What is Yoga?
YOGA (Sanskrit, Word: योग yóga) refers to traditional physical & mental disciplines originating in India. The word YOGA is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism.
The word YOGA which means “unity” or “oneness” derives from Sanskrit word “YOG” which means to join. This unity or joining is described in spiritual term as the union of the shakti (energy) with his consort shiva (the supreme consciousness) and this is the central theme of yoga the unification of shakti with shiva.
The Sanskrit word “YOGA” has many meanings, and is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning “to control”, “to yoke” or “to unite”. Translations include “joining”, “uniting”, “union”, “conjunction”, and “means”
The aim of yoga is to control the mind so as to keep it fixed in accordance with our will. Anyone who practices yoga or follows the yoga philosophy is called a Yogi.
The Hatha Yoga and its asanas or postures exercise every part of body they work not only on the body frame but also on the internal organs, glands and nerves as well, keeping all system in radiant health. Concentration is the major goal in yoga the mind is constantly undergoing modification. It seldom rests or fixed on a single subject or object. Concentration is defined as “the hindering of the modifications of the thinking principle.”
The shakti which sits in the mooladhar chakra with three and a half snake like coil. It is also known as the kundalini shakti which represents the feminine energy and always tries to unite with her consort Shiva in sahashara chakra situated in the brain. The shakti lives in every human being in the dormant form in the mooladhara chakra and when it is awaken through the yogic practice it reaches to the sahashrara chakra passing all the other charkas. The charkas have different qualities and when the shakti passes to a specific charka it carries the qualities and characteristics of that chakra which reflects in the human being.
luvvips on June 22nd, 2009
The “Yoga” which is a mean of balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions. This is done through the practice of asana (the physical exercise), pranayama (the breathing technique), mudra (position of gesture) which represents the psychic bandha (locks for channeling energy). All these things purify the whole body, mind and energy system to prepare the ground for higher practice of meditation and for the ultimate experience of cosmic consciousness.