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Just by talking to everyone about yoga, i am finding out that there is so much more to yoga besides body positions which the western world seems to only be interested in. The Eastern way of yoga is the true yoga which incorporates much more than just basic body possitions but also spirituality and enlightnment.
Because I have not practiced much yoga, I decided to take the day to learn more about the theory and purpose of yoga. Swami gave me a few books that will be used in class, so I decided to read through them a bit. This is a summary of what I learned today and will be learning in the coming month with my teacher training course:
Yoga has been around since the beginning of human civilization, Yoga is the science of living right by linking the union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness, or you can also say that yoga is a means of balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions through practicing asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, shatkarma and meditation. After achievement of these can higher consciousness be achieved. Yoga balances the physical body, personality, organ systems, endocrine system and nervous system. An imbalance of any system could manifest disease. So needless to say, yoga is commonly used as holistic healing practice.
Asana
Specific body positions used to open energy channels and psychic centers. These practices enable one to take control of mind and energy by eliminating the accumulation of toxins in the body. Asanas are tools to open up higher awareness.
Prana
Prana is the vital energy which corresponds to ki or chi in Chinese medicine. This is responsible for all cellular activity in the body.
Kundalini
The ultimate purpose of yoga is the awakening of kundalini shakti, the evolutionary energy in man. This is obtained through practicing asanas which stimulate the chakras, distributing the generated energy of kundalini all over the body.
Mind-body connection
The mind and body are not separate entities although there is a tendency to think and act as though they are. Practicing asana integrates and harmonizes the two. Both the mind and body harbor tensions and knots. Every mental knot corresponds to a physical, muscular knot, vice versa. Asana releases these knots.
Pranayama
Pranayama is generally defined as breath control. This technique is used to influence the flow of prana in the energy channels of the energy body.
Bandha
Bandhas aim to lock the pranas in particular areas and redirect their flow into shushumna nadi for the purpose of spiritual awakening. They form an adjunct to higher yogic practices.
Mudra
Mudras are attitudes of energy flow intended to link individual pranic forces with universal or cosmic forces. They are a combination of physical movements which alter mood, attitude and perceptions and which deepens awareness and concentration.
Shatkarma
Shatkarma consists of 6 groups of purification practices. It is the aim of hatha yogaand therefore the shatkarma is to create harmony between the two major pranic flows, and attain physical and mental purification and balance. This practice purifies the body of toxins and ensures safe and successful progression along the spiritual path.
The 7 Chakras
1st chakra-MULADHARA-element-earth
Concerned with basic physical aspects of life and survival- purified by asanas
2nd Chakra-SWADHISTANAelement-water
Produces and controls- powerful lower emotions such as anger, fear, jealousy, lust and feelings of security and insecurity. Purified by pranayama
3rd chakra-MANIPURA-element-fire
Produces, distributes and stores food energy. Connected with the ego and the mental energy field and feelings of inferiority/superiority.
Past/present/future dimensions-purified by meditation and mantra chanting
4th chakra-ANAHATA-element-air
Unitrans formed- emotions, relationships
Transformed-higher love for the divine.
Purification-mantra chanting, openness.
5th chakra-VISSUDHI-element-transformed fire
Seat of the true mental being-wisdom-purification sound-Om ham ma
6th chakra-AJNA-element-transformed water
Inner vision developed, telepathy-purification sound-cham
7th chakra-SAHASRARA-element-transformed para earth
Seat of enlightenment, the pure consciousness of the physical being. The spiritual gate.
Purification sound-shri
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