21/05/2020
WHAT IS YOGA & WHAT IS NOT YOGA
WHAT IS YOGA ?
The word yoga is derived from samskruth ‘Yuj’. Here Yuj means joining . Joining of Jeevathma with paramathma, actually means joining of individual self with universal self . Here individual self means ordinary sense of self identified egoic mind , universal self being higher consciousness beyond association with individual personality treating all as one.
The term yoga is described in different ways by different people
• According to Patanjali “Yoga is a conscious process of gaining mastery over the mind”, which means to get control over thoughts in mind is very difficult by individual self , this can be achieved only by continuous effort . Yoga helps in taking control over mind. Yoga is prescribed as a technique for mind control. This control is divided into two aspects
Power to concentrate on a particular object or subject.
Power to stay calm and quiet all the time.
• In Yoga-Vasistha, yoga is described as a skilful trick to calm down the mind.
• Swami Vivekananda explains yoga means “Compressing one’s evolution into a single life or a few months or even a few hours of one’s bodily existence”. In this world everything is subjected to growth during interaction with nature . This growth is a slow process in animals, whereas man who has discrimination power, thinking ability, well developed voluntary control systems, the growth process can be fast . Yoga helps in this growth greatly .
• Sri Aurobindo explains that “Yoga is a methodical conscious effort towards self development of potentialities latent in the individual”. He emphasizes that it is the overall development of the personality at physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels. Yoga is a process of cleaning faults and restrictions of a personality resulting in divine power.
G.B.R.Kumar
At physical level, the body is made to work efficiently by utilising the energy wherever required, like during resting hours muscles are relaxed and joints are loose to store energy, during normal activities necessary amount of energy is
used by the body and during heavy work or stress situation all the organs are
supplied with necessary amount of energy to act together. This can be
achieved only by yogic practices.
At mental level, Creativity and Will power are two aspects of mind. Here creativity can be achieved by yogic practices. Will power is very important to accomplish a work. Yoga helps in calming down the mind, erases weakness and builds great will power.
At intellectual level, Swami Vivekananda says Concentration and Detachment are very important in education. People can concentrate on a particular object or subject but detachment from that is very difficult. Yogic practices calms down the mind and gives capacity to detach.
At spiritual level, yogic practices helps in understanding inner self.
At emotional level, yogic practices increases happiness in life and helps in controlling our emotions.
Yoga helps in maintaining good health. Health does not mean only physical health like devoid of diseases, health means peace satisfaction and comfort.
Yoga for Happiness, here happiness is not the happiness that we are getting from object of enjoyment. Happiness that we get from object is temporary. Happiness turns to hatredness if the same thing is enjoyed for a long duration. Happiness is the one which is within ourselves. Silence for a fraction of a second where no other thought comes to mind is the actual bliss state. Therefore happiness is within us. Yoga helps in reaching bliss state.
WHAT IS NOT YOGA?
Yoga is not mere acrobatics. It’s not a magic skill. If a person can sit in a pit and close the door of the pit, if he can sit in that pit for many days then such type of activities are not called as yoga, its called as Bhugata Samadhi. Yoga does not deal with any type of sidhis, mantra or ta**ra. Yoga is a divine skill to obtain complete control over body and mind.
G.B.R.kumar
