What Yoga Is
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Yoga is the stilling of the changing states of the mind.
- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Contrary to popular practice in Westernized yoga classes, yoga is not a popularity contest. Yoga is not solely a means for looking or feeling sexy.
It is not simply a workout, but also a meditation. Yoga is the sanskrit word for union -- the union of body, mind and spirit.
There are eight limbs of yoga. The practice extends beyond the physical asana (postures) we perform.
As Dharma Mittra says of the practice: Without the ethical rules there is no yoga. Are you keeping the ethical rules?
In the interest of exploring the eight limbs and deepening my personal practice, I am going to be starting a series of posts on how yoga extends beyond physical asana.
I'll start with the yamas: ahimsa (nonviolence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (nonstealing), brahmacharya (continence), and aparigraha (noncovetousness).
Then I'll be exploring the niyamas: saucha (cleanliness), samtosa (contentment), tapas (heat; spiritual austerities), svadhyaya (study of the sacred scriptures and of one's self, and isvara pranidhana (surrender to God).
Stay tuned for more on these topics in the weeks and months to come!
Namaste.
I'll start with the yamas: ahimsa (nonviolence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (nonstealing), brahmacharya (continence), and aparigraha (noncovetousness).
Then I'll be exploring the niyamas: saucha (cleanliness), samtosa (contentment), tapas (heat; spiritual austerities), svadhyaya (study of the sacred scriptures and of one's self, and isvara pranidhana (surrender to God).
Stay tuned for more on these topics in the weeks and months to come!
Namaste.
