In the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, which is the most important authority on yoga philosophy, Krishna explains to Arjuna the meaning of yoga as a deliverance from the sorrows of this world.
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
The first Western travelers in the East, in the times of Marco Polo, returned with stories of philosophers and sages who were described as being utterly serene, detached, and apparently unaffected by the ordinary difficulties of living. They were indifferent to pain and were able to control their minds and bodies in ways that, to Western observers, seemed miraculous. These sages were Hindu yogis. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjuli outlined in detail the physical and mental achievements necessary for one aspiring to this state. The book contains one hundred and ninety-six short aphorisms that describe the philosophy of yoga and the means of making it a viable reality in the life of a yogi (a yogi is a follower of yoga). Patanjali divided his work into four chapters. In the second chapter he describes the eight limbs of yoga, which provide the core of yogic philosophy:
Yama: abstention from evil.
Niyamas: observances.
Asanas: postures. Out of the thousands of postures then in use, Patanjali chose eighty-four. In India today these same postures are basic to the study of yoga.
Pranayama: breath control.
Dharana: concentration.
Dhyana: meditation.
Pratyahara: sense withdrawal.
Samadhi: self-realization.
Of these, yamas and niyamas should be examined more closely because they describe rules of moral conduct that are required of the student of yoga. Niyamas are the rules of conduct that apply to individual discipline, whereas yamas are universal in their application. The five abstinences or yamas are as follows:
Ahimsa: nonviolence: Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most revered philosophers and statesmen of India, founded his philosophy on ahimsa and satya (truth). He believed that these represent the soul force (Satyagraha), which he felt to be vastly superior to brute force represented by bombs and guns. He stated repeatedly that soul force is indispensible in transforming the politics of bloodshed into the politics of human welfare and world peace.
Satya: truthfulness.
Asteya: nonstealing.
Brahmacharya: continence of the body, speech, and mind (this can also be translated as chastity or fidelity).
Aparigrapha: simplification of life by not hoarding or collecting possessions.
The following are the five observances or niyamas:
Saucha: purity.
Santosa: contentment.
Tapas: austerity.
Svadhyaya: study.
Ishvara pranidhana: worship of God or the universal soul. By understanding the eight limbs of yoga we can see that practitioners are provided with a complete philosophy that gives them an intellectual understanding of the nature of creation, the nature of humans, and the relationship between them.
The Paths of Yoga
The schools or paths of yoga are numerous. Each student is generally attracted to the particular form which best answers his or her own needs. In many ways, the differences are largely a matter of emphasis because many of the paths overlap to some extent. Each one leads to personal development and eventually to a state of higher consciousness where the individual self merges with the universal self, bringing people and nature into complete harmony. Many serious students choose more than one path. Swami Vivekananda, who was instrumental in introducing yoga to the United States around the turn of the century, believed in a synthesis of the various yogas to achieve self-realization. Others believe that it is more beneficial to follow one path to their goal.
Hatha Yoga
Although necessary to all existence, balance is often upset. Yoga attempts to restore it through a threefold path of development—physical, mental, and spiritual. Yoga claims that there is no artificial separation between that which is body and that which is mind. This is the logic behind the fact that all yoga instruction begins with the physical, with hatha yoga, the philosophy of physical well-being. The goal is to gain control of the body’s energy flow and to direct it in positive, healing ways. The vital energy called chi by the Chinese and ki by the Japanese is called prana in India. Prana is everywhere and in everything; it is the basic force that animates all matter. In the study of yoga the life force or prana is closely associated with breathing practices that control and direct this important energy. Freed and able to flow throughout the body, it can stimulate both body and mind; blocked and distorted, it can sap and deplete our vitality.
The postures and breathing techniques of hatha yoga combine to provide vibrant energy and well-being. Each posture is enhanced by the addition of proper breathing (pranayama). The stretches, breathing, and deep relaxation exercises of hatha yoga balance and tone the entire body. They provide an effective method for dealing with our normal fast-paced lives, and give quick, observable results in relieving stress and tension.
The name hatha is made up of two Sanskrit roots: ha, which stands for the sun, and tha for the moon. In the science of hatha yoga, the right side of the body is the positive, male, sun, heat side, the left side is the negative, female, moon, cool side. Through the practice of hatha yoga the two sides and their characteristic forces are brought into balance. Thus one can obtain physical health, mental clarity, and steady strength of mind and character. The practice and eventual mastery of the postures and breathing patterns result in a balanced and steady mind and body.
Hatha yoga asanas (bench or steady positions) are designed to give maximum flexibility and strength to the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. They stretch and strengthen the spine and work, with the aid of breathing exercises, to balance and revitalize the body. While doing the stretches the vital organs are massaged and blood circulation is increased. The asanas are practiced not only to achieve a state of well-being but as a preparation for meditation. To meditate effectively, it is important to have a strong, flexible body that is able to remain in a meditative posture for long periods without becoming fatigued.
You notice that the asanas are named for animals and natural phenomena. The reason for this can be found in the Vedas, ancient Hindu scriptures, which describe how yoga exercises were created and designed by the king of yogis, Lord Shiva, at the beginning of time. Lord Shiva observed how animals remained strong and healthy in harsh and varied environments. After studying their breathing and sleeping patterns as well as their movements, he isolated the underlying techniques that enabled them to survive efficiently and, from them, developed the hatha yoga system.
Hatha yoga is presented in fuller detail because it is the main subject of this book. However, it is useful and interesting to gain an overview of the entire yogic system.
Mantra Yoga
A mantra is a repeated phrase. Japa is the term used to describe the actual repetition. Therefore, mantra yoga is sometimes called japa yoga. Followers of mantra yoga repeat certain mantras thousands of times. A mantra takes the place of usual thought patterns and focuses the mind on the vibration of the mantra. The mantra and its goal merge and become one and the same.
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti yoga involves concentration and meditation on the divine. It is the yoga of faith, devotion, and worship. People engaged in appreciating art, music, or nature practice bhakti yoga whether or not they call it by that name. Service toward humanity and animals and an unselfish striving to see the universal principle in all things is the path of one practicing this yoga. Bhakti yoga is often combined with mantra yoga. Chanting the mantra with love, the yogi becomes inspired and filled with bliss.
Karma Yoga
This is the yoga of action. Its