Namaste,
Today, we'll have a small demonstration on some aspects of Yoga.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is the fourth popular theistic philosophy of Hinduism, the others being NyAya, Vaiseshika, SAmkya, MimAmsa & VedAnta, and the atheistic ChArvaka.
Per its original philosophy, the world consists of all that is material called Prakriti, and that which is not material, called Purusha, which an be considered divine. When all that is material is removed, all that remains is the divine.
Yoga is defined in the second verse of the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali: Yogash Chittha Vriddhi Nirodha. Yoga defines the techniques to remove all that is material, including our own mind which is material in nature. It broadly comprises of 8 limbs, called Ashta Anga or AshtAnga.
The lower 4 limbs are:
Yama, meaning control, a list of Don'ts.
Niyama, meaning rules, a list of Do-s.
Asana, meaning posture, which is what the contemporary Western society recognizes as Yoga, which is being demonstrated now.
PrAnAyAma, meaning control of PrAna, of which one aspect is breath, which will demonstrated shortly afterwards.
This will prepare one for the higher 4 limbs, which are:
PratyahAra: withdrawal of senses
DhArana: focusing on something external
DhAna: focusing internally starting with our own mind
SamAdhi: the state of experience when that which is material is fully removed
The Asanas being demonstrated are good way to get started with this ancient philosophy to help us be fit & flexible with toned muscles.
Dhanyavadhaha & Thank you
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