Astro Valley :: Yoga and Meditation

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Yoga and Meditation

Yoga and Meditation can not be understood separately. Yoga is the primary level which consists of bodily exercises to build a ground for Meditation. The word yoga had been derived from the Sanskrit word yuj which means to join to unite to balance or to integrate.

Yoga is a system of exercises for the mental and physical well being. It combines stylized poses with deep meditation and breathing. According to Patanjali, within the human body there are channels called Nadi and centers called chakra. If these channels & canters are tapped, energy hidden in the body can be released. This energy is called kundalini.

In the broadest sense Yoga thus means integration at three levels Body, Mind and soul. Renowned Maharshi Patanjali invented Yoga centuries ago in India yoga gives you helpful principals for mental and physical stability with the help of the practice of asana or postures and pranayam. (The science of breathing) Lord Krishna described three types of yoga in Bhagwad Gita i.e. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Gyana Yoga.

The Seven Chakras and Its Nature
	Chakra	Element	Color	Body Part	Nature
	Crown Chakra Sahasrar	Ether	Violet	Head, Right Eye	Enlightenment, Spirituality
	Brow Chakra Ajna	Ether	Blue	Nose & Ears, Left Eye, Brain, Spine	Telepathy, Intuition, Third Eye, Clairvoyance Light
	Throat Chakra Visudha	Space	Sky Blue	Throat Vocal Cord, Upper Lungs, Alimentary Canal	Communication, Sound, Self Expression, Creative, Energy
	Heart Chakra Nahata	Air	Green Grass	Arms, Vagus Nerve, Blood Liver, Lungs Heart	Life Force, Compassion, Love, Consciousness
	Solar Plexus Chakra Manipura	Fire	Yellow	Spleen, Large Intestine, Gallbladder, Liver, Stomach	Action, Wisdom, Power, Emotion
	Sacral Chakra Swadhistan	Water	Orange	Legs, Bladder, Kidneys	Peace, Sexuality, Action, Anger
	Root Chakra Muladhar	Earth	Red	Sex Organs	Body Energy, Security, Kundalini

Yoga is not an exercise

Yoga is much more than just a workout routine. In fact, it has been practiced in India for more than 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest exercise systems in existence. As exercise systems go, Yoga is one of the most complex practice. A Physical strengthen body is not the ultimate objective of yoga - heightened mental physical and emotional wellbeing are, based on the belief that a healthy person is a harmoniously integrated unit of body, mind and spirit. This integration is achieved by controlling the breath and holding the body in steady poses, there by preparing the practitioner for the rigors of meditation.

Origin of Yoga

Back in the 4th century BC, the physician turned sage, Patanjali, had given short sentences or sutras, explaining the working of the mind and the ways to tame and train it. Since the human form has remained basically unchanged since then, the sutras hold as good today as they did back then, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, considered to be the Bible of Yoga, do not contain the description of a single asana or posture. Rather, they are a guide for living a better life through yoga. Patanjali's teachings are divided in the eight steps of yoga.

Eight steps of yoga

The eight steps work together: The Ist three steps are concerned with the body and the IInd two with the brain and build the foundation for spiritual life. The last three, are concerned with reconditioning the mind, and help attain enlightenment. There are 4 aspects of being fit, and yoga helps enhance all of them:

• Restraints or Yamas, Sometimes called the “dont's” or the “thou shalt nots”. There are five yamas, i.e., refraining from violence, lying, stealing, casual sex, and greed.

• Observances or Niyamas, Sometimes called the “do's” or the “thou shalts”. There are five niyamas: i.e., purity, contentment, austerity, self-study, and remembrance of the Divine.

• Postures or Asanas, mistakenly regarded by the West as an exercise routine, but actually used by yogis to prepare the body for meditation.

• Deep breathing or Pranayamas, Rhythmic patterns of slow used to control the life force (prana energy) that flows through all of us. Pranayamas remove distractions from the mind making it easier to concentrate and meditate. The basic movements of pranayama are inhalation, retention of breath, and exhalation.

• Withdrawal of the senses or Pratyahara Occurs during meditation, breathing exercises, or the practice of yoga postures - any time when the focus is directed inward.

• Stilling the mind or Dharana By focusing on one point or image and gently pushing away superfluous thoughts.

• Uninterrupted meditation or Dhyana With the objective of heightened awareness and oneness with the universe.

• Super consciousness or Samadhi, A state of absolute bliss, in which the practitioner and the universe are one.

Impact of Yoga on Body

• Cardio-vascular capacity yoga increases this through deep breathing and the continuous flow of postures which make the heart rate go up.

• Muscle Strength yoga develops this through holding the body in postures for increasing periods of time.

• Flexibility yoga enhances this safely through the gentle stretching action of all the postures.

• Balance yoga improves this between the left and right, front and back and upper and lower parts of the body.

Yoga and Religion

Yoga does not derive from Hinduism as is commonly believed. In fact, Yoga pre-dates Hinduism by several centuries. It does not meet the traditional definitions of a religion (though it has a deeply spiritual tradition), and the practice of it will not interfere in any way with the practitioner's religious traditions. It is not necessary to be a vegetarian in order to do yoga.

Yoga and Sex

Perhaps the most misunderstood yoga style, Tantra Yoga is not about sexual indulgence. Rather, Yoga is about discovering and stimulating sensual spirituality, by using chanting, asanas, visualization and pranayamas to awaken the kundalini energy in the body. Tantra Yoga and Hatha Yoga have common roots, but while Hatha Yoga adopted an ascetic, almost existentialist, stance, Tantra Yoga chose a more sensual practical approach.

Yoga and You

Yoga is suitable for adults of any age or physical condition, and almost everyone who does it will find an increase in strength, flexibility, coordination, body awareness, and concentration. Yoga is not recommended for children under 16; pregnant women and nursing mothers or who’s nervous and glandular systems is weak and are still growing. However, easy breathing exercises are relaxing and safe.

Yoga is performed barefoot. Any comfortable clothing, like a pair of tights, track pants, or shorts, and a loose T-shirt is recommended. Wait for at least an hour after eating before doing yoga.

Benefits of Yoga

The Yoga and meditation ancient health & fitness practice provides both physical & mental therapy. Yoga considers ageing as largely an artificial condition, caused mainly by autointoxication or self-poisoning. By keeping our body parts clean and well lubricated, cell deterioration can be greatly reduced.

To get the maximum benefits of yoga one has to follow three main guidelines i.e. practice of asanas, pranayama and yoga nidra. With the regular practice of asanas, we reduce weight, normalise blood pressure and improve cardiac performance and control our cholesterol level. Yoga postures harmonize our mental energy flow by clearing any blockages in the subtle body, leading to mental equilibrium & happiness.

Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental meditation is one of the easiest meditation techniques to learn. It might be best described as a set of meditation techniques introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

TM is said to bring the practitioner to a deep state of consciousness often characterized as "enlightenment" or "bliss." It is practiced for fifteen to twenty minutes twice daily while sitting with the eyes closed. TM technique comprises the silent mental repetition of a simple sound known as a mantra.

The goal of this meditation, according to practitioners, is called pure consciousness (Samadhi).

The TM organization emphasizes in its teaching that the procedure for using the mantra is very important, and can only be learned from a trained teacher of TM.

The mantra functions to focus your mind on a single idea, representing the "oneness" of the universe. During Transcendental Meditation, the body gains a deeper state of relaxation than during ordinary rest. It is found during TM EEG (electroencephalogram) changes indicate a state of heightened awareness and coherence.

Regular practice of TM has been found to produce a state of increased stability, adaptability, and integration during all phases of activity. Also, TM has been found to increase intelligence, creativity, and perceptual ability and to reduce high blood pressure and illness rates by more than 50 percent. It is one of the effective techniques known for reducing intake of drug and alcohol which leads to decreasing anxiety and increasing self-actualization.

Transcendental Meditation is by far the most thoroughly researched in terms of its benefits for mental, physical, and social health. TM is a simple, easy to learn verbal practice. Anyone can learn it within a few days and can begin to experience beneficial results.