Essay Religion: Yoga and Yoga Postures

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Introduction to Yoga –
Eight-fold path &
Yoga postures
Presented by:
Didi Ananda Krpa
Revised by:
Dharmadeva

What is Yoga?
It comes from root word ‘yunj’
(Sanskrit)
- which means to unify, to unite.
It is not like the union of sand and sugar; but is like the union of sugar dissolved in water, which, once merged, cannot be separated. Yoga as Science
Yoga is a system of practices that encourages the harmony and union of body, mind, & spirit - and gives a sense of Oneness.
Yoga is really a spiritual science.

Shiva – the Father of Tantra
Shiva lived as a great spiritual master on this planet more than
7,000 years ago.
He systematized all the practices of yoga.
He systematized and taught the science of meditation, which is the greatest treasure that anyone can ever give.

Raja Yoga
In the West, yoga has often been associated with body contortions, youth, beauty, and long life.
Actually this is only related to one type of yoga – HATHA YOGA.
Broadly, YOGA is an intuitional science. Raja Yoga is known as Astaunga
Yoga, or 8-fold yoga, a systematic approach to mastery of ourselves.

8-limbed System of Yoga
Yama - external moral / ethical discipline.
Niyama - internal moral / ethical strength.
Asana - yogic postures.
Pranayama - proper breathing for vital energy.

8-limbed System of Yoga (con’t)
Pratyahara - withdrawal of senses from the external world to internalize your consciousness for meditation. Dharana - concentration, or extended mental focusing, fundamental to yogic meditation.
Dhyana - process of meditation, the principal practice of bringing your mind to ideate on Oneness.

8-limbed System of Yoga (con’t)
Samadhi - experience of unitive consciousness, so as to feel inwardly one with the feeling of Infinite Peace /
Cosmic Consciousness.

Tantra

What is Tantra?
It is the basis of intuitional science.
Root words:
– Tan - which means darkness; and
– Tra - which means liberation from.
Origin of all branches of yoga practices. Examples: bhakti yoga

jinana yoga

karma yoga

dhyana yoga

kriya yoga

hatha yoga

raja yoga

astaunga yoga mantra yoga

Important Aspects of Yoga
Bhakti Yoga - discipline of love and

devotion

Jinana Yoga - discipline of cultivating

highest intellectual understanding

Karma Yoga - discipline of self-

transcending action and service

Hatha Yoga
Places special emphasis on physical postures integrated with harmonized breathing. Allows for control over bodily functions which influence the mind.

Hatha yoga is the science of yoga that deals with the practice of asanas (yoga postures).

How Yoga Postures Began
Yoga poses were developed thousand of years ago by yogis who observed different animals in the jungles – how they moved, how they rested, how they instinctively cured themselves when sick.
The yogis experimented with different animal postures on their own bodies and felt the subtle effects of these movements on their own organs and glands.
After centuries of experimentation, these postures were refined into a scientific system of thousands of exercises called
‘asanas’.

What are Asanas?
The root meaning of the word
‘asana’ is a position in which one feels comfortable.
They are yoga postures which when practiced regularly, the body stays healthy, flexible, strong and hardy.
They also help in preventing and curing diseases.

Asanas – Stationery Poses
Asanas are practiced as stationary poses in which the body & mind are relaxed and composed.
They are accompanied by gentle movements, deep breathing and pointed concentration.
They give the same benefits as vigorous exercises, of stimulating circulation and increasing the supply of oxygen to the cells.

Asanas vs Exercises
However, with vigorous exercise this extra supply of oxygen is used up during the exercises.
Whereas during the practice of asanas, energy is accumulated rather than spent.
The main difference between asanas and forms of vigorous exercises is that asanas affect the internal organs and are not just like skeletal or
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