What do you understand by Yoga? Are you doing yoga?

Answer 1

Yoga is very commonly understood in the west by its Hathayoga (physical exercises) component. Actually, the aims of yoga are comparable to the aims of religion. I have experienced enough of yoga to have actually 'felt' the relevance and significance of each of the eight components of yoga to each other and towards reaching the goal (the last component, samadhi).

Sadly, I am not able to do much yoga because of inability to squeeze it into the daily routine. The only yoga I have been doing consistently and daily as an adult is nauli ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nauli ), and, sometimes, pranayama -> meditation in weekends. I miss not being able to meditate the most.

Answer 2

I was just taking a college course on Yoga Philosophy (which included a practice once a week). I had to drop it because I didn't need it to graduate and it was taking too much time from my other, required classes. But I learned that Yoga has various definitions based on the school.

The word itself means "Yoking" or "Union." But just what is being unified differs based on your interpretation. I think most understand it as the union of the individual self with the Supreme Self. Others understand it as a yoking of the mind, body, and spirit towards the goal of realizing the Self, or God.

Patanjali says that Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. When the fluctuations of the mind are stilled, then one can realize the Self.

In the West, when you say "yoga" most people thinking of the poses of Hatha Yoga. These poses are effective in helping one become more aware of the mind-body-soul composite that makes up the self. It helps to still the fluctuations of the mind, which can lead to Samadhi, if practiced regularly and correctly. Besides the poses, one also does the 8 limbs, which include things like ethics, meditation, breathing practices, etc.

To me, the ultimate yoga is Bhakti Yoga. This is the yoga of devotion to God.

Answer 3

Dear AUM,
I am very much interested in your questions. I understand that you know a lot of things and you just want others to think about the subject. My best wishes.

Answer to above question is , YOGA is not a thing to do. It is a state of mind and all of us are all ready in that state only. So no question of doing Yoga. I can clarify further, A light is there inside the pot and the pot has many holes, but the pot is covered by a blanket. Now to get the light what do you need to do? Simple Take the blanket out , That's all. Light is God, your body is the Pot, Your eyes , ears,etc., are the Holes. Maya or Ahamkara is the Blanket. Remove the Ahamkara by Knowledge. That's all. What is needed is KNOWLEDGE and not any Practise.

Answer 4

I understand that Yoga is something which I want to do and I have never done Yoga..

Answer 5

Yoga is a sanskrit word which means union.

God is all pervading and the sole true existence. He is around us and within us. The creator and the creation is one. At such, we are one with the universe around us. We are one with God. However due to the ego factor coupled with our worldly desires and attachments, we fail to realize this unity, the oneness of everything.

Yoga is about realizing this union. Realizing one's true nature and becoming one with God.

Yoga for most of the people today is more of an exercise form ( known as Hatha Yoga ). This is not so. Yoga is a way to achieve higher level of spirituality and ultimately becoming one with God. This is achieved through practice of purity in action and thoughts, rightful living, control of desires, meditation, pranayama ( breathing methods ) etc.

The various postures were designed to help give the body the needed flexibility and strength to sit in deep meditation for hours or days. The postures together with specific pranayama techniques also aided in achieving a higher level of consciousness.

This is the true essence of yoga which many do not understand.

Answer 6

There are many forms of yoga but they are all spiritual and they all have one purpose: union with God.
I practice a form of hatha yoga, very much diluted for the west, mainly for my physical well-being, but I also hope it will provide, in time, a greater spiritual understanding.

Answer 7

I practice yoga and understand it to be a union of the mind, body, and spirit aimed to becoming the best person you can be.

Answer 8

Yoga means 'union' or 'yoke' - it is union with the Divine. There are many path to union with the divine - devotion (bhakti yoga), works (karma yoga), understanding (jnana yoga), discipline of the mind (raja yoga), and many others.

I practice primarily kriya yoga and jnana yoga.

~ Eric Putkonen

Answer 9

I try to chant the Maha Mantra everyday, I really should be using a japa mala for this, but oftentimes I go to bed so late that I try to at least get something in before I sleep. I also chant if I'm walking alone, in my head of course. It is extremely peaceful.

Yoga means union, and can encompass a lot of different techniques and paths.

Answer 10

i think of yoga means union in Sanskrit. There are different forms of yoga besides the workouts. as an occasion, there is Karma Yoga. I forgot what the others are. i think of Karma Yoga has to do with action & the motives of action, yet i'm undecided. Meditation is in all probability additionally one variety of yoga. each and each style targets at union with God & the universe. i think that absolutely everyone seems to be already at that state, & that that's basically a count number of elevating the point of expertise so we will comprehend that we are already element of God & already one with the universe Then that's going to not be a count number of opinion & perception. as a replace, it's going to be a count number of direct cognition. What do you think of? i'm hoping somebody will answer who recollects each and all of the varieties of Yoga & their Sanskrit names & can enlighten us with the psychological understanding which you're in seek of. Cheers! p.s. I in basic terms appeared at your profile, & it seems such as you're already an authority in this subject count number. So, why are you asking this question?