One of the cornerstone spiritual needs of man is to understand the meaning of his existence and the existence of the world. In youth, this process occurs with a burning interest in the environment, the relationship between people, the search for oneself, breaking patterns. Most people, having overcome “children's issues” of understanding life, are engaged in current affairs, and build life in the here and now plane. But for restless individuals, the importance of basic questions does not fade over the years. In search of answers, many people turn to ancient practice - yoga.
Unknown sources
The origin of yoga is so ancient that no one can determine the period of its origin today. For a long time it was believed that its appearance coincided with the writing by the philosopher Patanjali of the text "Yoga Sutras", tentatively this was in the 2nd century BC. This postulate had to be parted not so long ago.
Excavations carried out on the territory of Hindustan in the locations of ancient cities, whose age is about 4 thousand years, allowed to find ancient drawings that depict people in different yoga poses. Thus, the origin of the teaching was postponed in time for an indefinite period. This fact confirms that yoga is the oldest philosophical and religious concept of mankind.
What is yoga
Yoga is a concept so multidimensional that its definitions are exactly as many as teachers. In the general concept, it is defined as the path to the goal, where the goal is to connect with the Creator (the Higher Mind, God, Samadhi, etc.). Teachers appeared at different periods of history, bringing their own vision of practice to the doctrine and achieving great success on the path. So there were varieties of yoga. Their number helps each beginner find their own way of mastering philosophy, go through the steps of spiritual growth, gain physical health and respectful attitude towards themselves and the world.
There are many varieties of yoga, and new types appear, but they all have one goal. To understand which practice is suitable for a particular person, it is worth visiting different directions and carefully listening to your feelings. For some people, the best option would be hatha yoga, where the harmonization of consciousness occurs through the body. For those who have developed imagination, a variety with an intensive course of visualizations or singing mantras will be more useful. Yoga teachers and instructors argue that the main thing on the path to excellence is practice and a bit of theory.
Yoga breath
Respiratory yoga in an amazing way calms the mind, clarifies the mind, stabilizes the general condition. In the human body there are more than four thousand energy channels. The complex of pranayama - breathing exercises helps to cleanse and harmonize the flow of energy through the body as soon as possible. In addition, correctly done exercises cure almost all diseases of internal organs, endocrine and hormonal systems. A prerequisite for obtaining the effect is the guidance of an experienced instructor, a carefully selected set of exercises that takes into account the individual characteristics of the body. Yoga can do just as much harm as the uncontrolled use of medications.
You can start the exercises at any age, in any physical condition, but you need to know your contraindications. For example, for people with heart problems, breath holding pranayama is strictly prohibited. One of the relaxing, consciousness-relieving, calming breathing practices available to absolutely everyone is the initial course of nidra yoga. During the lessons, a person learns to breathe in full yoga breath, including the entire volume of the lungs, gets the skills of concentration, meditation while relaxing the whole body. Respiratory yoga has helped many to get rid of the bad habit of smoking and in record time to free themselves from accumulated toxins.
Yoga liberation
Jivamukti Yoga is a new direction that originated in the West. Spouses David Life and Sharon Ganon, after long trips to India and training in the ashrams of the leading yogis of our time, have opened their own yoga direction, adapted for people of the Western mentality. The first schools were opened in 1989, first in New York, and after - throughout America.
Jivamukti Yoga has five principles, the development and implementation of which helps to get liberation from the wheel of rebirth, from actions committed in previous incarnations. Philosophy helps the student to take the path of goodness, love, which helps to improve karma in the present and, as a result, helps to achieve enlightenment, bypassing the series of the following incarnations.
In the process of classes, students of a new kind of yoga practice asanas, sing mantras, do pranayama. Lecture courses on yoga philosophy are also given, meditation classes are held, and sacred music is listened. This direction is the first in the history of western yoga, paying attention not so much to the body as to worldview, spiritual practices, it is more concerned with the soul, and not with health.
There are five fundamental principles in this kind of yoga:
- Ahimsa. Non-infliction of violence, harm to oneself, the world around, other people and animals. The principle of non-violence.
- Bhakti. The realization that the root cause of life is God \ Self-realization \ Samadhi. It is comprehended through the singing of mantras, prayers, practice of asanas for tuning the physical body.
- Dhyana. Concentration \ contemplation \ meditation is a way of connecting with the Universe.
- Nada. The development of sound perception through focusing on listening to music, silence, voice.
- Sastra. The study of the theory and philosophy of yoga through literature, Sanskrit singing, the development of knowledge and skills.
The Way of Religious Yoga
Bhakti Yoga is one of the oldest practices. The Hindu tradition believes that this path leads the yogi to enlightenment most quickly and efficiently, this is a direct path to God. The word "bhakti" in Sanskrit means "love, devotion." The doctrine has nothing to do with gymnastics, this religious movement is based on the ministry of the adept to the Divine.
The basis of the practice is the singing of the Maha Mantra, the complete circle is the recitation of the prayer 108 times. The control is carried out using the rosary of 109 beads, where the connecting circle of the bead marks the beginning of the prayer circle. For beginners, it is enough to make a prayer of one circle in the morning. For yogis who go deeper into practice, meditation should become constant.
Bhakti-yoga does not require special physical efforts, the development of asanas and their mandatory practice. Here, a different approach is the willingness to faithfully serve God, to fulfill all the basic commandments, such as ahimsa, the study of religious literature, the observance of Vedic rules in everyday life, maintaining health through Ayurveda. At first glance, the path seems simple, but if you carefully analyze the causes of your actions, attitude to certain events, the habits of modern life, then this path lies through overcoming human vices, even if they seem inconspicuous.
Action and veneration
Kriya yoga helps a person who has embarked on the path of perfection to achieve the realization of spiritual potential through the harmonization of internal energies. To achieve the main goal, practical methods are applied, consisting of 144 types of activities (kriyas), grouped into five branches:
- Kriya Hatha Yoga. It includes the practice of asanas, consisting of 18 positions performed in pairs, mudra (hand movement), bandhas (muscle locks located in the areas of the main chakras).
- Kriya-kundalini-pranayama. The technique of awakening the flow of energy through the seven human chakras.
- Kriya Dhyana Yoga. The technique of meditation, purifying consciousness, increasing concentration, concentration, awakening supernormal abilities.
- Kriya Mantra Yoga. The inner singing of mantras, which arouses intuition, intelligence, contributes to the opening of the chakras.
- Kriya bhakti yoga. Activities aimed at serving and worshiping God.
Kriya Yoga reveals and improves all five aspects of the human being: physical, mental, intellectual, vital, spiritual.
The Way of the Masters
Surat-shabd-yoga is one of the oldest practices. There are two main translations of the name from Sanskrit: "yoga of the light-sound flow / vibration" or "the path of the masters." There are many rumors and legends about this practice. In direct access there is no practical guidance on how the classes are conducted. In ancient books there are only hints of the existence of this type of yoga.
Basic knowledge was transmitted from teacher to student verbally and secretly. It is reliably known that the main form of practice in this kind of yoga is internal meditation. In many sacred ancient books, you can find an analogue of the phrase “In the beginning was the Word”, and the practitioner concentrates on these sounds. Scientists have recently proved that in the universe there is a certain sound, expanding to infinity.
In surat-shabtd-yoga there is a concentration on the internal vibrations of light and sound, no external stimuli or concentrators are required for practice. This suggests that this type of yoga is more suitable for people who have reached certain levels of skill. For this type of occupation, according to experts, the obligatory presence of a Teacher who is initiated into esoteric knowledge is required.
Path of knowledge
Jnana Yoga, or Zhzhnana Yoga, is described in ancient books and belongs to the classical types of spiritual practices. The main way to comprehend the truth is to educate the mind, to destroy the three-dimensional illusions of the existing world through meditation, the study of ancient books, the teachings of enlightened teachers.
This kind of yoga teaches us to comprehend the world through observation, reflection and test one truth of another, and also gives the understanding that the truth is only that the individual has realized. Jnana Yoga teaches the adept to doubt the visible world, his own observations and conclusions, fosters the desire to compare every step and every knowledge with the fundamental principles of the universe.
freedom of choice
Yoga is a lifelong journey. Only the one who follows the road takes it, and it is only possible to decide which way to comprehend the truth, one can only begin to practice. Do not forget that Orthodoxy, the traditional spiritual practice for Russia, allows achieving no less success in the desire to know the world and its structure.