YOGA-IN-DAILYLIFE:
YOGA is a type of discipline exercise practised for good health and relaxation , which includes breath control,meditation and also adoption of different body postures.YOGA is a practical aid but its not a religion.YOGA is an art of living which is mostly practised for better development of the body,mind and spirit.
YOGA practise makes body strong and flexible.YOGA improves the functioning of respiratory system,harmonal systems and digestive system of a human body.IT brings about emotional stability and also clarity of mind to take better decisions.
link to watch yoga asanas:
Presently more and more people, especially the westerners are resorting to YOGA to attain peace of mind and also to find cure for chronic health problems,eventhough they don't know what exactly is yoga and what are included in it.But there is popular belief that YOGA merely includes stretching of body and warm up exercises,but also other things beyond that.
HISTORY OF YOGA:
YOGA history has many places of uncertainity because of its oral transmission of secred texts and secretive nature of its teachings.the development of YOGA can be tracked back to 5,000 years ago,but some researchers think it may be 10,000 years old.YOGA'S long and rich history divided in to four main periods of development.
YOGA history has many places of uncertainity because of its oral transmission of secred texts and secretive nature of its teachings.the development of YOGA can be tracked back to 5,000 years ago,but some researchers think it may be 10,000 years old.YOGA'S long and rich history divided in to four main periods of development.
PRE-CLASSIC YOGA:
YOGA was developed by the indus-sarasvathi civilization in northern india over 5,000 years ago.The word YOGA was mentioned first in old sacred texts,Rig Veda.In those days vedas are nothing but collection of texts containing songs,mantras and rituals which is to be used by brahmans and vedic priests.YOGA was slowly developed by brahmans,they documented their practises and beliefs in the upanishads.But it was huge work containing over 200 scriptures.Later upanishads took the idea of ritual sacrifice from vedas and internalized it,by teaching sacrifice of ego through self-knowledge,wisdom and also action.
CLASSICAL YOGA:
In Pre-classical stage yoga was worth of various ideas,beliefs and techniques but later that was contradicted with each other.This classical period of YOGA was defined by "patanjali's yoga sutras",it gave the first systematic presentation of YOGA.Patanjali organized the practise of yoga in to an "eight limbed paths"containing different stages and steps towards obtaining enlightment. So patanjali is considered as father of YOGA.
POST-CLASSICAL YOGA:
A few centuries after patanjali,YOGA masters created and started the new practises of YOGA by rejecting the teachings of ancient vedas and embraced the physical body as the means to achieve enlightment.Here they developed the tantra-yoga with some radical techniques to clean the body and mind to break the knots that bind us to our physical excistence.This practises later lead to the creation what we really think of YOGA now in the west(Hatha yoga).
MODERN YOGA:
In the late 1800's and early 1900's,yoga masters started traveling towards west by attracting attention and followers.This began at parliament of religions in chicago in 1893,when swami vivekananda wowed the attendees by giving his speech on YOGA and world's religions universality.Later Hatha Yoga was strongly promoted in india with the hard work of swami vivekananda,krishnamacharya and other yogis.
krishnamacharya opened his first Hatha YOGA school in 1924 in mysore and in 1936 sivananda founded the divine life society on the banks of holy river ganges.Sivananda was also a prolific author,writing about 200 books on yoga,established 9 ashrams and numerous yoga centers located around the world.
This way the importation of yoga to the west continued till Indra devi started her yoga studio in Hollywood in 1947.From the time many more westerners and indian teachers started teaching and popularizing the Hatha YOGA by gaining million of followers.Now World widely there are many schools of yoga emphasizing the many different aspects of the practise.
YOGA TYPES:
YOGA is considered as essence of a healthy life.A person practising yoga on a regular basis not only ensures a healthy life but also attains a desired peace of mind with out any stress.YOGA is broadly divided in to eight types.They are
BHAKTI YOGA:
The individual performing of this type of yoga concentrates on the excistence of almighty.It completely emphasizes on love and devotion.It can be practised in number of ways,such as praising the god by singing,reading religious books,watching religious movies and listening to prayers.
HATHA YOGA:
HATHA YOGA is a type of yoga consist of two extremes of 'ha'(the sun considered as the positive extreme),'tha'(the moon considered as the negative extreme).It involves the performance of physical postures,asanas,meditation,mudras,breathing exercises and purification procedures known as "shatkriyas".
JNANA YOGA:
It is a YOGA of true knowledge,it helps to detach from all the temporary things of life.The person doing it attains control over his/her mind,sense,faith and concentration.By practising JNANA YOGA,the individual stays single minded in all situations and attains self-control.
KARMA YOGA:
KARMA YOGA is the dedication of all the actions and their fruits to the almighty.This type of YOGA purifies one's heart,and helps attains the knowledge of one's own self.The KARMA YOGA aims at providing selfless service to the poor and the needy,without expecting money,fame,power and honor in return of service.
KUNDALINI YOGA:
MANTRA YOGA:
MANTRA YOGA also called as MANTHA YOGA and name itself suggests that one can attain a peace of mind and can increase the concentration by making use of mantras.Mantra yoga helps to eliminate the disorders,including pshycosomatic ailments,problems of anxiety,stress and tension.It also has power to boost the person's self-confidence.
PURNA YOGA:
PURNA YOGA is also known as integral yoga.It emphasizes the karma of everyday life by offering wisdom and techniques for unison of body,mind and soul.It involves meditation and pranayams and alignment based asanas.It is improvisation of the traditional systems of yoga.
RAJ YOGA:
RAJ YOGA is also known as ASTANGA YOGA or EIGHT-LIMBED YOGA helps a person to alleviates from himself/herself from the emotional and mental conflicts.This helps a person to be in harmony with the co-existing creatures and the environment.RAJ YOGA is the best way for complete and holistic healing of one's mind and soul.
