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Archive for the ‘Yoga philosophy’ Category

What is Yoga Therapy?

 

Yoga Therapy was greatly influenced immensely by Guruji BKS Iyengar. A picture from RIMYI, Pune.  from Photography: Coni Hörler

BY MEREL MARTENS

Since yoga is becoming more and more mainstream, yoga therapy is rising in popularity too. I have studied medicine myself and have been practicing, studying and working with yoga for many years now. It is beautiful to observe that yoga therapy is not only being embraced by so-called ‘alternative people’ and ‘yoga lovers’, but by medical professionals alike! For example, in the yoga therapy programs that my school offers we have students working as physiotherapists, as well as students who have never opened a medical textbook in their lives. (more…)

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Yoga philosophy, Yoga teacher training

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Fundamentals about the 5 branches of Yoga

Pranayama at Bihar School of Yoga in Munger. Photo Credit: Coni Hörler

BY SUSHANT PANDEY

Yoga is a path; a philosophy to harmonise the interactions and expressions of consciousness and energies in an individual. There are numerous methods and tools employed to reach a state of inner poise, balance and harmony. These interactions of energies and consciousness express onto different layers of existence; creating various dimensions of human functioning and experiences. In our lives, we experience dimension of expressions in the physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and behavioural plane. From the grossest level; it is the physical body where both energy and consciousness interact on the plane of gross energies, vitality and senses. Then on subtle plane, we have the expressions of mental energies. The existence of emotional energies makes us experience the emotional dimension of being. And then we do experience more subtle expressions of intellect in the form of clear, detached and refined perspective to life and events. The cumulative interactions of these various energies and consciousness present there result in the outcome of certain behavioural patterns and interaction with the external environment. (more…)

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How to Practice Awareness in Yoga

The practice of awareness. Picture Courtesy: Coni Hörler

BY SUSHANT PANDEY

The practice of awareness in Yoga is a continuous process. Discipline of yoga is not restricted to the classroom practice of a set of yogic techniques. It is slow, methodical, requires vigilance, effort, and discipline. In fact, it almost seems too difficult a task and too lofty an ideal to follow, especially in a society that does not make it easy for us to stand back and watch ourselves. When everything is moving at such a frantic pace and so much of our attention is focused on just trying to keep up, how does one internalise the awareness? The answer is to make an active commitment to the betterment of ourselves which means setting aside a certain time that will be dedicated solely to self-reflection. (more…)

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Connecting with the divine through Chanting

The sounds of Sanskrit — the language of the gods . PC – pixabay

BY GANGA MA

Strong or soft, wild or serene —

Wherever breath flows there is song

Hear its whisper touching behind the face

Singing in the throat,

Dancing spirals in the sanctuary of your heart.

-Radiance Sutras ~ Lorin Roche

Spiritual traditions from all over the world have always known the power that lies in the vibration of voice. Since the beginning of time people have been using songs in temples, churches and caves to give extra power to their ceremonies and practices. Think of the passionate Sufi chants, the beautiful choir music of Christianity and the rhythmic chants of the Native Americans. (more…)

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Yoga ashrams, centers and schools, Yoga philosophy

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Remembering Iyengar on his birth anniversary

With much fondness, reverence and gratitude we remember Yogacharya Sri BKS Iyengar on the occasion of his 98th birth anniversary. In fact we found just the perfect jewel from our archives to share on this very special occasion as we reminiscence about the energy of Guruji.

While working on our book – Yoga in India: A Journey to the Top 24 Yoga Places, we were at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune and had the good luck of a meeting with Guruji. As we chatted about Yoga in India, the conversation wandered and we asked Guruji about his favorite animal. We captured that moment on video and here’s what he told us….

 

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centers and schools, Yoga films and videos, Yoga philosophy

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What are the Bandhas?

yoga is derived from the root yuj, which means to yoke, unite or to join together.  Source: Pixabay

yoga is derived from the root yuj, which means to yoke, unite or to join together.  Source: Pixabay

BY JESSICA BROOKES

Carl G. Jung the eminent Swiss psychologist, described yoga as ‘one of the greatest things the human mind has ever created.’  The Yoga Sutra defines Yoga as: yoga chitta-vritti-nirodah, which may be translated as: “Yoga is the cessation of agitation of the consciousness.” The word yoga is derived from the root yuj, which means to yoke, unite or to join together. Hence, the practice of yoga leads to the union of the human with the divine – all within the self. (more…)

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Video

T. Krishnamacharya – The Father of Modern Yoga

BY ADITHI MATHEWS

“Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale, and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God.” – T. Krishnamacharya

For the modern practitioner, Yoga translates to purely Asana or the physical limb of the entire 8 steps which, leads to the state of Samadhi. T. Krishnamacharya, studied Yoga during his childhood from his father and is known to have emphasised his teachings around the physical limb of Yoga – which are Hatha Yoga postures; although he studied the philosophy and other aspects in great detail as well.  Emphasising his teachings on Asana, is one of the reasons he is known as  the ‘Father of Modern Yoga’. The second reason would be the fact that he was the guru of two of the biggest and most renowned Yoga legends – Pattabi Jois (founder of Ashtanga Yoga) and BKS Iyengar (Iyengar Yoga). (more…)

Written by yoga.in team

on 25/11/2016

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