I started practicing yoga a few years back as a way to a healthier life. It has proven to be a blessing ever since. Presently with a multitude of widely marketed practices of Yoga and multiple gurus, the entire discipline can become very confusing. The popularization of Yoga both the mainstream media and social media as a way to remain healthy has unfortunately resulted in some misconceptions about Yoga. Some of the original principles of Yoga and remaining healthy have become diluted.
The original purpose of yoga asanas has been to keep the internal physical body and the energy body healthy and in balance. Much of what we see today in the form of Yoga asanas is essentially Hatha Yoga. Over centuries, Hatha Yoga has evolved into a detailed practice, which details yoga asanas/yoga poses for each chakra (or energy center) of your body. It is meant to keep your internal body and mind in balance. Numerous scientific studies have pointed to the massive health benefits of Hatha Yoga.
If you are a beginner, to understand and practice Yoga, it is important to understand the philosophy of Yoga and where do Yoga poses fit in.
Philosophy of Yoga - Yoga when literally translated means – “to join”, “to unite”. It is derived from the word Yuja, which means union or to join. It is often mistaken as the union of the mind and the body. It is a union of the self with the reality of self. When put simply, it means self-realization. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is one of the earliest and most important works on Yoga. The ancient sage Patanjali compiled all the knowledge of Yoga into 195 sutras (aphorisms). According to Patanjali’s second Sutra, the goal of Yoga is Chitta, Vritti, Nirodaha. Yoga is the cessation (nirodha) of the activities (vrittis) of chitta (mind). Vrittis refer to any sequence of thoughts, ideas, mental imaging or cognitive act performed by the mind, intellect, or ego.
The goal of Yoga is the cessation of all mental activation i.e. taking the mind to a non-active state. It is in this state, that you experience your soul. Yoga asanas are a means to prepare your body for meditation that can help you reach this state (also known as asamprajanata samadhi).
Asmaprajnata Samadhi is the ultimate state of awareness, the state of consciousness where nothing can be discerned except the pure self. . This is the ultimate goal of yoga Asmaprajnata Samadhi is the 8th limb and the final limb of yoga presented by Patanjali. The 8 Limbs of Yoga constitute
- Yama (Abstentions, moral restraints such as truthfulness, non-violence, etc.)
- Niyama (Cleanliness, contentment, austerity, devotion to god)
- Asana (Stretches, postures)
- Pranayama (Breath control)
- Pratyahara (Withdrawal of senses) – The process deepens and there’s a withdrawal of senses including sound, sight, taste, smell, & touch.
- Dharana (Concentration)
- Dhyana (Meditation)
- Samadhi (Full meditative absorption)
Yoga asanas or Yoga poses are important to prepare your body for deep periods of meditation. The improvements in your body shape are essentially not the main objective of it.
Challenges with modern Yoga Practice - The main difference between a Hatha Yoga practice and a modern yoga asana practice is how the asanas are performed. Classically, asanas (yoga poses) are defined as steady, comfortable, poses. As soon as the asanas are performed in a dynamic way, without steady holds, we enter the realm of modern asana practice.
Ancient scriptures define asanas with the words sthira sukham asanam, which defines the state where body and mind are steady and comfortable in a pose. To sum it up, an asana practice according to Hatha Yoga principles aims to keep the internal body healthy and in balance rather than focusing on weight loss, toning, and shaping the exterior physical body and performs asanas with long, comfortable, and steady holds, rather than in a vigorous or dynamic manner.
These days with a lot of emphasis on being in a good shape, yoga practices generally focus on toning and stretching the musculoskeletal system. It is important to remember that the changes in bodily appearance through the regular practice of yoga asanas are only side effects and should not be mistaken for the main goal.
I hope you found this interesting.