According to Hinduism, when four elements philosophy, mysticism, emotions and work present in a human body are in equal proportion then he is an ideal human being. Yoga also can be called union is the path by which all these four directions can be balanced harmoniously. Yoga can be referred as complete development of social, physical, mental and spiritual system. In the Indus-Sarasvati civilization of Northern India approximately 5000 years ago, yoga was originated. It was in the rig Vedas that the first history of Yoga was found. The earliest meditative practices of sacrificing self ego which was the ideas transformed from Upanishads that the modern yoga positions and principles have evolved. This was to be successfully completed with the help of self-knowledge, karma-yoga and Jnana Yoga.
Basically yoga means Oneness, or joined together, unify. When body, mind, emotions and spirit are unified so that they work very well together, it is YOGA. This word comes from ancient Sanskrit word Yog which means to unify. A Yogi is a person who can consciously unify the four systems while others need the help of Yoga to attain this. Yoga has numerous benefits and it is practiced by many different faith people and thus it is not a religion. In ancient times sages like, Shiva, Rama, Krishna and Vyasa practiced Yoga. It is just yoga what Krishna taught Arjuna; Hatha Yoga was practiced by Mahavira so Jainism also follows yoga. A lengthy pilgrimage was carried by Jesus Christ to study Yoga. Throughout the life of Gautam Buddha, he followed Yoga. Even Buddha’s raja yoga was taken to china by Bodhidharma from India. Thus, yoga is practiced and followed by all religions since ancient times.
Yoga connects a person to god. The kundli Shakti or the serpent power present at the base of the spine is stimulated by the positions and poses of yoga. The energy released rises through the chakras also providing energy to endocrine glands and reaches the Hypothalamus which controls the release of hormones in the body thus reducing stress. Yoga also promotes inner harmony. In India, yoga is practiced as a part of spiritual quest for enlightenment. The overall path of Yoga can be divided into classical, post-classical and modern period.
Patanjali, the father of Yoga made the first presentation of yoga systematically in yoga sutra. To quite the mind and merge with the infinite eight limb path are organized namely in English are; self-purification and study, posture, breath control, sense control, concentration, contemplation and meditation. These can also be called “Ashtanga yoga” each of these stages must be practiced and mastered to reunite with the divine energy. The eight stages are:
1- Yama; These are the principles or rules to be followed. Yama restricts the tendency of violence or possessiveness. It tells the humans to follow the path of truthfulness, purity, conscience, trustworthiness, goodness and honesty.
2- Niyama; Niyama shows the path towards god. It encourages the humans to study the holy script. It is about restrict oneself by own rules and regulations. Niyama is to surrender self to god through discipline, self contentment and self study.
3- Asanas; Asanas helps one to develop inner awareness and shows how to calm the mind through different body postures. Asanas is basically body postures.
4- Pranayama; Pranayama shows how to have rhythmic control on the breadth. To discover a good energy and force or element is the main aim of pranayama.
5- Pratyahara; Pratyahara is control on all the senses. Emotions, sentiments and pleasure must all be given up and there should not be any external attraction. The withdrawal of mind completely from these things.
6- Dharna; The concentration of the mind must be deep and intense which improves the mental state of a person. To hold is the other word for Dharna.
7- Dhyana; Dhyana is to meditate. It brings awareness of the body.
8- Samadhi; Samadhi is a meditation state which leads the person to sub consciousness. For reaching the stage of Samadhi deep profound meditation is required. Samadhi is the union of the individual with the Paramatma or the supreme Universal spirit.
Yoga reduces daily stress, anxiety and depression thus relaxing the mind. After the Patanjali period, the yoga masters began to cleanse the system and rejuvenate the body by Hatha yoga. To improve physical health and balance the mind and body, it uses physical exercises, controlled breathing, relaxation and meditation. Hatha yoga has become very famous in west and people of today are into Hatha yoga for achieving good health. Yoga enables people to move forward into a state of wholeness and well being. By following yoga path the beginners are also able to find relief form physical tension, emotional turbulence and move forward for a life with higher consciousness.
People all around the world are practicing yoga but for different reasons, some practice yoga just for asana, the physical exercises which improves the health of the body and mind, some practice yoga for meditation to get contact with their higher consciousness or with the lord. Some of these who practice meditation are very religious while some do it for sake of personal transformation. Mainly there are eight types of yoga’s:
BHAKTI YOGA:
This is a type of devotional yoga also known as Bhakti Yoga which is for people who are seeking for well being and emotional fulfillment and is the natural way of yoga. This is one of the most ancient yoga where the devotion to the Almighty is stressed by Bhakti Yoga. Bhagwad Gita has he roots of Bhakti Yoga. In this type of Yoga, the lord is worshipped intensely by many ways like, praising the god by singing, religious books are read, slogans are enchanted and also prayers are listened. Bhakti Yoga is of nine forms like:
This is a type of devotional yoga also known as Bhakti Yoga which is for people who are seeking for well being and emotional fulfillment and is the natural way of yoga. This is one of the most ancient yoga where the devotion to the Almighty is stressed by Bhakti Yoga. Bhagwad Gita has he roots of Bhakti Yoga. In this type of Yoga, the lord is worshipped intensely by many ways like, praising the god by singing, religious books are read, slogans are enchanted and also prayers are listened. Bhakti Yoga is of nine forms like:
- Sravana – name of god is heard all the time in this type of Yoga
- Archana – this type of Yoga is about worshipping god.
- Kirtana – in this yoga, songs of glory of god are sung and god is praised.
- Sakhya – a friend in the form of god is cultivated
- Smarana – this type of Yoga is about enchanting god’s name and remembering him by taking his name and feeling his presence.
- Vandana – in this type the person lies down straight stretched on the ground upside sown and submits self to god.
- Padasevana – by this yoga service to god is done.
- Dasya – the worshipper shows god by this yoga that he/she is the servant of god.
- Atmanivedana – the worshipper surrenders himself to god by this type of yoga.
In this Bhakti Yoga, the worshipper or the Bhakta shows his concerns and thought towards god by pouring out his heart’s love and adoration till he feels the awareness between self and the lord.
KARMA YOGA:
To do something is Karma. The universal principle of cause and effect is referred by Karma. The devotee when realizes that whatever effect he/she is facing in the present life are due to the cause which he must have enacted before, for a finer and better tomorrow he has to change his thoughts and actions so that the old habits and attitudes are supplant by new and improved thoughts and habits. Thus, karma yoga is basically surrendering to the lord for a better tomorrow.
The Karma Yogi has faith in God and says that God does everything and dedicates his lower self that is –the mind, heart and hands in doing Gods work. He does not want to live for self anymore after he follows karma Yoga. He lives for God and the soul. Karma yoga is unselfish services towards God. This Yoga purifies ones hearts and teaches how to practice ones duty without expecting any rewards.
To do something is Karma. The universal principle of cause and effect is referred by Karma. The devotee when realizes that whatever effect he/she is facing in the present life are due to the cause which he must have enacted before, for a finer and better tomorrow he has to change his thoughts and actions so that the old habits and attitudes are supplant by new and improved thoughts and habits. Thus, karma yoga is basically surrendering to the lord for a better tomorrow.
The Karma Yogi has faith in God and says that God does everything and dedicates his lower self that is –the mind, heart and hands in doing Gods work. He does not want to live for self anymore after he follows karma Yoga. He lives for God and the soul. Karma yoga is unselfish services towards God. This Yoga purifies ones hearts and teaches how to practice ones duty without expecting any rewards.
JNANA YOGA:
This type of Yoga is also an ancient type of Yoga which was referred in Bhagwad Gita by Lord Krishna. It emphasizes on true knowledge which teaches how a person can detach himself from all the temporal or artificial things of life and attach or surrender self to the real thing in life that is the God or Almighty. Jnana Yoga teaches a person how to have control on mind, sense, faith, ability etc. the persons self concentration increases with the practice of this Yoga and he can remain focused on his work. The person also learns self control by this Yoga. The jnani or the person meditates patiently till he feels the glow of the soul dawns in the mind and heart putting aside all the thoughts and feelings and thus he feels the enlightenment and transformation. Meditation in this type is to be done with awareness and alertness where the unwanted thoughts must be discarded again and again if they come in mind. Thus, the mind becomes clear and soul is revealed. This yoga teaches to discard worries, doubts and fear and thus light your inner self.
This type of Yoga is also an ancient type of Yoga which was referred in Bhagwad Gita by Lord Krishna. It emphasizes on true knowledge which teaches how a person can detach himself from all the temporal or artificial things of life and attach or surrender self to the real thing in life that is the God or Almighty. Jnana Yoga teaches a person how to have control on mind, sense, faith, ability etc. the persons self concentration increases with the practice of this Yoga and he can remain focused on his work. The person also learns self control by this Yoga. The jnani or the person meditates patiently till he feels the glow of the soul dawns in the mind and heart putting aside all the thoughts and feelings and thus he feels the enlightenment and transformation. Meditation in this type is to be done with awareness and alertness where the unwanted thoughts must be discarded again and again if they come in mind. Thus, the mind becomes clear and soul is revealed. This yoga teaches to discard worries, doubts and fear and thus light your inner self.
MANTRA YOGA:
Mantras are basically words related to God or phrases, syllabus from some religious books or prayers to please god are chanted with alertness and thoughtfulness. In mantra yoga, the words or phrases are enchanted again and again till the mind and heart feel the light within. The concentration power is increased by this Yoga and the person also gets to feel the peace of mind. Emotional ailments and problems like anxiety, stress and tension are all removed by this Yoga. The self confidence of an individual is boosted by this yoga leaving a positive impact on the psychology of the individual. To bring back the change of consciousness, the mantra or the word recommended is AUM. The mantra or word when chanted again and again brings the wandering mind back to one’s meditation. The words for Mantras or phrases are mostly from ancient Sanskrit language and there are many different mantras followed by people.
Mantras are basically words related to God or phrases, syllabus from some religious books or prayers to please god are chanted with alertness and thoughtfulness. In mantra yoga, the words or phrases are enchanted again and again till the mind and heart feel the light within. The concentration power is increased by this Yoga and the person also gets to feel the peace of mind. Emotional ailments and problems like anxiety, stress and tension are all removed by this Yoga. The self confidence of an individual is boosted by this yoga leaving a positive impact on the psychology of the individual. To bring back the change of consciousness, the mantra or the word recommended is AUM. The mantra or word when chanted again and again brings the wandering mind back to one’s meditation. The words for Mantras or phrases are mostly from ancient Sanskrit language and there are many different mantras followed by people.
LAYA YOGA OR SWAR YOGA:
Through breathing, the control of the life force is referred in Swara Yoga or laya Yoga. In Sanskrit language, Swara means sound or musical notes. By practicing Laya or Swara Yoga a person overcomes selfishness and self-centeredness. The person feels the heart expansion and is able to deal with all types of worries and fear. Tremendous amount of strength is felt inside the body and soul. There are five centers in the body which are taught by a yoga teacher for concentration in Swara Yoga or Laya Yoga. Without the help of a teacher it is not wise to meditate on any of the centers while it is beneficial to sense or concentrate on the five centers but with the help of a teacher. These centers when opened bring higher consciousness and a worthwhile endeavor.
Through breathing, the control of the life force is referred in Swara Yoga or laya Yoga. In Sanskrit language, Swara means sound or musical notes. By practicing Laya or Swara Yoga a person overcomes selfishness and self-centeredness. The person feels the heart expansion and is able to deal with all types of worries and fear. Tremendous amount of strength is felt inside the body and soul. There are five centers in the body which are taught by a yoga teacher for concentration in Swara Yoga or Laya Yoga. Without the help of a teacher it is not wise to meditate on any of the centers while it is beneficial to sense or concentrate on the five centers but with the help of a teacher. These centers when opened bring higher consciousness and a worthwhile endeavor.
HATHA YOGA:
Mainly for health and vitality, Hatha Yoga is practiced. It includes exercising and stretching so that the body remains healthy and can live long with free mind and soul. Y practicing Hatha yoga, the concentration power of the person or Yogi increases and also the mind becomes clear. For spiritual realization also many yogis Hatha yoga as their main method, they can meditate easily because of their clear mind and healthy bodies. Yogi Swatmarama founded the Hatha Yoga. This Yoga is all about combination of two extremes. “Ha” means sun regarded as positive current and “tha” means moon regarded as negative current. Asanas or physical postures, breathing exercises or Pranayamas, meditations, mudras and Shatkriyas or purification procedures are all included in Hatha Yoga. By practicing Hatha Yoga, an individual is prepared for meditation and his body is purified. Achieving Salvation through Samadhi is the aim of Hatha yoga. Ashtanga Yoga and Hatha Yoga are similar Yoga’s.
Mainly for health and vitality, Hatha Yoga is practiced. It includes exercising and stretching so that the body remains healthy and can live long with free mind and soul. Y practicing Hatha yoga, the concentration power of the person or Yogi increases and also the mind becomes clear. For spiritual realization also many yogis Hatha yoga as their main method, they can meditate easily because of their clear mind and healthy bodies. Yogi Swatmarama founded the Hatha Yoga. This Yoga is all about combination of two extremes. “Ha” means sun regarded as positive current and “tha” means moon regarded as negative current. Asanas or physical postures, breathing exercises or Pranayamas, meditations, mudras and Shatkriyas or purification procedures are all included in Hatha Yoga. By practicing Hatha Yoga, an individual is prepared for meditation and his body is purified. Achieving Salvation through Samadhi is the aim of Hatha yoga. Ashtanga Yoga and Hatha Yoga are similar Yoga’s.
KUNDALINI YOGA:
Enlightenment is achieved by the individual who practices Kundalini Yoga. The untapped energy or kundalini which remains at the base of the spine coiled up is awakened or attracted by using techniques that uses mind, senses and bosy of the individual. It includes Asanas, performing of meditation, chanting Mantra, and awakens the seven chakras of the body. The breath control and Asanas are coordinated well in this Yoga.
Enlightenment is achieved by the individual who practices Kundalini Yoga. The untapped energy or kundalini which remains at the base of the spine coiled up is awakened or attracted by using techniques that uses mind, senses and bosy of the individual. It includes Asanas, performing of meditation, chanting Mantra, and awakens the seven chakras of the body. The breath control and Asanas are coordinated well in this Yoga.
