Yoga -a simple understanding

Consciously or unconsciously, we look for an appropriate basis for life, which directs our focus towards higher dimension of existence. 

It was indeed the quest for higher dimension of existence led to the evolution of the Yoga which involved a long process of creative effort. 

The science and practice of Yoga enable us to transform the human dimension of consciousness into spiritual dimension, which radiates indiscriminate love and compassion, and the divine feeling of respect and oneness among all.  

Yoga is a way for attaining serenity of mind, skill in action and the ability to stay attuned to the glory of pure inner consciousness, the Supreme Being. 

Yoga enables mind to concentrate upon the goal of life by controlling the ever-disturbing senses and to perform one’s duty equipoise in equanimity, abandoning all attachments both to success and failure.

Yoga helps us to develop emotional intelligence with higher degree of self control and the ability to motivate ourselves.  We suffer moral deficiency, if we lack self control and fail to motivate ourselves.

Essentially Yoga guides us to a higher purpose of our life and keeps us on right path.  It helps us to be honest with ourselves and others, and demands highest degree of integrity towards universal values. 

Defining our values and honouring them is all about practicing Yoga.  Yoga guides us to focus on happiness producing thought that enables us to cultivate positive attitude. 

Yoga emboldens with good moral and ethical values to subdue Ego that disables our true nature and keeps our sensual pleasures and attachment activated. 

Yoga enables us in developing wisdom and insight on physical, emotional, ethical and moral values for the purpose of gaining positive energy for good of oneself and of all other beings. 

Deep understanding and continuous persistent practice of Yoga for a long period of time result in physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. 

With Yoga one attains Citta Vriti Nirodha -cessation of instability of mind, and harmony within between thought and action, and harmony with others. 

Yoga is the skilful way to train body, mind and soul to attain a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquillity. 

The goal of Yoga is to still the fluctuation of mind and rest in its true nature, and thereby attain spiritual realisation, the enlightenment.

The whole spectrum of Yoga has eight essential steps which is called Astanga Yoga:

Sl No.	Essential Steps	Essence
1.	Yama	Code of conduct and ethic, and self restraint
2.	Niyama	Devotion, commitment, respect and adherence.
3.	Asana	Fitness of body and mind
4.	Pranayama	Integration of mind and body by concentrating on inflow and out flow of Prana -breath.
5.	Pratyahara	Withdrawal of senses from their objects of attraction.
6.	Dharana	Concentration with one-pointedness of mind.
7.	Dhyana	Absorption of mind in contemplative mode.
8.	Samadhi	Mind and body being filled with awareness and mindfulness.

In practicing Astanga Yoga first two Yoga are the moral codes, the qualities we need to progress further.

1..     Yama

Yama involves practicing self restraining and self-control. 

Yama, as social disciplines, guides us in our relationship with others.  It consists of social codes of conduct and ethics. 

Yama has ten essential codes:

Sl No	Code	Meaning/ Elaboration
1.	Satya	Truthfulness
2.	Ahimsa	Non-violence
3.	Dana	Generosity
4.	Ksama	Pardon / not to be revengeful
5.	Akrodha	Absence of anger
6.	Anasuya	Absence of envy and ill-will
7.	Asteya	Not stealing/ not taking what is not earned
8.	Sthirta	Being firm on what is right and true
9.	Brahmacharya	Celibacy/ abstention from indulgence in illicit sex and intoxication
10.	Aprarigraha	Renunciation of selfish desire, greed and attachment

2...Niyama

Niyama is about self-regulation.  It provides positive environment in which we grow. 

Niyamas guide us as how we interact with ourselves, our inner world and with others, and harness the energy being generated for harmony and mutual prosperity. 

The Astanga Yoga outlines eight essential Niyamas:

Sl No	Niyama	Meaning/ Elaboration
1.	Shaucham	Purity of mind and heart
2.	Santosha	Contentment; mental satisfaction within the scope of one’s endowment
3.	Shraddha	Devotion; dedication of one’s actions for the greatest good
4.	Swadhaya	Self learning; inner exploration, practices that helps us to experience the interwoven fabric of reality
5.	Daya	Loving kindness and Compassion; Practicing wholesome and virtuous actions
6.	Tapa	Austerity; training of senses and being self disciplined
7.	Vrata	Sacred vows; fulfilling the spiritual commitment
8.	Havan Yagya	Renunciation; being free from anxiety for the fruits of one’s action

3..     Asana

Yama and Niyama are the moral grounds of Yoga. 

Asana is the physical aspect of Yoga.  

Asana is about toning up the body and it involves Vyayama -the exercise. 

With Asana we develop and maintain physical fitness which is necessary to endure the entire process of spiritual progress.

Asanas needs to be practiced systematically along with the entirety of Yoga and if it is practiced independent of entirety of Yoga, it becomes merely the physical exercise. 

Asana is therefore in many ways more than mere physical exercise and one should not consider it just another form of exercise or an alternative for jyming. 

Yoga Asana aims not only for physical fitness but mental wellness also, which makes it different and distinct.

Yoga exercise is intertwined with mind training.  With regular Yoga exercise the physical fitness is attained and maintained.  Along with the physical fitness, the practitioner enriches the capacity to be aware and mindful and to concentrate. 

In doing Yoga exercise one is trained to bring mind home and concentrate on what is being done.  

The Asanas or postures/ exercises are harmonized with in-breathing and out breathing, which brings mind and emotion to the original subtle undisturbed pure state.  It enables to attain mental and emotional balance.

The Yoga exercise results in physical fitness of entire physical structure including internal parts of the body and in tandem it enhances mental capacity to be aware and mindful, and concentrate on what is being done in real life situation. 

4.      Pranayama

Pranayama means to regulate breathing.  It is an off shoot of Asana.  Rather it is an integral dimension of Asana.

Pranayama specifically generates inner psycho-physical energy through the medium of regulating the breath. 

Pranayama is not simply breathing exercise for gainful health but equally for awakening the inner psycho-physical energy. 

Besides numerous health and healing benefits, Pranayama shields from distractions and facilitate Dharana -commitment and concentration, and Dhyana -concentration and contemplation.

5..     Pratyahara

Pratyahara means to restraint. 

The sense organs are trained firstly not to have their own perception and secondly on withdrawal or non-response of senses to their object, while the communication between the senses and mind is intact. 

In practicing Pratyahara, the mind is informed of the senses receiving the signals from their objects but the mind is not sending signal to the senses for responding to its object. 

The mind simply becomes aware and that awareness originates from inner consciousness which is deep within us. 

With Pratyahara, we are able to awaken inner consciousness and regulate the interactions between mind, senses and sense objects.

Pratyahara enables us to focus on the purity and power of inner consciousness to respond positively to negativities -the anger, aversion, and desires.

6...Dharana

Dharana involves motivating oneself for being noble, benevolent, loving and caring. 

Dharana involves firmly establishing one's desire to attain one's noble goal of life and therefore concentrating on it wholeheartedly. 

Practicing Dharana involves concentrating with one-pointedness of mind, holding the mind on to one's chosen subject or object to which one is concentrating on.

By continuous concentration for a long period of time, with love and devotion for the end to be attained, the mind becomes firmly grounded on the object of concentration.  

7...Dhyana

Dhyana means contemplation.  It is intricately linked to Dharana and practiced together simultaneously. 

It is Dharana and Dhyana together means what is called meditation.

In practicing Dhyana, we establish the state of unbroken flow of thoughts into the subject or object of concentration and receive motivation and inspiration in reciprocal mode.  A continuous unbroken cycle of thought is established.   

In is not only the mind -the outer material consciousness, is fixed on to the subject or object but also the inner consciousness. 

Dhyana therefore encompasses both concentration and contemplation on the subject or object leading to a state when the subject or object of Dhyana fills the whole of one’s attention.

8...Samadhi

When one reaches the state of Samadhi, the whole personality is dissolved in the awareness of the subject or object to which one is focussing on. 

At Samadhi one does not react to any situation except the one to which one is focussing on.   

At Samadhi the inner vision is enlightened with everlasting, pure, dazzling and complete indiscriminate feeling of oneness, love, and compassion.

At the state of Samadhi one becomes aware and mindful of being noble, benevolent, loving and caring, and no circumstances whatsoever can deter. 

At Samadhi self illumination occurs at which self-identity is vanished and the bliss without form is realized.