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Yoga

“Yoga means togetherness of awareness and body. It is a practical science aiming at the realization of the ultimate – moksha. My purpose is to remove the misconception that yoga is for the elderly and the sick. The practice of yoga should ideally be commenced in early childhood when the body is by nature loose and flexible. Beginning early brings truth to the old adage “prevention is better than cure”. Though yoga does help in treatment of diseases, this is not its only goal.

Ancient masters like Patanjali have made mankind aware of the fact that Yoga is a science which is practical and usable with guaranteed scope of growth at all levels of human existence – physical, mental, emotional, physiological and spiritual. Its sole principle is to progress from a state of doing to the state of non-doing.

The ancient art of yoga says that an empty mind is God’s workshop. With the passage of time, medical science has made tremendous progress. So have metaphysics, physics, chemistry, human physiology and sports medicine. Yoga, which is a practical science, however, has fallen into the hands of those who don’t really understand its depth and use it for superficial purposes such as figure correction, weight loss and stress management.

You may wonder: ‘I know a few asanas (postures), bandhas (neuro muscular locks), mudras (gestures), and kriyas (purification techniques). When I practice them, all I feel is relaxed and light.’It is your inability to get involved at a deeper level that blocks yoga’s ability to take you beyond relaxation and a feeling of lightness. The mad materialistic race for earning more than what you need, the latest cars and cell phones has made you so busy, that you forget that every breath you are closer to death.

Yoga is not only a science that can be used as a curative to relax and de-stress you, but one that aids in understanding life, and can be used by a logical mind to go beyond logic. It allows the person who has given in to lust, greed and desire, to gain freedom from the senses. To some, this could mean death. However, the first lesson of yoga is withdrawal from the senses ( pratyahar)

Yoga is a systematic growth ladder that begins with yama and niyama (the basic ethical codes of life), asan to master the body and pranayam to go beyond the body. These constitute Bahirang (external yoga) and Antrang (inwards journey) that begins by experimenting with the senses(pratyahar), which helps achieve tranquility and a new world begins. External yoga has the effect of a mothers lullaby. It helps soothe the child to sleep. While sleep helps the practitioner achieve a tranquil state, the song makes him unafraid, stable, and comfortable with his closed eyes. From here the new world begins.

The practitioner continues by experimenting with the second step – dharana (thought and absence of thought).Success in this is a state of bliss – relaxed, awakened and a genuine sense of freedom from all attachment, pain and joy, a shift from ego to egoless, from skepticism to surrender, and from falling in love to happiness within. This is dhyana (profound meditation), the third step is internal journey. After this, he starts experimenting with happiness. The last door opens. The untold, unheard, unsaid and unknown reveals its own presence. He embarks with his awakened consciousness on a journey leading to the ultimate conquest of the fear of death.”

- Excerpt from the book “Yoga for the Family” by Bharat Thakur

When I was living in the Himalayas, my Guru would take us for early morning walks and say, ‘what beautiful Yoga is happening…do you experience yourself unifying with the natural surroundings around you?” he would take us for a run and then say “See the union. Have you ever been so aware of your breath? Here, you are forced to breathe deep. Just love it and go on jogging.” That’s what yoga is all about – fitness, meditation, awareness, clarity, fearlessness, the song of freedom and a carefree life. [read more]

- Excerpt from the book “Yoga for stress relief” by Bharat Thakur

Patanjali has defined asana as ‘sthiram sukham asana’ which literally means, stability, a feeling of wel-being. Asanas or postures are not yoga but they are one of the most important aspects. The science of asana can be used in different ways. [read more]

- Excerpt from the book “Yoga for back relief” by Bharat Thakur

The word yoga originates from the Sanskrit word Yuj, which means union - union of the self with the universal consciousness. Yoga is not just the physical practice of asanas, nor is it a spiritual philosophy or religion. It is the means to become an ideal human being. [read more]

- Excerpt from the book “Yoga for weight loss” by Bharat Thakur

Yoga is one of the least researched sciences in the whole world. While people are benefiting from the results through their practice of yoga, it will take hundreds of years of research to discover how it actually cures ailments. The beauty of yoga is that each person in the field has devoted his or her life into researching the different systems of yoga like Gherhand Samhitha, Hatha pradipika, Shiba Samhitha etc. Yoga is clearly a science and not a religion, as religion only focuses on enlightenment and God, whereas yoga provides us with answers to specific questions that relate to physical problems like disease emotional problems such as anger, and spiritual problems of existence. [read more]

- Excerpt from the book “Yoga for flat abs” by Bharat Thakur

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