Since coming to the West from India, yoga's reputation has widely been regarded as coinciding with a bendy body, nice triceps, and a youthful look. The external, physical experience of yoga happens to be only one aspect of the ultimate discipline of yoga. It is important that yoga students, practitioners, and teachers are aware of the integral role each 'branch' of yoga plays in transforming the individual on a total mind, body, soul level.
According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which was written thousands of years ago, yoga can be categorized into the following eight parts:
1.) Yama: Control of the senses, including the mind.
2.) Niyama: Living a life of cleanliness, contentment, regulation, introspection, and reverence of and surrender to the Supreme Soul.
3.) Asana: Physical postures and exercises.
4.) Pranayama: Control of the breathing process and manipulation of the prana (life force) flowing through the meridians.
5.) Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the senses from sense objects; detachment.
6.) Dharana: The ability to focus one's mind upon a chosen object.
7.) Dhyana (meditation): One-pointed focusing of the mind upon the Transcendent.
8.) Samadhi: Perfect union of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul.
*By focusing on only one aspect of the yoga practice, it is possible that one may feel 'stuck'. It is important to be aware that yoga is much more than merely physical exercise. The actual word 'yoga' means union... union of mind, body, and spirit.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment