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What is Yoga?
It comes from root word yunj (Sanskrit) - which means to unify, to unite. It is not like the union of sand and sugar; but is like the union of sugar dissolved in water, which, once merged, cannot be separated.
Yoga as Science
Yoga is a system of practices that encourages the harmony and union of body, mind, & spirit - and gives a sense of Oneness. Yoga is really a spiritual science.
Raja Yoga
In the West, yoga has often been associated with body contortions, youth, beauty, and long life. Actually this is only related to one type of yoga HATHA YOGA. Broadly, YOGA is an intuitional science. Raja Yoga is known as Astaunga Yoga, or 8-fold yoga, a systematic approach to mastery of ourselves.
What is Tantra? It is the basis of intuitional science. Root words: Tan - which means darkness; and Tra - which means liberation from. Origin of all branches of yoga practices. Examples:
bhakti yoga dhyana yoga raja yoga jinana yoga kriya yoga astaunga yoga karma yoga hatha yoga mantra yoga
Tantra
Bhakti Yoga - discipline of love and Jinana Yoga - discipline of cultivating Karma Yoga - discipline of self-
Hatha Yoga
Places special emphasis on physical postures integrated with harmonized breathing. Allows for control over bodily functions which influence the mind.
Hatha yoga is the science of yoga that deals with the practice of asanas (yoga postures).
Asanas vs Exercises
However, with vigorous exercise this extra supply of oxygen is used up during the exercises. Whereas during the practice of asanas, energy is accumulated rather than spent. The main difference between asanas and forms of vigorous exercises is that asanas affect the internal organs and are not just like skeletal or muscular exercises.
Importance of Asanas
Balance the endocrine glands & control the emotions. Revitalize the nervous system. Improve blood circulation. Relax any tensions in the muscles. Can correct defective postures. Calm the mind.
2nd chakra = Svadhisthana - fluidal - igneous - solar - sidereal - lunar - 1000 petals
- base of the spine, above the perineum; 2) Sva'dhis't'ha'na - base of the genital organ; 3) Man'ipura - navel; 4) Ana'hata - midpoint of the chest; 5) Vishuddha - throat; 6) A'jina - between the eyebrows; 7) Sahasra'ra - crown of the head.
Things to Remember
Breathing control. Conscious stretching: - no pain should be felt. Counter positions or balance: - must treat the body equally by stretching each side of body equally and in opposite directions.
A good warm-up
Fish posture
Multilateral Mind
As a result of mental dilation, ie increase in volume and mass of the psychic body, the mind acquires more and more potentiality for multilateral activities. According to the mental dilation, the physical body as well gets metamorphosed, and as the longing for the Great increases, the physical body develops certain complexities for an adjustment with the higher psychic demands. Hence we find that in creatures having developed sentiments, the physical body is a composite structure of a large number of glands with their peculiar activities. The developed glandular complexity is an essentiality for facing the psychic clashes in subtler spheres.
It feels so much better when you transcend the ordinary - its not hard to do.
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