Recently one of my students mentioned to me, “I find yoga very boring, I don’t know how people do that every day”. Well, this is not the first time I have heard such statement from someone, in fact over a decade ago I was one of them who found Yoga a very slow process until I actually learnt and experienced true meaning of it!
To begin with “Yoga” is not just about doing physical asanas, of course these asanas increase flexibility or strength of body and in some advanced asanas that comprises of breathing in proportions(these should be done under guidance of an experienced teacher only) brings the emotional and mental balance by de-stressing and leading to absolute calmness. Yoga in true sense is a “Science of right living”
The goal of yoga is to be in harmony! Harmony with ourselves and others. In absence of harmony we are merely reacting to situations or people around us by blaming or complaining or demeaning in many possible ways, resembling the pattern of animals. By practice of Yoga we become better human beings which involves developing right qualities such as Peace, Love,Joy,Calmness,Wisdom, Balance. One must be wondering how Yoga helps us achieve this? In simple words Yoga is a synthesis in itself! Between 2nd and 4th century CE sage Patanjali wrote about this and Sri Krishna himself spoke about Yoga in the amazing “Bhagvad Gita”(I consider this as a handbook for right living). There are four major paths of Yoga;
Karma Yoga : The path of right action
Bhakti Yoga : The path of loving devotion
Jnana Yoga : The path of knowledge
Raja Yoga : The path of meditation under which we have eight limbs or say progressive steps
There is no particular order to follow these paths but its always an integration and culmination of these four paths in our day to day life that makes one a true practitioner of Yoga. To be begin with one can start practicing the eight fold path or the Ashtanga Yoga (basic principles under the Raja Yoga) which encompasses the Yamas & Niyamas which are the universal rules for right living or lets say to be happy.
The Yamas allude at the state of mind and comprise of;
Ahimsa or harmlessness. This involves the practice of kindness & non injury to self and others
Satya or Non-Prevarication or Non lying : Its the universal rule or virtue of being truthful and not telling lies
Asteya or Non stealing : One should avoid stealing of any kind such as material or emotional or intellectual and not desire to take anything that is not rightfully our own.
Bhramacharya or Self Control : This quality is all about right attitude, balancing the energy and practice moderation in all aspects of life
Aparigraha or Non attachment : This quality is about having correct attitude towards possessions or relationships
The Niyamas enlisted below give us a sense of direction to purposeful life;
Cleanliness
Contentment
Austerity
Self study or self awareness
Devotion to God
Our lives are successful when we are joyful & happy .It is essential that we inculcate these qualities or positive habits in our daily life as it sets the success in motion for us. Its is very normal, if one is unable to associate with this at first few attempts but with one step at a time one can certainly take the first step towards a happy life. For today, I will pause at this and in the following articles I will share deeper perspectives from a very modern day context for easier understanding & implementation of holistic YOGA in life.
Wish you all a wonderful & blessed Deepawali :)
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