Yoga and meditation gives strength to your body and mind providing mental peace and improving physical power help you in fighting against dangerous disease and lead longer and healthier life. Enhance your life with yoga and meditation.
Why do I feel that the original aim of yoga is high-jacked by todays minds concerned with wordly well being ?
If these would know that yoga is letting the transient go, be it health, long life, better sexual life, or avoidance of diseases, if they knew it is renouncement of indulgence in pleasures, if they knew it is not enhancing life, but transcending life, they would run from it like from the devil.
There is a dangerous devil here present posing under the venerable name of yoga, and it’s real name is hedonism. But perhaps it is God’s will to attract people this way, and maybe, for a few, the conversion will indeed happen.
I am sorry if I sounded radical, but I have been reading Patanjali’s sutras and the Simrad Bhagavatam (good one, it has spacehips ! - well, no, it has not, but I leave that to you to decide) lately, and the contrast between them and what generally is called yoga today is astounding. Please try to apply compassion to this poor beggar.
Namaskar,
Welcome to the Forum. I am glad that you have discovered yoga and meditation to be so useful, however for people who are completely new to both these practices, please remember that before yoga asana there are three other steps namely yamas, niyamas and pranayama to master and before meditation there is above mentioned as well as asana, pratyahara and concentration. From a yoga pov reaching meditation is a process one slowly develops and not just something you jump into.
I am also glad that you get complete knowledge on this website, but remember it is only a living teacher who can impart complete wisdom, huge difference between the two. Seek wisdom especially when it pertains to meditation, not just knowledge. Knowledge is everywhere, but wisdom in this day and age is very rare.
Benefits of Yoga
* Brings down stress and enhances powers of relaxation
* Boosts physical strength, stamina and flexibility
* Bestows greater powers of concentration and self control
* Inculcates impulse Control
* Helps in rehabilitation of old and new injuries
* Intensifies tolerance to pain and enhancing mental clarity
* Boosts functioning of the immune system
* Enhances posture and muscle tone
Benefits of Meditation
Improvement of body luster and general health-When your mind focuses on a particular part of the body, the blood flow to that part increases and cells receive more oxygen and other nutrients in abundance. Today, many of the film stars and fashion models include meditation in their daily regimen.
Hubert, you are absolutely right when you say that there is an astounding contrast between the yoga of yester-years and today. yoga today is not practiced as the father of yoga Patanjali has intended it. what is the meaning of yoga? [B]yoga means union, uniting. it is a uniting of individual consciousness with cosmic consciousness.[/B] nothing more, nothing less.
let us remember that Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras consist of 8 parts. that’s right, not steps to be practiced one after the other but parts practiced simultaneously. hatha yoga is one of those parts highly contorted these days into “super deluxe kundalini yoga”. hatha yoga is not about sweating in a heated room, being able to bend this way and that way, or having a nice workout. NO! hatha yoga as Patanjali intended is about preparing our body for the high energy of enlightenment. yoga is a way of living with awareness uniting every moment with cosmic consciousness. this has to be rightly understood.
the yoga sutras are a profound work on the nature of consciousness. it focuses only on the mind and its qualities, influences and fluctuations and the resultant disturbances. these disturbances are obstacles on the path of discovering the Self. the yoga sutras outline how we can go beyond the mind and live in the heightened state of awareness which we call samadhi. thank you for bringing up this topic. 
i am extremely new to yoga but i am aware there is far more to it than [I]fighting against dangerous disease and lead longer and heathier life[/I] [I][I][/I][/I]My understanding so far is that the goal of yoga is union and that would be union with the Absolute. that doesnt mean being protected from dangerous disease and living a long time. there is karma to take in to account too in relation to illness and longevity. Non attachment to the body is vital on this journey.
It has been made quite clear to me from the marvellous teachers i have been learning from that hatha yoga is but a means to strengthen the body in preparation for hours of sitting still in meditation. Why do so many people miss that point? People are also very quick to announce their meditation practices. How many of us are truly able to concentrate or withdraw our senses… that is meditation and it is a very long way off for alot of us.
i too, had spent a few years picking up yoga “tips” from books, dvd’s and websites and having now experienced excellent teaching from well trained and experienced teachers, realise i was getting 80% of it wrong, and certainly philosophically way off the mark!:rolleyes:
Hubert, I too agree with udaysree. you should change your thinking.
[QUOTE=Manali;22393]Hubert, I too agree with udaysree. you should change your thinking.[/QUOTE]
Manali, i think there is a misunderstanding. my response to Hubert is actually supporting his statement… his thoughts on the topic actually inspired me to contribute to this discussion because it is so very true: the real meaning of yoga is mostly forgotten or unknown today but it is important to understand it is not about exercise (being fit as the end goal) but preparing the body for enlightenment. how many of the yoga (exercise) enthusiasts eat a satvic vegetarian diet or meditate or engage in other spiritual practices (3-4 hours a day) to reach a higher state of consciousness?
[QUOTE=udaysree;22259]
let us remember that Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras consist of 8 parts. that’s right, not steps to be practiced one after the other but parts practiced simultaneously.:)[/QUOTE]
I used to think it was steps, and I tried to follow nama and niyamas. for me this created more inner turmoil. I practice yoga more as a whole now and with more silence, I find the restraints easier to follow. They are called observences by some, a key word, obseve. If we cannot quiet the mind how can we observe?
brother Neil
[QUOTE=justwannabe;22686]I used to think it was steps, and I tried to follow nama and niyamas. for me this created more inner turmoil. I practice yoga more as a whole now and with more silence, I find the restraints easier to follow. They are called observences by some, a key word, obseve. If we cannot quiet the mind how can we observe?
brother Neil[/QUOTE]
beautiful statement: practicing yoga as a whole and with more silence!
in regards to the restraints: don’t worry too much about the restraints. the more you mature in your consciousness, the more certain things will simply fall away.
an example: i used to smoke a pack a day. then when time came i simply stopped. it simply fell away. no quit smoking programs or anything else. i did not force myself. i did not suppress anything. it simply fell away.
think about it, if you force yourself to not do something, what will happen? you fight with it, you suppress it and eventually it will come back up as the same habit, is it not so? but when your inner being is ready to simply drop a ‘restrain’ it will simply beautifully fall away.
[QUOTE=justwannabe;22686]If we cannot quiet the mind how can we observe?
brother Neil[/QUOTE]
in the beginning it is difficult to observe the mind - if we think it is difficult.
first find a meditation technique that suits you well.
the more you meditate, the more the mind will become quiet. it has to happen. so that after some time of practice (this can be a few months or even a year or longer, no one knows the time. it depends on your state of consciousness. and the time does not matter. just meditate.) you will find that witnessing just happens by itself. suddenly it is there for a brief moment. it comes and goes of course but continue with meditation until you reach the highest state of consciousness. its a wonderful journey
[QUOTE=Hubert;22212]Why do I feel that the original aim of yoga is high-jacked by todays minds concerned with wordly well being ?
If these would know that yoga is letting the transient go, be it health, long life, better sexual life, or avoidance of diseases, if they knew it is renouncement of indulgence in pleasures, if they knew it is not enhancing life, but transcending life, they would run from it like from the devil.
There is a dangerous devil here present posing under the venerable name of yoga, and it’s real name is hedonism. But perhaps it is God’s will to attract people this way, and maybe, for a few, the conversion will indeed happen.
I am sorry if I sounded radical, but I have been reading Patanjali’s sutras and the Simrad Bhagavatam (good one, it has spacehips ! - well, no, it has not, but I leave that to you to decide) lately, and the contrast between them and what generally is called yoga today is astounding. Please try to apply compassion to this poor beggar.[/QUOTE]
Svatmarama makes it very clear in beginning of his work that hatha Yoga is the stepping stone to Raja yoga.These hatha Yogies, having seen that Patanjali has not done justice to asana and Pranayama, developed their own system basically detailing the processes of these two important limbs of astang yoga.
Their idea was that an ailing body cannot go to the last three stages and therefore to achieve what you say for yoga to achieve, you gotta better remain fit and healthy.
Whats wrong in retailing Yoga as health giver, at least people will need less doctoring.
As for hedonism, try reading yonitantra of yore.
Yoga and meditation is really the best practice which makes our body and mind healthy and gives a best relief and relaxation. The post is really too good and informative for every one…
I know i usually do basic Yoga techniques in the morning and meditation at night. In the mornings it makes you so much more energetic and ready for the day.
[QUOTE=Hubert;22212]Why do I feel that the original aim of yoga is high-jacked by todays minds concerned with wordly well being ?
If these would know that yoga is letting the transient go, be it health, long life, better sexual life, or avoidance of diseases, if they knew it is renouncement of indulgence in pleasures, if they knew it is not enhancing life, but transcending life, they would run from it like from the devil.
[/QUOTE]
Hubert,
I’m afraid you don’t have the whole picture yet. There are actually three paths of yoga, the path of dharma, the path of enlightenment, and the path of liberation. This is articulated by Tibetan Buddism, but if you look closely, all three are contained in the yoga sutras. Only the path of liberation is about transcending material existence. Dharma practice in particular is about enhancing the quality of one’s karma through preventive measures. All of these paths utilize the practice of meditation.
[QUOTE=Asuri;22881]Hubert,
I’m afraid you don’t have the whole picture yet. There are actually three paths of yoga, the path of dharma, the path of enlightenment, and the path of liberation. This is articulated by Tibetan Buddism, but if you look closely, all three are contained in the yoga sutras. Only the path of liberation is about transcending material existence. Dharma practice in particular is about enhancing the quality of one’s karma through preventive measures. All of these paths utilize the practice of meditation.[/QUOTE]
yoga comes from the Vedic tradition, not from Tibetan Buddhism. yoga is one of the six philosophical systems of india.
i recently heard Paramahamsa Nithyananda speak about the Patanjali Yoga Sutras (by the way, he is coming back to USA for more yoga sutras. check out yogam4you.org). he says that Patanjali addresses seekers at all levels. depending where one seeker is in his/her state of consciousness, accordingly individual sutras apply and provide answers. hatha yoga for example is part of the sadhana pada, the second chapter in the yoga sutras, the chapter on practice. the path of enlightenment is the highest path for mature spiritual seekers.
enlightenment and liberation are words for the same highest state of consciousness.
[quote=Asuri;22881]Hubert,
I’m afraid you don’t have the whole picture yet. There are actually three paths of yoga, the path of dharma, the path of enlightenment, and the path of liberation. This is articulated by Tibetan Buddism, but if you look closely, all three are contained in the yoga sutras. Only the path of liberation is about transcending material existence. Dharma practice in particular is about enhancing the quality of one’s karma through preventive measures. All of these paths utilize the practice of meditation.[/quote]
Thanks for the clarifications, they are welcome, and indeed encompassing.
Good post. Yoga is the one of the best exercise which helps to keep our mind and body healthy. It gives a peaceful and healthy life. It relieves us from stress.
hi manali,
I do believe that yoga strengthens our body and mind and helps in curing many deadly diseases. But i dont get time to do yoga everyday. Can you list me some short simple yoga, which i can do regularly in short time. Also tell me meditation techniques. As meditation too helps in improving our positivity to life and increases our inner strength.
[QUOTE=udaysree;22898]yoga comes from the Vedic tradition, not from Tibetan Buddhism. yoga is one of the six philosophical systems of india.
i recently heard Paramahamsa Nithyananda speak about the Patanjali Yoga Sutras (by the way, he is coming back to USA for more yoga sutras. check out yogam4you.org). he says that Patanjali addresses seekers at all levels. depending where one seeker is in his/her state of consciousness, accordingly individual sutras apply and provide answers. hatha yoga for example is part of the sadhana pada, the second chapter in the yoga sutras, the chapter on practice. the path of enlightenment is the highest path for mature spiritual seekers.
enlightenment and liberation are words for the same highest state of consciousness.[/QUOTE]
I think my intention was not quite clear, as I believe the yoga tradition was probably the source for what is articulated by Tibetan Buddhism. I’m afraid I have to disagree, though, about enlightenment and liberation. You’ve read the Yoga Sutras, so you should be familiar with 1.41 - 1.49. I believe that this is what the Buddhists refer to as enlightenment - the gaining of insight and truth through clarity of the inner being. Liberation is something much different. In all Indian philosophies, including Buddhism, liberation is considered the ultimate path, higher even than enlightenment.