Professional Documents
Culture Documents
YOGA
IN MODERN TIMES,
ITS
TRENDS AND ITS
APPLICATIONS
I hereby submitting my
Yoga Project with Assignments of
"Diploma In Foundation of Yoga"
from Mumbai university for the
Year 2014-2015
to the Department of Philosophy,
Mumbai university
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thanks to all; my Teachers & Colleagues who inspire me to do such a
project. I am thinking that it could not get completed in time. But it is not happened &
now I am going to submit the project in time.
Thanks to my Wife & Son, that they have spare me from taking
study of my son for his SSC exam.
INDEX
3
CHAPTE
R NO.
SUB
TOPI
C
SUBJECT
PAGE
NUMBER
Introduction
Trends in Yoga
5
8
I
II
III
IV
V
Philosphy of Yoga
Meaning & Defination of Yoga
Yoga as a way to Healthy & Integral Living
Basic Rules for Yoga Practice
Yoga as a way to socio-moral upliftment
Yoga as a Way to Aatmanubhuti
12
1
15
16
17
18
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
21
22
23
24
24
25
27
28
29
29
29
30
31
31
33
34
34
35
36
36
37
38
39
42
43
1
2
4
I
II
III
IV
V
5
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
INTRODUCTION
Man has made many errors in the past by ignoring the science of
5
individual and society. Yoga is neither a sect nor an ideology but a practical training of
mind and body.
Broadly speaking, it has three main outcomes :
It makes us more aware of our natural wisdom,
It strengthens the body's ability to recover from illness or injury;
It teaches us how to co-operate with others.
Yoga teaches us truth through mind and body rather than theory, it brings
about deep change of attitude. The entire thrust of our life is to devote total attention to
every action and, at the same time, to trust in the power of sacred.
Yoga is also a technique for achieving purest form of self-awareness,
devoid of all thoughts and sensations. Today some kind of reconstruction of thought is
necessary to understand clearly what the great Yoga teachers of the past have taught.
Patanjali, the systematiser of Yoga, has explained the thoughts through Yogasutra. In
the Gita and Upanishads we find a broader and positive expression of Yoga. Our
ancient masters through Yoga teach us an art of living a life for eternally blissful
experiences of even flow of happiness by removal of miseries and sufferings of our
limited life. The term Yoga means a systematic practice and implementation of mind
and body in the living process of man to keep harmony with in self, within the society
and with nature.
Yoga means union. Etymologically, it is connected to the English word,
yoke. Yoga means union with God, or, union of the little, ego-self with the divine Self,
the infinite Spirit.
Most people in the West, and also many in India, confuse yoga with
Hatha Yoga, the system of bodily postures. But yoga is primarily a spiritual discipline.
Not that theres anything wrong with practicing Hatha Yoga. The body is a part of our
human nature, and must be kept fit so it doesnt obstruct our spiritual efforts.
However, those who are focused on self-realization do not necessarily have to practice
it as much or at all.
Hatha Yoga is the physical branch of Raja Yoga, the true science of yoga.
Raja Yoga is a system of meditation techniques that help to harmonize human
consciousness with the divine consciousness.
Yoga is an art as well as a science. It is a science, because it offers
practical methods for controlling body and mind, thereby making deep meditation
possible. And it is an art, for unless it is practiced intuitively and sensitively it will
yield only superficial results.
Yoga is not a system of beliefs. It takes into account the influence on each
other of body and mind, and brings them into mutual harmony. So often, for instance,
the mind cannot concentrate simply because of tension or illness in the body, which
prevent the energy from flowing to the brain. So often, too, the energy in the body is
weakened because the will is dispirited, or paralyzed by harmful emotions.
Yoga works primarily with the energy in the body, through the science of
pranayama, or energy-control. Prana means also breath. Yoga teaches how, through
breath-control, to still the mind and attain higher states of awareness.
7
The higher teachings of yoga take one beyond techniques, and show the
yogi, or yoga practitioner, how to direct his energy in such a way as not only to
harmonize human with divine consciousness, but to merge his consciousness in the
Infinite.
The ordinary persons energy is locked in his body. The lack of
availability of that energy to his will prevents him from loving the Lord one-pointedly
with any of the three other aspects of his nature: heart, mind, or soul. Only when the
energy can be withdrawn from the body and directed upward in deep meditation is
true inner communion possible Yoga works primarily with the energy in the body,
through the science of pranayama, or energy-control. Prana means also breath. Yoga
teaches how, through breath-control, to still the mind and attain higher states of
awareness.
The higher teachings of yoga take one beyond techniques, and show the
yogi, or yoga practitioner, how to direct his energy in such a way as not only to
harmonize human with divine consciousness, but to merge his consciousness in the
Infinite.
The ordinary persons energy is locked in his body. The lack of
availability of that energy to his will prevents him from loving the Lord one-pointedly
with any of the three other aspects of his nature: heart, mind, or soul. Only when the
energy can be withdrawn from the body and directed upward in deep meditation is
true inner communion possible.
Yoga is a very ancient science; it is thousands of years old. The
perceptions derived from its practice form the backbone of the greatness of India,
which for centuries has been legendary. The truths espoused in the yoga teachings,
however, are not limited to India, nor to those who consciously practice yoga
techniques. Many saints of other religions also, including many Christian saints, have
discovered aspects of the spiritual path that are intrinsic to the teachings of yoga.
CHAPTER 1
Trends in yoga
Nowadays many trends in Yoga developing in the World. Some of them
are given below
1. Tantra
It is believed by both Tantric and Taoist study that our sexual energy is
the most powerful source of energy in existence. By harnessing this power, we may
have the ability to clear blockages within our body and psyche, potentially ridding
ourselves of disease and anguish. And though the form has been practiced for
centuries, it's becoming more of a buzzword in yoga circles among practitioners, with
myriad workshop offerings around the world, and renowned teachers like Keith
Mitchell advocating its benefits.
2. AcroYoga
A true exercise in trust, AcroYoga is more about letting go of inhibitions
than it is circus acrobatics. More yogis everywhere are experimenting with this form
of "divine play," building trust between strangers and partners alike.
Until recently, yoga was traditionally a solo practice of self-study just
you and your mat. But AcroYoga goes deeper, encouraging participants to embrace
vulnerability and curiosity, with emphasis on having complete faith in another person
to support their body. This form of "therapeutic flying" uses the force of gravity and
bodyweight to enhance the stretching and strengthening of many familiar yoga poses.
Each partner takes on the role of either "flyer" or "base." It's also feasible for all
shapes and sizes of yogis.
6. Kids Yoga
Children can benefit from a regular yoga practice, and even teachers will
agree. Regular yoga and mindfulness practices can help children succeed not just in
school, but also later in life. Many studios and schools now offer yoga programs to
children, but if you're interested and you don't have access to a program, here's a great
sequence you can do with your young yogi right at home.
7. Corporate/Office Yoga
Many large corporations use wellness programs like yoga and meditation
in the workplace, and studies are showing that they really work! We're all aware of the
dangers of our sedentary lifestyle. Whether your company offers a wellness program
or not, there are still plenty of exercises you can do right at your desk, for better
posture and sustaining energy. Taking a break from the grind will help you return to
your work with less stress and more productivity.
8. Restorative Yoga
With self-care on the rise, restorative yoga offers a therapeutic approach
to asana, minus the rigorous practice of Vinyasa. Restorative yoga invites us to stay in
restful poses longer, by using props like blankets, blocks and eye pillows. When we
allow ourselves to completely relax, let go and invite in healing, total restoration of
our bodies on a cellular level can take place.
While it may seem like you're lying around doing nothing, something is
happening deep within you as you hit the reset button on your nervous system and
allow yourself the opportunity for mental and physical repair. Even endurance athletes
are starting to use restorative yoga as a means of recovery.
10.
Meditation Apps
11.
Reiki
Reiki was developed in the Japanese Buddhist tradition in the early 20th
century as an energy healing modality. The Reiki practitioner acts as a conduit for
universal energy, to rebalance and clear blockages in the chakras, or energy centers of
the body.
Now, more certification programs are becoming available for practitioner
and master-level status. Many Western healers like acupuncturists also offer hands-on
Reiki treatment to their patients as part of their therapy. Reiki circles also serve as an
opportunity for practitioners to come together as a community, and offer healing to
participants or distance healing to those in need.
12.
Full moon and women's circles can provide participants with a safe
haven, so they can be truly heard as they bring forth their highest self, surrounded by a
group of empowering individuals. Under the powerful energy of a full moon, we can
use its energy to manifest our intentions to work for our greatest good. Women who
come together in a group can feel a strong sense of camaraderie and trust that they
might not get from other relationships. While full moon and women's circles are
typically for, well, women, they can be co-ed, too.
13.
Sound Healing
14.
These can be hard to come by, but if you have the chance to attend a
traditional Mayan sweat lodge, you must not pass it up! Outside of retreat destinations
like Tulum or Nosara, most of these are typically word-of-mouth, and can take place
anywhere from the desert in Arizona, to a community park in the Bronx.
Safely led by a Shaman, a Temazcal sweat lodge is a highly spiritual
purification ceremony. But it is not for the faint of heart. Seated crosslegged on the dirt
11
floor of a small, pitch-dark hut with a dozen other people for two hours can be
claustrophobic for some. There's also the blazing fire pit that's filled with scalding hot
stones, dusted with aromatic Copal smudge to help you purge your inner demons,
of course. Aho!
15.
Ayahuasca Ceremonies
From Marie Claire to The New York Times, it is well documented that
Ayahuasca ceremonies are becoming increasingly popular. But you no longer have to
travel to the Peruvian Amazon to partake New York and Los Angeles are known
hubs for underground Ayahuasca ceremonies. A typical ceremony involves drinking a
hallucinatory plant/vine tea blend under the guidance of a respected Shaman, for a
long night spent in deep connection to a higher intelligence and a better understanding
of one's true self. Ayahuasca is indigenous to the Amazon and is legal there, where
retreats and ceremonies are held and authorized, but not in the U.S., where the scene is
still quite secretive.
CHAPTER 2
12
PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA
I.
The word "yoga" arrives from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means "to
join" or "to yoke".Yoga is a practical assist, not a religion. Yoga is an antique skill
based on a harmonizing system of development for the body, mind, and spirit. The
continued practice of yoga will lead you to a sense of calm and well-being, and also a
feeling of being at one with their environment. The practice of yoga formulates the
body strong and flexible, it also improves the functioning of the respiratory,
circulatory, digestive, and hormonal systems. Yoga brings about emotional firmness
and clarity of mind. In the practice of Yoga the ultimate aim is one of selfdevelopment and selfrealization. Yoga are the physical, mental, and spiritual
disciplines that aim to transform body and mind. The term indicates a variety of
schools, practices and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism (counting Vajrayana and Tibetan
Buddhism) and Jainism, the best-known being Hatha yoga and Raja yoga. The term
yoga is Yoga Education Dr. Tapas Pal, Dr. Sanat Kumar Rath, Prof. SambhuCharan
Roy 21 Theory of representative knowledge was accepted by Yoga, Advaita Vedanta
and Samkhya. Founder of Yoga : Patanjali Orthodox system of philosophy: yoga,
samkhya, nyaya Orthodox: ortho means true, dox means belief According to Jainism
knowledge is obtained through meditation and senses derivative from the literal
meaning of "yoking together" a span of horses or oxes, but came to be applied to the
"yoking" of mind and body.(White,2011) The origins of Yoga may date back to prevedic Indian traditions. The first accounts of yoga-practices are to be found in the
Buddhist Nikayas (Werner,1998). Similar developments were witnessed around 400
CE in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, (Whicher,1998) which united pre-philosophical
speculations and different ascetic practices of the first millennium BCE with
Samkhya-philosophy. Hatha yoga emerged from tantra by the turn of the first
millennium. Yoga means union or connection.
Day-to-day meaning of yoga
At its mainly practical level yoga is a process of becoming more
conscious of who we are. Yoga techniques make easy balance and health, and unfold
our dormant potential. Yoga allows us to be more alert of ourselves and feel
connected. As such, yoga is a process of self-discovery. This leads us to self-mastery
and self-realization.
Yoga as a science
13
The current age of speed and competition has increased the stresses and
strains resulting in an increasing occurrence of lifestyle-related health problems and
purposely managers lives have become a neverending race against time, technology,
and targets. This race creates tension, which leads to dissatisfaction and irritation and
finally manifests itself as psychological and physiological stress with mental and
emotional drain. This contemporary lifestyle intensifies the stress leading to
Excessive Tension and consequent worsening in Executive Efficiency. One of the
gradually more popular tools to overcome this original challenge is physical activity.
There is growing proof that has established the payback of physical exercises in
preventing lifestyle-related diseases such as main prevention of diabetes, avoidance of
cardiac diseases through control over major risk factors such as smoking, lipids,
obesity, and stress, better quality of life of cancer patients, positive health in normal
persons through better physical fitness, and stress reduction. Yoga, which is measured
to be a tool for both physical and mental development of an individual, is being
documented around the globe only in the last century although it has been practiced in
India over several centuries to promote positive health and well-being. It gives solace
for the restless mind and can give great relief to the sick. It has become quite
fashionable even for the common man to keep fit. With rising scientific evidence, yoga
is emerging as ansignificant health behavior-modifying practice to achieve states of
health, both at physical and mental levels. Several studies have demonstrated the
beneficial effects of yoga on health behavior in many lifestyle-related somatic
problems such as hypertension, bronchial asthma, diabetes including some psychiatric
conditions such as anxiety neurosisand depressive illness.
The perform of yoga can educate us to access the state of completeness
and integration constantly and in all circumstances - not when it happens accidentally,
not just on vacation, not just when we are doing what we like, but under all conditions.
Whether cleaning a toilet or watching a sunset, we have equal potential to experience
addition. Formal yoga practice is a laboratory for learning how to create such an
experience of life. Incorporation is experienced when we are completely present in any
moment without needing to establish anything, or make anything happen differently.
We permit it to be as it is.
In yoga practice, this means accepting your body precisely as it is. It means
being in the pretense in a way that is apt for your body - not according to what
your ego is telling you, but according to what your body is telling you. This
receiving helps silence divisive thoughts and emotions that are caused by selfcriticism, comparison and competition.
During yoga practice, fears, resistances and insecurities will arise. Fighting
these will only cause more internal disturbance. Instead, when you notice these
thoughts arise, disengage from them, see that they are not you - but
purelyregular comments of the mind. You do not need to act on them or do
anything with them. Bring your focus back to breath and association as an
anchor for Yoga Education Dr. Tapas Pal, Dr. Sanat Kumar Rath, Prof.
16
SambhuCharan Roy 24 your mind. If you note that you have been "hooked" by
a particular thought and are performing the asanas from ego, basically bring
yourself (without judgment or comment) back to your meaning to practice from
integration.
Work at your periphery, where you are enthusiastically active, but are not
inducing fight or struggle in the body.
Working within your body's capacity, allow all feelings that arise to be felt
without labeling, judging or predilection for one sensation over another.
Discern the tendency of the mind to try to carve out some experiences from
others and brand them "uncomfortable" or "unpleasant." Timepiece the habit of
the body and mind to try to get absent from that which it has labeled as
"unwanted." This is what we do in life. Instead, experiment with allowing those
sensations that have been carved out by mind as "uncomfortable" to dissolve
back into pure sensation-felt no more, no less than any other feeling in your
field of awareness.
17
latter more and more expressive of the knowledge, love, delight and power
secret within and above him. By this movement his personality grows in
perfection and he gains the capacity to concretely and fruitfully influence other
people and conditions in the external world. In practice the discipline
emphasizes not only concentration and meditation but aeffusivelively physical,
emotional and mental life whereby each of these elements can produce and
become open to the Divine pressure. Of the Buddhas dignified instance in this
matter, Swami Vivekananda says in his lectures on karma yoga: The entire
human race has produced but one such person, such high philosophy, such wide
sympathy. The immense philosopher, preaching the highest philosophy, yet has
the deepest compassion for the lowest animals, and never lays forward a claim
for himself. He is the ideal Karma Yogi, acting completely without motive, and
the history of humanity shows him to have been the greatest man ever born,
beyond contrast, the greatest mixture of heart and brain that ever existed.
be the same so become Tamasic. The mind will say, dont do it and keep quiet.
Mind always wants to center on outside and this is where the entire problem is.
When you put your mind in to a task intensely, you will mechanicallydo well.
The reason this happens is because of deep effort and concentration on the task
you attended. This is also a sort of yoga. The union took place with the task at
hand, which you really targeted and assimilated in to you. Same thing happens
in yoga. Only difference is, your focus is internal rather than external. This
practice of yoga incorporates a person through the journey of this realization
from the finite external world to never-ending internal world. This is called self,
which at last will understand the universal self. So when we still the mind with
out any currents, it travels through silence, which we call meditation. This also
demands strong will power from you. Here the mind has to be your friend, not
an enemy. When meditation is blooming, concentration flows in to
motionlessness which in turn will lead you in to your "Self". This self then will
put together in to the Universal self. This will occur only when the Ego is
dissoluted. The self and ego are two opposite poles in the spiritual life of a
seeker. The Ego has to be a non factor, then only the Self will be in
amalgamation with the universal self (Paramatman). While it is true that there
are lots of paths up the spiritual mountain to Self-Realization, the thing they all
have in common is that one must climb, and that the direction to climb is up, not
across. There actually is a shortcut to Self-Realization, and that is to chase the
straight route inward, through the layers, to the self realization. There are many
paths up the spiritual mountain to SelfRealization. Many of those paths
emphasize the view at one or more of the lower levels along the journey The
shortcut is to climb directly through the levels of the mountain. It means
systematically dealing with our relationships with the world, and our senses,
body, breath, and mind.
21
CHAPTER 3
TYPES OF YOGA SYSTEMS AND CHARACTERISTICS
YOGA SYSTEM -
IN OLD DAYS
I. Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar means to stoop down to the sun in the morning.
Why is this traditional sequence of postures practiced? The sun is the life source
for this planet. In everything that you eat, drink and breathe, there is an element
of the sun. Only if you learn how to better digest the sun, internalize it, and
make it a part of your system, do you truly benefit from this process. It is
measured as the finest exercise for human body. Surya Namaskar consists of
imperative Yogasanas and Pranayama. The Pranayama and thus its rewards are
adroitly incorporated in Surya Namaskar.
Pranamasana
Hasta Uttanasana
Hastapaadasana
Aekpaadprasarnaasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana / parvatasana
Ashtanga Namaskara
Bhujangasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Ashwa Sanchalanasana
Uttanasana
Hasta Uttanasana
Pranamasana
22
remnants for ever independent and heavenly. All thought ceases once for all in
Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The beginnings of Desire and Vasanas and Samskaras are
fried in toto; this is Nirbija Samadhi. The Yogi in this superlative state loses all
outer consciousness, all consciousness of duality and multiplicity; he loses even
the Asmita(I-idea) in Asamprajnata Samadhi. That is the Supreme State where
the Purusha is recognized in His own Svarupa.
soul." Gandhi called the Gita "The Gospel of Selfless Action". To achieve true
liberation, it is important to control all mental desires and tendencies to enjoy
sense pleasures.
between the atman and the body. Jnana Yoga is the advance of converting
thinker knowledge into practical wisdom. Jnana factually means knowledge,
but in the circumstance of yoga it means the method of meditative
consciousness which guides to illuminative wisdom. It is not a technique by
which we seek to find balanced answers to eternal questions, rather it is
aelement of meditation leading to self-enquiry and self-realisation. Before
practicing Jnana Yoga, the hopeful needs to have integrated the lessons of the
other yogic paths for without selflessness and love of God, strength of body
and mind, the explore for self-realization can become simpleinactiveconjecture.
Captivating the philosophy of Vedanta the Jnana Yogi uses his mind to query
into its own nature. We distinguish the space within and outside a glass as
different, just as we see ourselves as divide from God. Jnana Yoga guides the
follower to knowledge his harmony with God openly by breaking the glass,
dissolving the maya.
NOWADAYS
ACRO YOGA
26
Flyer - this is the individual who is elevated off the ground by the Base. The
Flyer can move into a series of dynamic positions, and generally lets gravity do
the work for them. A Flyer needs balance, confidence, and core strength.
Spotter - this is the individual who has an objective view of the partners, and
whose entire focus is on making sure that the Flyer lands safely in case of any
slips. The spotter can also makerecommendations to the Base and Flyer to
improve their form.
Acrobatics is the physical part of Acroyoga that uses gymnastics
techniques to build strength, flexibility, trust and teamwork between partners.
This is called Solar Acrobatic Practice by the California school. Front plank is a
basic Acroyoga pose where one partner (base) supports the flying partner above
them with their hands and feet.
Yoga reflects the physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines of
traditional Yoga. This is called Yoga Practice by the California school
Therapeutics includes massage, therapeutic flying and partner yoga. The
California school teaches Thai massage and inversion massage with their Lunar
Healing Arts Practice. The Montreal school differs from the California school in
this area as they teach restorative and yin yoga.[9] A basic therapeutic pose
is Folded Leaf in which one partner is inverted and supported on the vertical
legs of the other partner whose hands are then free for back massage.
Learning Acroyoga requires strength training, flexibility training and
technique training. Strength training is accomplished through repetition of
exercises likepush-ups and hand walking. Flexibility training is best done at the
end of a session with a partner. Learning good Acroyoga technique takes time
and effort and is best learned with an expert teacher. One important Acroyoga
technique is called stacking the bones. This involves the base partner keeping
arms and legs straight to mazimize the weight load on bones rather than muscles
to support the flyer.
A typical Acroyoga session may include:
Circle ceremony promotes communication and openness
Warm-up to gradually get your muscles ready for more strenuous exercise
Partner flow - continue warming up with asanas and stretching with a
partner
Inversions help build trust between the partners
Flying and acrobatics
Thai Massage provides a chance for the flyer to become the giver and repay the
base for their work
Some communities have regular AcroYoga Jams to provide a place for
interested people to come together and practice. There are also larger AcroYoga
events such as the annual Divine Play in Portland, Oregon that draw
practitioners from a regional or national area.
27
One partner (called the base) supports the other (the flyer) in a series of
aerial postures. The necessary personnel is rounded out by a spotter, who makes
sure everyone has good alignment so the flyer doesn't fall. The base most
often lies flat on his or her back and supports most of the flyer's weight with his
or her extended legs. The legs, when properly aligned with the ankles over the
hips, can support a lot of weight, so that a small person is capable of basing a
larger flyer. The base can support the flyer's hips with their feet for backbends
or their shoulders for inversions, among many other possible combinations.
Therapeutic and Acrobatic
A therapeutic approach uses gravity to release the flyer's spine with
supported inversions. An acrobatic approach allows for a dynamic partnership
between flyer and base as they work together to discover creative ways to join
their bodies in supported flight. After coming down, the flyer thanks the base
with some Thai Yoga Massage (passive yoga stretches). While there are a
number of established poses that are taught in AcroYoga classes, enthusiasts
also get together for extracurricular jams, which encourage freeform acrobatic
play.
I also suffer from mild arthritis in my finger joints and I found that some
of the poses where you have to grip the hammock strongly were hard on
my hands.
Those with certain medical conditions, such as glaucoma and high blood
pressure, are advised not to undertake this practice, so be sure to check
your medical history againstthis list.
As with any yoga practice, coming prepared with a sense of humor and a
willingness to try new things goes a long way toward making an
AntiGravity Yoga class a fun and relaxed experience.
VIII.
Aerial Yoga=
29
CHAPTER 4
SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF YOGA
I.
V.
workings of the mind in the material plane. Mind is energy, and energy can heal
or destroy, depending on the proper balance in and around us.
Life is an offshoot of the basic energy in all living things, and when
this is depleted, there is a state of death. This energy balance is disturbed in
many illnesses. When a drug is administered, it is not that alone which cures;
the inner strength of the body also aids it. If this fails, in spite of the medicine,
the patient can die. The human will has been recognized as a considerable force
in overcoming many illnesses. Beyond this, western medicine refrains from
comment. But, yogic science has explored this and has realised that it is
possible to achieve a state where the mind triumphs over matter.
A simple example is the ability to shut off pain. It is possible to
avoid experiencing severe pain physically by intensely repositioning the mind in
a different direction. In this respect, yogis have always demonstrated the
supreme capacity of mind over matter. A telling example is that of the very
famous sage, Sri Ramana Maharishi of Tamil Nadu in India. When sarcoma was
diagnosed, and an operation was imminent, he refused an anaesthetic and felt no
pain at all.
33
CHAPTER 5
APPLICATION OF YOGA THERAPY
The Yoga therapy as a form of disease management which creates
physical, mental and emotional balance in the body Populace from all age
groups are becoming more busy to yogic exercises for their option medicinal
value, commonly known as yoga therapy. A number of diseases are being
treated through this therapy, at least to a definite extent. Some of these ailments
are migraine, asthma, anxiety, depression, back pain, neck pain, diabetes,
digestive disorders, obesity, blood pressure, chronic fatigue and many more.
Yoga Therapy hearts on the technical aspects of aasanas to aim particular body
parts to heal disease. There are many mental and physical disorders commonly
seen in youngsters which are being cured by therapeutic yoga exercises problems like thyroid and survical, stiffness, mood swing and hormonal
changes, which are easily being cured with exercises like neck rotation, half fish
pose, sarp asana, bhujang asana, gomukh asana and pranayam. Another major
problem seen in youngsters and early childhood is migraine which is caused due
to emotional stress. It can be cured with pranayams, bhujang asana and camel
pose.
The tolerant is asked to practice yoga according to his disease and
his physical conditions. In a mass of the cases, a regular practice of only a few
asanas is enough for curing the diseases. In a few of the diseases the practice of
pranayama together with the asanas becomes essential for good results. In
definite cases, exact kriyas such as bandhas, mudras and certain yogic
techniques are used for the desired result. Besides these, practice of
concentration and meditation is also essential in certain cases. From our reaction
from clients at Gems Of Yoga, we have create that a large number of diseases
are healed within two months of yoga practice. In certain cases, it takes about
four months or even more. Virus that take a longer time are juvenile diabetes,
polio, paralysis, parkinsonism, obesity, ulcer, mental health cases, etc. It is
interesting to note that the same asanas, pranayama, bandhas, mudras, and other
kriyas, which are practiced for creative, preventive and general health reasons,
are practiced also for curing diseases. But there is a difference in the manner of
practice by a patient and by a general practitioner. The patient of aexacting
disease is advised to practice only as much of an asana as is probable for him.
By doing only what is physically performable, the patient gains in strength as
the kriyas begin to condition he body and diminish the disease. While the
disease is cured, physical skillrecovers and the similar asanas are maked better
34
even by those who were unable to do them at the beginning.The yoga therapy is
a specialised form of yogic culture and various yoga centres have developed
their own systems on the basis of their experience and research.
I.
II.
The fact that yoga can prevent and cure many ailments is well
known. Yoga should not be viewed as an alternative system of medicine but as a
primary form of cure in those areas in which yoga alone can cure ill-health.
Yoga can tackle many major illnesses non-invasively; it is not just a stressreliever or a panacea. This places yoga in a different dimension altogether.
Modern medicine uses bio-feedback as a stress-relieving technique, but yoga
works on the inner senses and mind in a conscious process and is more direct in
its approach. It is an automatic feedback system.
Modern medicine undergoes constant change. Theories alter by the
minute. Terminologies are modified in each national or international conference.
Newer drugs are being discovered to tackle old and new illnesses; old illnesses
are vanishing and new ones taking their place.
The science of yoga however, has remained unchanged, as the
yogic procedures have been researched on and determined by our ancient seers.
There are clear-cut guidelines for both prevention and cure. Today when, in
despair at the failure of Western medicine to deliver every time, we are turning
to natural remedies, yoga is coming into its own.
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The ancients said that the mind is the cause of all diseases,
physiological or mental. Modern medicine has corroborated this with the word
`psychosomatic'. Now there is clear proof that mental stress produces many
diseases coronary and respiratory illness, peptic ulcers, weak immune systems.
Mental stress is due to disorganised behavior inside the psyche. The soma or
body is influenced by the sense organs (which are the agents of the mind). On
coming into contact with a pleasurable situation or object for example, a
cigarette they give feedback to the mind. The organs of action pursue the same
object to perpetuate the experience.
Thus, the mind and senses are caught in a vicious cycle each
reinforcing the other, being themselves reinforced by the experience. Patanjali
emphasised that the cause of pain lies in the identification of the seer with the
seen, and the remedy lies in the disassociation. If the mind is silenced by the
practice of asanas and pranayama and the senses are quietened, one's perception
is altered, leading to a sense of detachment in observation. The senses are not
stimulated. The person uses innate intelligence to remain unaffected by
pleasurable situations. In other words, realising the transient nature of
everything, he or she is equanimous in all situations.
The relation between the psyche and soma is harmonized by the
practice of yoga. Drugs may cure illnesses, but the basic inner foundation for
achieving health, the harmonization of the inner psyche, is not established. Yoga
is of most value in this.
V.
Mental Hygiene
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therapeutic yoga is now scientifically recognized, it can be used as a selfcure method by people suffering from a variety of disorders in any part of
the world.
VIII.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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CONCLUSION
The Salt of life is selfless service. The bread of life is
universal love. The water of life is purity.
The sweetness of life is devotion. The fragrance of life is
generosity. The pivot of life is meditation. The goal of life is Selfrealisation. Therefore, serve. Love. Be pure and generous. Meditate and
realise.
If one can always remember that God is watching all his
thoughts, he will do very few evil actions. He will realise God quickly.
But he forgets this point owing to force of Maya or Avidya.
But a Viveki who has got the power of discrimination
remembers this on account of the descent of Gods grace (Anugraha) and
marches on the spiritual path with bold, steady and quick steps. The
descent of the Divine grace is due to countless virtuous actions done by
him with Nishkama Bhava
during several births.
This world is as unreal as a shadow, bubble or froth. Why do
you run after wealth, woman and the toys of name and fame?
Some Bhaktas think that they have made a complete selfsurrender. But they have their own ways sometimes and cherish some
desires. They walk in their own egoistic ways. This surrender is insincere.
They are not entitled to the descent of Divine Grace. No one is always
praised. No one is also always censured. Also there is no one on earth
who is not blamed. Therefore, do not bother about praise or censure. Rise
above censure and praise and identify yourself with the Absolute, the
Glory of glories, the Holy of holies, the Light of lights, the
Sun of suns, Atman or Supreme Self. The body is the source of all pains.
Hunger is the worst of all diseases. There is no fire like
lust. Santosha (contentment) is the best of all virtues.
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REFERENCES
Books and Website -
1)
Yoga Education
By - Dr. Tapas Pal, Dr. Sanat Kumar Rath, Prof. SambhuCharan Roy
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