Introduction
There are currently over 300 million yoga practitioners worldwide, with India accounting for half of them. (Yogi Times-The Economic Times-May-2016) India has contributed to the cultural reservoir of the world with two priceless contributions- One Music, second Yoga.
Yoga is a discipline based on an extremely subtle science, which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art and science of healthy living. Yoga leads to a perfect harmony between the mind and the body, man and nature, individual consciousness and universal consciousness.
Meaning of Yoga
Word meaning of Yoga is “to Join” in classical terms. The most central thought is to join with you… yourself, to know yourself!
The knowledge quest was most explicitly thought after by our ancient people. The process of knowledge involves, (a) the ‘object’ to be known; (b) the knower – ‘subject’ and (c) the ‘knowledge’ process!
They came to a conclusion that to know something is to involve the subject with the object. This process changes the object as it was earlier the action of knower to KNOW!
So whatever knowledge the knower has got of the object is the object + his interaction / interpretation of the object. This part of the knowing depends upon how clear the mind of the knower is. If the mind is not clear then the interaction/interpretation is not clear and clouded by the present condition of the mind. This leads to misunderstanding of the REAL object. It may not be really the real object!!!
So, to know something will depends upon how your mind perceives it. That way if the mind is really clear only then is it possible to know the near pure form of the object to be known. This clearing of the mind is the core meaning of Yoga. The interesting part is, the way to achieve this is also called by our old people as some Yoga! In summary the clearing of the clouded mind is the state of YOGA and the way or ways to do it is / are also YOGA! The above process is called the Dnyan Yoga.
Dnyana Yoga
Intellectual process to know yourself by clearing the mind. Process of it starts with the gross and leads to subtle most clearing of doubt about the RELITY! But it was seen early that this may not be within the reach of all persons so, some other ways were also set forth to gain THAT knowledge of REALITY, such as:
Bhakti Yoga: to devote your entire persona to an ultimate entity – “Ishwara” and surrendering your emotions to HIM in turn clearing the mind;
Karma Yoga: to perform your duties in utmost pure ways possible. That way the expectations and the chain of thoughts followed is cut off and the mind gets clear!!
Raja Yoga / Hatha Yoga: to control the mind via successive control on body and on breathing.
Every way would stabilize your mind to eliminate wrong perception of object/s and you get near the correct knowledge. Here we shall discuss the principles of Raja Yoga, successive control of body, breath and mind. Raja Yoga is further divided grossly in two parts:
- External – Bahirang Yoga; and
- Internal – Antarang Yoga
Each part has four steps that lead successively from body control to mind control. We start with controllable body, move on to semi controllable breath and finally try to control the mind.
- Bahirang Yoga: Yama, Niyama, ASANA, Pranayama
The first two steps Yama & Niyama, are the rules to be followed in personal & Social life! Some Dos & Don’ts. These make the basis of the transformation that we are aiming at! Purification!!
Next Asana & Pranayama consists of some practices on body – breath level. These help to further purify, stabilise our body, make it supple, flexible, relatively disease free. This helps us to go further towards Internalisation – Antarang Yoga.
- Antarang Yoga: Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyaana, Samadhi
Pratyahara – control over scattering, externalising of senses. Dharana starts steadying of the mind and then making it ready for Dhyana-Meditation. Here the process of introspection starts and finally leading to the ultimate state of clearest mind, Samadhi!
The process of introspection starts with the question What / who am I? Well, I am – (Your name)! Ok
But can I be really be me? (Your name)? I am brother to someone, husband to someone, father to someone, uncle to someone, someone’s friend!!!
But then, these are the limited identities superimposed on ME! Like an actor doing different roles in different films/ plays. But if the actor carries one ROLE to other it will be messy. So, the actor forgets his ROLE once it is done. The actor becomes one self and then becomes someone else in other ROLE.
But here we don’t get time to forget our ROLE in real life. We act all the ROLES together. That is a bit difficult thing. Well, everyone does that. But there is some time some moments when you forget the ROLE/s and be yourself. Sometimes in the childhood while swimming …. Yes! While playing… Yes!! But then I don’t remember later in life being myself. I am always someone TO someone.
Can I forget that for some time? A month? … Ahh impossible…! Then for a week? Umm No…!! For a day? Let’s see…!!!
At least for an hour…? When you are practicing Yoga – (Asana, Pranayama, Dhyana); while doing those asanas, as you get yourself in the final position of them. While breathing in and breathing out…! Yes, I think I can do that…YES!!!
While doing asana – you are being yourself means you are being your BODY! Try first being your body to know your body!! Then will you know you as your Mind – Mann, Intellect – Buddhi and then SELF!
To know our body will help us to cure our body!
If we know our body as a complex system of systems, then what made it ill? It must have taken lot of trouble to fall ill. In fact, WE must have given good amount of trouble to our body! Yes, because the basic nature of the body is to remain healthy. To run all systems properly, there could little problem here and there and one or more system would get some trouble working, but for some time only. Soon, it would come back to ITSELF! A good working system of systems!
But what if the problems are occurring more and more frequently, before the earlier problem is repaired and the body is normal! That is when the body will be ill. The main aim of Yogic practice/therapy is to get back to you…! And stay so.
It will only happen if you think the yogic lifestyle as your lifestyle!
Meaning…?
Remembering to come back to yourself. Not getting carried away in the thoughts and the lifestyle.
AHAAR AND VIHAAR are given very much importance in Yoga! That’s eating and resting or enjoying/ experiencing. Slow, little but continuous practice of Yoga will also help you to get well!! Since you won’t be away from your BASIC NATURE! Let’s take a look at the AHAAR – Diet part!
Diet in Yoga
A diet that is wholly conducive to the practice of Yoga and spiritual progress is called Yogic diet. Diet has intimate connection with the mind. Diet is of three kind, viz., Sattvic diet, Rajasic diet and Tamasic diet. Broadly some of the key constituents of the diets can be classified as under:
Sattvic Diet:
Sattvic Diet includes – Cow’s milk and its products (butter, curd, cheese, etc.), fruits, vegetables, nuts, wheat, unpolished rice, barley, green pulses, groundnuts, cereals, honey, ginger, lemon, etc.
Rajasic Diet:
Rajasic Diet includes – Salt, chillies, chutneys, fish, meat, asafoetida, pickles, tamarind, mustard, sour things, tea, coffee, white sugar, carrot, turnips, etc.
Tamasic Diet:
Tamasic Diet includes – Onion, garlic, beef, pork, wine, tobacco, rotten / stale things, all forms of intoxicants, etc.
The diet should be such that it can maintain physical efficiency and good health. The well-being of an individual depends more on perfect nutrition than on anything else.
After all, man wants very little on this bountiful earth that will amply suffice to keep the life going. People, on the contrary, stuff their stomachs with all sorts of things, eatable and uneatable, just by the force of habit even when there is no appetite. This is very bad. All diseases take their origin in overloading the stomach when no rest is given to the stomach. Fasting is not advisable for practitioners of Yoga as it produces weakness. But occasional mild fasts are highly beneficial. They will overhaul the system thoroughly, give rest to the stomach and the intestines and eliminate uric acid. Skipping Breakfast or Lunch or Dinner only also can be said as mild fast. Try these intermittently.
Summary
- Yoga = to join with self!
- Ultimate Aim is self-realization, the real knowledge. Our limited aim is to join our body with our mind and gain good control of body-mind complex and become/remain HEALTHY
- Way of doing is also some form of Yoga. Like Dnyana, Bhakti, Karma, Raja!
- Now a days we practice Hatha/Raja yoga- Combination of asanas, Pranayama & calming through Yoganidra and meditation
- Focus on the yoga practice sessions. Be consistent
- Adapt to yogic lifestyle. Don’t treat Yoga as some exercise session
We shall continue to discuss about a few more important, practical points about yoga!
Umesh - based in Mumbai, is an ardent promoter of holistic living and yoga. He is associated with various social activities and as a hobby he conducts science and astronomy camps for school children.
