Ashtanga yoga
When a person is having full control over his physical , mental and intellectual energies then he can lead a very happy life and Yoga is the way for that to achieve this. The word Yoga is existed from Sanskrit Language which means Union. It is used to merge the soul with god. Yoga is a Science where a person gets opportunity to communicate with this own body, mind and soul. It is not only a physical exercise but also awakening the humans Inner energy or souls energy. It includes meditation and leading the life in a rich philosophical way and it is helpful to lead a healthy and prosperous happy life by bringing Spiritual knowledge into a social context. Yoga is useful to know about the truth of self and to connect with it.
Ashtanga Yoga, eight ways to achieve a peaceful and happy life.
Yamas
Niyamas
Yogasanas
Pranayama
Pratyahara
Dharana
Dhyana and
Samadhi
Yamas:
There are many different opinions and descriptions about yamas. Bhagavat Purans says that there are 12 yamas where as Parashar Smriti says only 10. But Yamas are described as only 5 in Patanjalis Yoga Sustras and they are known as great Universial Vows or the Sarvabhauma Maha Vratas.
They are:
Ahimsa
Satya
Asteya
Brahmacharya
Aparigraha
Ahimsa: Normal meaning for Ahimsa is Non-Voilence that is shown through actions but in yoga it not only that but also through speech and thoughts. It improves love, understanding, patience and self love.
Satya: A perfect human who is practicing Satya (Truthfulness) will expresses in speech exactly what he thinks in his mind and do according to that.
Asteya: This is the third one in the Yamas. It stops forgoing the unauthorized possession of thought, speech, and action.
Brahmacharya: Brahmacharya means behaviour.
Aparigraha: This means Non-accumulation of worldly objects.
Niyamas:
This is the second constituents of Ashtanga Yoga. In this a person will learn how to interact with himself and with internal world. There are ten Niyamas and
Bhagavad Gita lists 11 and where as Patanjali names only five.
They are :
Shaucha
Santosha
Tapa
Swadhyaya
Ishwar pranidhan.
Shaucha: This implies on both external and as well as internal purity.
Santosha: In this Niyama one should not greed for not he is meant for, in short he should always desire his own honest labor.
Tapa: The power or the strength that stands against thirst and hunger, cold and hear, good and bad, happy and sorrow.
Swadhyaya: This is the study of scriputal studies.
Ishwar pranidhan: Dedicating or offering actions, thoughts , and speech to the god or divine.
Practicing Yamas and Niyamas will increase knowledge about living honest with true self.
Yogasanas:
It will help us to balace and harmonize the basic structure of human body.
Features of Yogasanas:
Yogasanas basically perform five functions:
Conative
Cognitive
Mental
Intellectual and
Spiritual
Conative: The Yogasanas are the main yogic instrument of balancing the human body and they are consist of different physical postures that are designed to give relief from tension and increases flexibility and improves the flow of vital energy. The need of asanas is to make a flow positive energy and that helps our concentration within ourselves and the mind is able to parokshya jnana the effects of our purposive actions.
Benefits of Yogasanas: Regular practice of Yogasanas has the effect of therapeutic value. In addition to the different physiological benefits they also improve positive affect of our minds and our life force energies and as well as our creative intelligence.
Regular practice makes our body fit and fine, controls the cholesterol levels, maintains proper body weight, systemizes blood pressure and developes heart performance.
Different categories of yogasanas:
Standing Asanas
Forward Bending Asanas
Supine Asanas
Inverted Asanas
Abdominal and lumbar Asanas
Twisting Asanas
Back Bending Asanas and
Balancing Asanas
Standing Asanas: Starters must start with this asanas. This will increase flexibility in joints and muscles and improve stamina and physical stability.
Example for Standing Asanas are:
Tadasana
Utthita Trikonasana
Virabhadrasana.
Forward Bending Asanas: In this Asanas, half of the body will be stretched. These asanas makes you prepare for remaining advanced asanas. Samples for these are :
Upavisthakonasana
Paschimotanasana
Supine Asanas: Sitting straight and supine positions gives support to the sadhaka to get ready physically and mentally for pranayama. Examples for these are:
Baddhakonasana
Supta baddhakonasana etc.,
Inverted Asanas: These asanas will give relief from day today stress. They give support to get mental balance and emotional strogness.
They are :
Adho mukha svanasa
Urdhva mukha svansa.
Abdominal and Lumbar Asanas: These Asanas will tone up and massage the abdominal organs and strengthens the pelvic and lumbar areas. And the examples for these asanas are
Bharadvajasana and
Marichyasana
Twisting Asanas: In this asanas, spinal will have latheral stretching and twisting and toning the internal organs and examples for these are:
Ardhamatsvendrasana and
Jathara parivartanasana
Back bending Asanas: These asanas will help in brining up the physical and mental strongness, sharpness and alertness. The asanas are:
Ustrasana
Bhujangasana
Matsysana
Balancing Asanas: These asanas will strengthen the arms and wrists and will give a good exercise to the abdominal organs. They also make body light and flexible.
Such asanas are :
Salamba sirsana
Nirambala sarvangasana
Salamba sarvangasana
Pranayam:
This single word is mixture of two words they are prana and Yama which means maintenance of prana with a healthy life. This asanam is mostly useful for breathing and to solve that related problems. As breath and prana is basic essential for life this asanam is useful to make better living.
According to Hatha Yoga, pranayams are classified into :
Sahita kumbhaka
Surya bhedi
Ujjayi
Sitali
Bhastrika
Bhramari
Murchha and
Kewali
Various positions in pranayam:
Inhalation or puraka
Exhalation or rechaka
Stambavritti pranavama and
Bahyabhyantarakshepi pranavama
Pratyahara:
This is useful to manage the senses in a right way instead of closing and suppressing them.
Dharana:
The last three ways of ashtanga yoga are the three important stages of meditation. Dharana will helpful for developing and widening our powers and concentration.
Dhyana:
This is a posture in meditation where mind will not get any disturbance with normal distractions.
Samadhi:
Samadhi or in other words total absorption is the stage where sadhaka will be in a object of concentration.
Conclusion:
This is a brief explanation about Ashtanga yoga, it is a vast area or it is like a ocean how much we dig that much of knowledge will come out. It is a precious gift given to the human being by god, we have make it use to make our life happy and joy.
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