Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Yoga And Its History And Application

By Rita Goldman

The word yoga is derived based from the ancient language known as Sanskrit, and it means Union. It is an influence in the Darsana School. It is one of the 6 darshans, the orthodox systems of Indian philosophy; although its influence pervades many Indian philosophies. The original yoga scripts date back to around the second Century BC when they were written by Patajali. Early Hindu Vedic texts speak of ecstatic, who may have been the predecessors of yogis or followers of yoga. Patajali's Yoga is sometimes known as Raja or Royal Yoga, to denote its superiority over other schools.

As of these days, Hindus believe that all living things are trapped in a cycle of death and rebirth, which most of us calls reincarnation or samsara. When they have successfully broken this cycle they have achieved the state of moksha which means liberation, and yoga is an essential practice in that liberation.

Nowadays, yoga has a more practical uses and that is primarily focused on the physical practice; though its basic remiss is still the existence of a spiritual being or god. Yoga practitioners want to acquire spiritual liberation through Samadhi, especially from the bondage of matters when the sense of self can achieve its original pure state. Samadhi is a sense of profound concentration which brings about spiritual release.

The practice of yoga is a process of eight linear stages rather than a single act. Before physically practicing yoga, there are certain ethical preparations to follow. The first is yama or restraint, which is an abstinence from physical injury (ahimsa), as well as lies, stealing, lust, and avarice; and the second stage is niyama or observance, which denotes a clean body, austerity, contentment, and devotion to God.

The next stage is physical designed to make our body more flexible, Asana or the seat, a series of exercises to stretch the physical posture, and make it supple and healthy. Masters in asana are able to hols the prescribed stretching postures without physical distractions or involuntary movement. Pranayama or breath control is a vital stage in achieving respiratory relaxation by stabilizing the breathing rhythm.

The next stage, pratyahara means withdrawal. It aims to achieve control of the senses, by being able to ignore sensory inputs and retreat to an area of the brain.These five stages are known collectively as the external aids to Yoga, and the last three are internal ones.

The next stage is Dharana or simply means holding on. It is the capacity to hold in the mind an object of meditation, such as the tip of the nose or an image of the deity. Dhyana or concentrated meditation is the uninterrupted contemplation of the object of meditation. The final Samadhi or self-collectedness is the release from the cycle of being reborn and this is achieved when the mediator is the same as the object of his thoughts.

Yoga became increasingly popular all through out within the last hundred years. Today the tuition is available in many non- sectarian classes as well as the sectarian classes.

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