| Yoga – An Overview | |||
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By: Dr Vikram M Pattarkine May 03, 2005 Views expressed here are author’s own and not of this website. Full disclaimer is at the bottom. 
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Related Articles: Yoga in Sanskrit language literally means union, the union of the individual with the cosmic, the human soul with the divine. To the western mind, yoga is just a set of physical exercises to maintain good physical health. It is in fact much more than that; excellent physical health is only a minor benefit along the yoga path. This article presents an overview of yoga as understood by the author through limited practice and experience. Even though the experience is limited, the benefits have been immense. Yoga has been around for centuries if not millennia. The Sage Patanjali compiled the knowledge of yoga into a systematic work called the Yoga Sutra (believed to be about 2300 years ago). Patanjali declares that the objective of yoga is to still the mind so that we can concentrate and fully understand any given subject. The mind always wanders from one thought to another. It is often compared with a monkey (which is a restless animal to start with) who is drunk and has been bitten by a scorpion! To calm the mind is therefore is not an easy task. By following the path of yoga, however, we can calm our mind so that it does not wander. We can then concentrate properly and gain the knowledge of the ultimate subject, the Self. The Self is the purest form of human existence, pure consciousness – unlimited, eternal, and blissful. In the final step of yoga, the yogi realizes this experience as the individual merges with the cosmic. The yogi becomes one with the supreme power that governs this entire universe. As mentioned earlier, yoga is much more than a set of exercises. It comprises eight essential elements or ashtaanga. Yoga begins with purification of our daily life by adhering to certain don’ts and do’s. It then proceeds to the purification of the body through physical exercises and control over breath. At later stages, control over mind is achieved and in the final step the yogi achieves Self-realization. Step One: Yama – the abstinences or don’ts of daily life: When we desire to sow a crop, we have to ensure that the field is free of weeds, thorns, pebbles, etc. Eliminating these (undesirable things) is essential for raising a good crop. Similarly, to cultivate good things in our mind, we need to get rid of certain unwanted things from our life. These don’ts of life are called yama. Five such abstinences are described by Patanjali. (1) Ahimsaa or non-violence – We should not harm anyone by body, speech, or even in our mind. This is one of the main reasons most Hindus are vegetarian, since eating meat involves physical killing of another being. (2) Satya or truth – We should always be honest with ourselves. Thinking in one way and acting in another creates a conflict in our mind and we cannot be peaceful. (3) Asteya or non-stealing – We should not consume anything that we have not rightfully earned. There is no free lunch; we must do something to get food on our plate, by honest means and without exploiting others. (4) Brahmacharya or control over senses – Brahmacharya literally means such behavior that takes us toward Brahman or God. Often equated with celibacy, brahmacharya is in fact control over all sense organs, whose natural purpose is to discriminate between things that are good or bad for us. Instead of this intended purpose, we indulge in the pleasures of the senses and get attached to them. For example, if we are used to a soft bed at home and do not get it while traveling, we should not find it difficult to fall asleep. The one who practices brahmacharya remains equally peaceful regardless of the situation. There is nothing wrong with enjoying sense pleasures while the senses are engaged in their natural purpose. Beyond this, however, any indulgence leads to loss of health. (5) Aprarigraha or non-hoarding – The more things we "own" the more strings we attach to ourselves. Each thing we "own" needs some time and effort on our part to maintain it. The more such "strings" we have, the more tightly we get bound. Movement and progress then become difficult. Therefore we must strive to minimize our belongings, and be mentally prepared to give them up whenever their usefulness is up. Hanging on to unnecessary belongings is harmful to everyone concerned. Step Two: Niyama – the do’s of daily life: After clearing the weeds and the pebbles by practicing yama, we need to sow the seeds of niyama. These are the observances that we must consciously follow in our everyday life. (1) Shoucha or cleanliness – Modern health science tells us to keep our bodies clean. Yoga goes one step beyond and tells us to keep even our minds clean. Our body is a net result of not only the air, water, and food we consume, but also our thoughts. Thoughts of lust, anger, greed, selfish attachment, arrogance, jealousy, etc. must be kept away, since they pollute the mind. (2) Santosha or contentment – We must be content with what we have rightfully earned through honest means. We should not try to catch up with the Joneses. That pursuit is futile. Regardless of how hard we try, it will probably take an entire lifetime (or several lifetimes) to catch up with Bill Gates. And who knows, Bill Gates perhaps thinks that an ordinary programmer in his company is better off than he!!! (3) Swaadhyaaya or study of the Self – Swa means the Self and adhyaaya means study. The word is also translated as study of the Scriptures. When we study scriptures, our thoughts are focused on the divine and the mind does not entertain thoughts that pollute it. We should not be stingy about swaadhyaaya at all; we may indulge in it to our heart’s content. (4) Ishwarapranidhaana or surrender to God's will – Whatever happens in our life (or in this universe) is governed by God's will. We may wish or propose, but unless God disposes, that is, unless our wish is in accordance with the laws that govern this universe, it would never come true. We should not merely surrender either; we should put in our best effort and only then leave the rest in God’s hands. We cannot expect to pass an examination with flying colors unless we have put in the effort to study hard. Having studied hard and written our exam well, we should then accept the result as God’s will. When we let God shoulder our burdens and accept our life with humility and grace, we become truly free of all bondage. (5) Tapa or austerities or discipline – Carrying out yama and niyama with discipline, consistency, and most importantly humility is indeed tapa. Initially we may feel that these rules are difficult to follow or even impractical. They seem go against the modern way of life. But once we start practicing them consistently, we realize their true potential and are then not tempted to break them. This is similar to learning to drive a car. Initially we have to take care of the steering wheel, the brakes, the clutch, the gas, and even watch the rear-view mirror frequently. It all seems so difficult! But once we practice enough, driving becomes as easy as walking. Step Three: Aasana – physical posture: Aasana literally means to sit comfortably. In order to still the mind and concentrate / meditate, we would have to sit still with a body that is perfectly healthy. This is possible when our body is perfectly at ease with itself and its surroundings, that is, when there is no disease or unease. At the very basic level, the body is not only made up of but is also constantly interacting with the five great elements of creation – prithvi (earth or solid material), jala (water or liquid material), agni (fire, heat, or energy), vaayu (air or gaseous material), and aakaasha (ether or emptiness). When these elements are in balance within the body as well as with the elements outside, then the body remains perfectly healthy. Aasanas help us achieve that. Yogis have realized that the body and mind are intimately connected. If the mind has to be calmed, the body must remain healthy, hence aasanas. Another meaning of aasana is posture. Yoga recommends several postures that bring equilibrium between the elements within and outside the body. The body must metabolize the solid, liquid, and gaseous material that we feed it. Material that is useful must be absorbed and used for maintaining the body’s various functions. Unused or useless material must be discarded. Harmful material must be discarded at once. These functions are performed by the various organs of the body, controlled by various glands. Aasanas ensure that the organs and glands critical for healthy metabolism of the body are maintained in excellent shape so that they perform their natural functions efficiently. Aasanas provide optimum exercise to the entire body without undue exertion on any part or joint. Most importantly, aasanas help quickly eliminate any unwanted material and toxins that might accumulate in the body (mainly due to unhealthy diet and lifestyle). Imagine a garden hose with dirt stuck in it. We turn the tap on and the water does not flow from the other side. We twist the hose a bit, turn it, pinch it, stretch it, and turn the water on. Water now starts flowing smoothly. Most of the aasanas involve gently twisting, turning, and stretching the body. When we do this, any accumulated toxins in the body get flushed out. We feel tremendously refreshed and rejuvenated after an aasana session. Step Four: Praanaayaama – control over breath, praana, or life force: Of the elements that sustain our body, the most critical is air. We can live without food for weeks and without water for days, but we could not live without air for more than a few minutes. Thus we are constantly in contact with this element. Praanaayaama helps us control our breath consciously in rhythmic patterns to enhance its positive effect on the body. At the biochemical level, every breath brings in oxygen (praanavayu or the gas of life in Sanskrit) and throws out carbon dioxide. Praanaayama maximizes the absorption of oxygen into the body and elimination of carbon dioxide. This increases the oxygen content of the blood, which carries the oxygen to all parts of the body. The entire body therefore gets rejuvenated after each session of praanaayama. On a more subtle level, control over breath calms the mind. When the mind is perturbed, our breathing becomes irregular. Just as a calm mind results in rhythmic breathing, deliberate, controlled, rhythmic breathing in turn calms the mind. Step Five: Pratyaahaara – withdrawal of sense organs from sense objects: Just as the tortoise withdraws its organs when it senses danger, we should withdraw our sense organs from stimuli that distract from the path of yoga. When we use our sense organs for their natural purpose and do not indulge in unnecessary pleasures beyond the need level, our sense organs retain their sharpness for a very long time. Eyesight remains bright; taste buds remain sensitive; hearing remains perfect; and the sense of smell and touch remain sharp. This sharpness helps us learn about our surroundings easily, accurately, and quickly. Pratyaahaara also helps us in reducing our attachment to the pleasures of the body so that brahmacharya can be practiced more easily. Step Six: Dhaaranaa – direction: The direction is toward the knowledge of the Self. Any activity that distracts us from this direction should be discarded. When we diligently practice the first five steps, the sixth becomes clear and easy to adhere to. When we truly understand that direction our life must take, then we become firm on the path of yoga. Step Seven: Dhyaana – meditation or concentration: Dhyaana is continuous concentration on the final objective. Dhyaana is an important aspect of yoga, and most yogis spend considerable amount of time practicing dhyaana every day. The best time for dhyaana is brahma muhoorta (three-hour period before sunrise) after the body has had enough rest and has been cleaned. During early morning hours the world’s activities are at rest and the atmosphere is calm and clean. Meditation during brahma muhoorta yields excellent results in a very short time, since concentration is easy to achieve during this period. Step Eight: Samaadhi – ultimate union with the cosmic or Self-realization: The final step in yoga is samaadhi. This is the final liberation of the soul from its identification with the body. There is nothing beyond this. At this point the yogi becomes one with the Self. According to accomplished yogis this state is indescribable. It is beyond words. It has to be personally experienced to be fully understood. Most
people in today’s world would find the path of yoga very demanding. We
need not despair. Even if we are unable to follow some of the steps, we
can still achieve a number of benefits. As in learning to drive a car, we
might find the initial practice difficult, but once we practice it
sufficiently, it becomes easier and easier. This author is still trying
to follow the first few steps and is far away from samaadhi, but
has no doubt that the path of yoga ultimately takes us to our final
destination, the realization of the Self, the ultimate objective of human
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