What is yoga?

What is yoga?

Yoga is a journey each individual take to discover their true nature.

It is a process of awakening and is a path to liberation through the act of setting oneself free by gain control and mastery over the mind, body and beyond….

The meaning of the word yoga is “unite with the divine self”. Our individual consciousness is one with the universal consciousness. We think we are separate but we are all one. The practice of yoga is the merging of the individual self with the universal consciousness to see that we are all connected. The purpose of Yoga is to realise that we are one. We are connected within ourselves. That the brain and body are one. There is a network within the body and yoga presents a way of opening up the channels where there may be blockages, to allow energy and information to move more freely though the body. This energy(Prana) and information (citta) flows through the blood vessels, the lymphatic system, the nervous system, acupuncture meridians. We are also connected to the universe and everything in it, and everything affects everything else

For me yoga is many things, yoga is a way of life, it represents an aware state of being, it's a place of concentration, contemplation, exploration and peace, it’s a sanctuary within myself. It is my practice where I equip myself with tools for dealing with the real world as well as dealing with myself. Yoga makes me feel connected to everything. Practicing yoga asana and pranayama and meditation is a process of cleansing the mind and body so that we are able to tap into and access a high consciousness. Yoga is the merging of the individual self with the universal consciousness to see that we are all connected.There is a network within the body and yoga presents a way of opening up the channels where there may be blockages, to allow energy and information to move more freely though the body. It is a process of enlightenment that requires devotion. I am aiming for Nirvana, true ultimate eternal peace.

Yoga is a set of tools that we use to awaken our true being. Patanjali describes the 8 limbs of Yoga…. The first two are the Yamas and Niyamas which are the rules of conduct. The Yamas are the guidelines to help us with our interaction at a social level, reflecting our attitude to our environment. The Niyama’s are guidelines for self-discipline, reflecting our attitudes to our self.

The Yama’s: Ahimsa (non-violence) Be compassionate and friendly toward others. Be gentle in your practice and in your life. Satya (truthfulness) Be balanced and authentic. Asteya (non- stealing). Be giving of your service and give to yourself. Brahmacarya (control of self-pleasure)

Aparigraha (Non possessive) Be free from everything, freedom and liberation

The Niyama’s: Sauca (Cleanliness) Unblocking blockages and getting the energy moving freely. Santosa (Contentment) Choose your attitude, learn and choose how to be happy. Tapas (Do your best) Passion, masting what you do. Svadhyaya (Self study) The quest for self knowledge and Isvara Pranidhana (Devotion and Love) Inner love transforms into love for everything else.

The 3rd of Patanjalis limbs is Asana, which is the physical practice and has to do with gaining physical control over our body. The physical practice is a preparatory stage of physical purification to prepare the mind for higher meditation.

Pranayama, which has to do with the breath control. In the yogic tradition it is believed that life is measured by the number of breaths you take and the number of heartbeats. The less breathes you breath the longer you will live. It is also a process of helping to quiet the mind and build concentration and focus.

Pratyahara is the mastery of your sensors. Learning control. Not over eat, not over think. Not over indulging.

Dharna is the 6th of Patanjalies limbs and has to do with concentration. The history of yoga mentions that meditation is the body of yoga and most of the yoga is actually the meditation. Dharna is the first step of meditation. Focusing the mind on a single object.

Dhyana is meditation and contemplation. This stage of meditation come after a prolonged time of gaining concentration. It is an uninterrupted flow of concentration on one particular thing.

The last limb is Samadhi, which is a state of ecstasy. This stage of meditation is ultimate bliss and only the object of the meditation shines through. Combined with a feeling of awareness, love and peace