main aim here through Yoga. Concentration is a direct mode of consciousness. Only he can concentrate who is conscious. Yoga is designed to concentrate but this concentration is not full of selfishness. Yoga asks to concentrate on the cosmic energies. This helps one to bind with the cosmic energies easily. Once, one is in touch with the outer-cosmic energies influx of energies starts by themselves. Energy tends to flow from higher to lower potentials. No doubt! Cosmic energies are richer and these start to flow inside and a person starts to enjoy this flow and enriches with the higher energy levels with the time.

Yoga is considered as few postures only these days. But it is not so. Practicing postures and making body stronger and flexible is important to start with the yoga. Yoga needs a greater patience and stamina. We have mistaken the divine concepts of yoga and thinking the first beginning step as a final one.

Eight limbs of Yoga

• Yam
• Niyam
• Aasnas (postural exercise)
• Pranayam( breathing exercises)
• Pratyahara(strengthening senses)
• Dharna(concentration-1st level)
• Dhyan(2nd level of concentration)
• Smaadhi(final goal)

Yam- Niyam: beginning with Yoga

These are the initial steps to startup with the Yoga. Yam comprises eight parts namely, with meaning-

1. Ahimsa – Not to hurt others by words, deeds and thoughts.
2. Satya – Never tell a lie.
3. Asteya – To not to steal others property with greed.–
4. Brahmcharya – To live in accordance to healthy thoughts, with ethics and moral values.
5. Aprigraha - To collect the things with out need.

If one will collect the things of no use just for enjoy, it will enhance the greed in mind. For greed one can steal the others properties. To steal the things one forgets moral and ethical values. By stealing others part one hurt others. So by avoiding one, one can avoid all and these lead one to healthy and happy life and pure one's psyche.

After practicing Yam one should go for Niyamas, which etymologically means the principals. These are as following-

1. Shauch –
   To detoxify the whole body. Body here includes the physical body, psychology and consciousness all.
   
   
2. Samtosha-
   Complete satisfaction about all worldly matters should be practiced.
   
   
3. Tapas –
   To practice the particular healthy activities, it gives stamina
   
   
4. Svadhyaay –
   To read the good and healthy literature
   
   
5. Eshwar Pranidhaan –
   To concentrate on the divine, supranatural powers Gods and Goddesses.

These Yam and Niyama together leads one to the betterment of psychological traits. By practicing these one becomes ready psychologically to practice next higher stages.

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Asana

Postural Exercises

An asana is a posture which is comfortably held. It is the most well-known part of yoga, but it is often misunderstood as well. Asanas are not normal exercises such as calisthenics or gymnastics. Asanas are special exercises which have specific effects on the endocrine glands, joints, muscles, specific nerves and neural plexuses. Thousands of years ago sages used to observe the animals of the forest. They noticed that each animal had certain qualities and that the animals often assumed different poses. By imitating these poses they began to notice important effects on the human body. For example, the peacock is a bird with a powerful digestive system capable of digesting even a poisonous snake. The ancient Scholars developed a posture for humans; this is known as Mayura Asanas, imitating that of the peacock, which strengthens the human digestive system. Other postures were also developed which exercise other organs and glands.

These Asanas along with their organ specificity, these are Dosha specific in our bodies also. As we know that each Dosha occupies 1/3 rd of body so where ever a particular Asanas exert pressure, Dosha of that particular body part will be affected. In the same example, what we discussed earlier about Mayura Asanas (the peacock posture) - a Vata Prakruti person can do it easily and he will be benefited more by this posture in comparison of other two Prakrutis. One should be careful while

choosing these Asanas for himself. To know your type go for Prakruti Analysis

Pranayam

Breathing Exercises

This is the most important part to start up with the Yoga. To understand the concept of Pranayam; breathing exercises-this is important to know about the word itself. Pranayam is made by two words – Prana + Ayam – where Prana stands for the energy of life, the vital energies and Ayam tells the way to master this energy.

Prana is compared directly with the oxygen. It is known today that without this air human beings or any living creature can't live for a moment even. Oxygen is a main component for animates from this inhaled air, which burns the foods and then provide energy for all physical and psychological processes! And lack of this energy will lead us to a cessation. Our system will hang and we can't stop it and restart it. Due to this importance, oxygen was named, life 'The Prana' by Ayurvedic scholars.

Pranayam is a procedure, which controls this energy of life. It's in and out flow in our body enables our body to do its daily activities. Entrance of this energy is from breathing organs. So these organs are exercised in such a particular way that maximum energy is provided to the body. When this energy is available for body, body will perform its best and diseases appeared due to lack of energy will disappear. Concentration on breathing makes the psychology stronger and aimed. When one will be a master of Prana (the life), there is no doubt he will get the happiness. This works as a basic homework to do the best of the yoga and to relieve from all pains by the yogic exercises

Dhyan,Dharna & Samadhi

Meditative stages

These are three steps of the meditation, should be done after preparing the body and mind trough rest five steps of Yoga. From Dharna to Smadhi, practice is similar; there is only difference of the object. In Dharna one starts doing meditation by concentrating on a worldly object. This object may be a sound or a picture. This is the procedure which is used by maximum in the world.

In Dhyan, one concentrates with in one's body. He may concentrate on heart beat or even in between the eyebrows.

After Dhyan, the highest condition of meditation come Smadhi. In Smadhi there will be no object or you can say object is the whole universe.


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