Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

Ancient Concepts, Sciences & Systems

ceptive to higher vibrations. It treats the body as an instrument to be kept in the best possible condition. Hatha yoga is not only meant to bring about mental and physical health. It also involves awareness in many of its practices and as such is a means to meditation in itself. According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the classical text-book on this subject: "Those people who practise only physical exercises (in hatha yoga) without mental and spiritual aspirations will fail to achieve the best results". Goraknath, Matsya Chandra and Swami Satya- nanda are Hatha yogis. KUNDALINI YOGA Is a system of yoga concerned with the awakening of the psychic centres known as chakras which exist within all of us. These chakras are centres of bioplasmic energy and are related to different levels of awareness. This force or power one attains in the form of higher awareness is symbolised by Kundalini, a serpent like energy, that is said to reside in the lower regions of the trunk. This form of yoga is also known as laya yoga. MANTRA YOGA Is the yoga of sacred hymns. Mantra yoga utilises the power of sound as a method of inducing introspection and to evoke mental manifestations. A particular mantra is repeated over and over again verbally or mentally producing mental tranquillity, concentration and awareness of the inner processes of the mind. Mantra yoga is also known as Japa yoga. Dhyana (meditation yoga) is also classified as a path of yoga. It refers to the higher stages of all forms of yoga. Meditation : When people do meditation, they use mantra to calm their mind. They sit and repeat mantras aloud. The mantra At/Mis a king of mantras. AUM is "Sabdha Bramha" (creator of all sounds). AUM is mentioned in many ancient texts and yogic scrip- tures like in Bhagavad Gita, 'Om ithyekaksharm Brahma' means the letter AUM itself denotes Brahma. One can practise more and more mental AUM - chanting as one progresses in yoga. AUM chanting is a systematic method of withdrawing one's awareness from the outside world and directing it inwards to explore the mind. The pronounciation of AUM is very important. During Japa, one has to chant mantra (or name of the favourite god - Eshtadevata) and rotate the beads of the mala. These act as a point of reference for awareness. There are many other forms of yoga like the Shiva yoga, siddha yoga, sankhya yoga, buddhi yoga, sanyasa yoga, maha yoga and so on. All these are excellent systems in themselves. There is also another path of yoga called swara yoga which lies outside the purview of the five main branches of yoga. It is concerned with the flow of air through the two nostrils, and it is also related to the position of the sun and the phases of the moon, the time of sunrise and so on.

BHAKTI YOGA This is the yoga of devotion. It is the channeling of emotions into devotion, directed towards a deity or a guru. Everyone has emotional tendencies by nature and instead of suppressing them, these emotions are given an outlet. The Bhakti yogi thus absorbs himself completely in his object of devotion losing his ego and indi- viduality. Emotional and mental problems disappear, concentration increases and the path to higher awareness and self-realisation is opened. Meera Bai, Tulsidas, Tukaram are Bhakti yogis. JNANA YOGA This is the path of enquiry. Some people have a strong tendency to enquire about the nature of life. They refuse to accept any answer unless it is based on personal experience. For them Jnana yoga is recommended. Jnana yoga is not exactly the path of intellect. It attempts to transcend the limitations of the intellect or logical faculties of each individual. In this path one asks questions about the essence of existence and one's true nature. Effort concentration and total absorption in the enquiry are preconditions for success in this path. The path of Jnana yoga is open for everyone. J.K. Krishnamurthi, Ramana Maharshi, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa are jnana yogis. RAJA YOGA This is the path of introspection. It is the path in which one attempts to explore the different realms of the mind; conscious, subconscious, superconscious and beyond. It progressively at- tempts to transcend the outer environment of the physical body, and direct the awareness to the inner environment. Each person has consciousness, either it can be directed outwards or inwards. Either one can be conscious of the external surroundings or the in- ner world. Usually one's attention is on outer objects. If perception of the external is cut off, as is attempted in raja yoga, then the con- sciousness must be directed inwards. Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Mukhtananda, Nityananda are all Raja yogis. Patanjali Yoga is identified with raja yoga directly, for they are regarded as synonymous. The system of Patanjali Yoga consists of eight steps or limbs which the aspirant must master on the path of self-realisation.

1. Yamas (self-restraints)

2. Niyamas (self-observances)

3. Ascinas (postures)

4. Pranayama (regulation of prana through breath control) 5. Pratyahara (disassociation of consciousness with the outside environment)

6. Dharana (concentration)

7. Dhyana (meditation)

8. Samadhi (identification with pure consciousness)

HATHA YOGA The basic aim of hatha yoga is to build a firm, strong, healthy body and ensure a free flow of prana within the psychic channels of the body. Hatha yoga aims at harmonising prana in the body so that in turn the physical body will automatically become healthy and re-

THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOGA Yoga was evolved and developed by the ancient sages, not only in India but all over the world. The earliest historical evidence of