|
Introduction
Yoga is one of the most
ancient cultural heritage of India. The word yoga in Sanskrit means "to
unite", and so yoga can be said to connote a unitive discipline. In this
sense it is an exercise in moral and mental cultivation that generates good
health (arogya), contributes to longevity (chirayu), and the total
intrinsic discipline culminates into positive and perennial happiness and peace.
Therefore, yoga is the said to be indispensable of the ultimate accomplishment
in life. It is a science that affects not only the conscious self but the
subconscious as well. It is a practical physiological training (kriya
yoga), which if practiced can exalt man to the 'supra mundane
level'.
What Yoga Is Not
There are too many misconceptions
clouding the science of Yoga. People perceive it to be some kind of black or
white magic, sorcery, physical or mental debauchery through which miraculous
feats can be performed. For some it is an extremely dangerous practice which
should be limited to only those who have renounced the world. Few others think
it to be a kind of mental and physical acrobatism that is compatible only to a
Hindu mind.
What Yoga Really Is
Yoga is an all-embracing way of
life, a science of self-culture and mental discipline that ensures the purgation
of the ignoble in man and brings forth what is most noble in him. It is
pertinent to all people irrespective of his caste, creed, and religion. It
can be beneficial to all - the good and the bad, the sick and the healthy, the
believer and the non-believer, the literate and the ignorant, the young and the
old. A person may begin at any age and can go on reaping its
benefits.
The Origin of Yoga
Yoga had its genesis in the
wandering ascetics who sought the solitude of the forests to practice this
ancient science and then imparted their knowledge to the ardent students
(mumuksu) who lived in their ashrams. The ancient yogins were possessive
about this art form and did not make any effort to popularize yoga. The yogic
postures and the subsequent stages of yoga were handed down only to the
deserving students. Hence, this science remained limited to the confines of the
forests or remote caves.Very little was known about this Vedic practice until
the Yoga Institute of Santa Cruz, Mumbai was founded in 1918, which became
India's oldest technical institute on Yoga Benefits of
Yoga
Scientists today ascertain that the intrinsic organic health of a human
being is of prime importance along with the outer development of the body. This
was realized thousands of years ago by the ancient Indian yogis. The
practice of yoga has a substantial foundation in science. Yogic asanas
accelerate blood circulation in the body and Pranayama abates carbon dioxide
content ensuring sound health. Yoga provides all-round benefits to a human
being:
To maintain the
purity of blood and elimination of toxins, both outer and inner cleanliness is
indispensable. Scientists prescribe sun-bath, steam-bath, shower-bath, air-bath
and to this the yogis include the nasal cleansing (neti), stomach
wash (dhouti), the depuration of the alimentary canal (basti), the
purgation of the intestines, the bladder, and the organs
(vajroli). Yoga exercises have
a strengthening effect on the nervous system through its non-tiring
physiological activities that bring about poise of body and mind. Unlike the
normal workouts that concentrate more on the inflation of the muscles, Yoga
takes care of every little part of the anatomy.
Yoga is much more
than "a new-found ability to touch your toes." Asanas have an
all-pervading effect on the physical and mental functioning of the
body:
- Physical - Through
healing, strengthening, stretching and relaxing the skeletal, muscular,
digestive, cardio-vascular, glandular and nervous systems.
- Mental - Through
the cultivation of a quite and a peaceful mind, alertness and
concentration.
- Spritual - By
preparing for meditation.
-
Asanas,
Postures & Exercises
The
physical discipline of Yoga involves specific breathing techniques and postures,
called asanas - a Sanskrit term, which means "to sit in a particular
position." In other words, asanas are the various positions that make up
the practice of Yoga. Here're are brief descriptions on some of the most
important, popular and easier Yoga postures:
Sukhasana ~ the easy pose
Sit on a mat with
legs spread out in front. Bend one leg and place the heel under the opposite
thigh. Bend the other leg and place under opposite thigh and sit cross-legged
with erect spine. Place hands on respective knees, palms downward, eyes closed,
head poised and relax.
Time: 5 - 30
minutes
Value: Composure of body and mind leading to inner harmony and
the favourable position to follow the other exercises.
Talasana ~ the palm pose
Stand erect with
feet together or apart. Keep hands parallel to the sides, chest forward, neck
straight, abdomen and chin in. Slowly raise one arm to vertical position and
simultaneously rise on the toes and inhale. Breathe in deep and stretch to the
maximum. Gradually return to normal. Repeat with the other hand.
The second type of
Talasana involves the raising of both arms together.
Time: 10
secs for each round
Value: It aims at increasing a person's height as
it aims at stretching the thorax and the lower abdomen by a combination of
anterior, posterior, and lateral skeleton movements when one is growing up and
even upto some years after one has reached maturity.
Konasana ~ the angle-pose
Stand with the feet
fixed at 20-24 inches apart, hands at the side. While breathing in bend the
upper part of the body sidewise above waist with the arm sliding below the knee
while the other arm slides up to the armpit. The thorax, neck and head should be
right angle with the base. Retain the breath and maintain the position for 4
seconds. Reverse to normal while exhaling. Repeat with the other arm.
The second Konasana
posture entails the same exercise with the stretching of the arm from under the
armpit to its full length above keeping it close to the respective ear, palms
inward.
In another
variation, the body swings in front to an X position. Inhale, then lower the
left arm and raise the right, both stretched while exhaling. Alternately, touch
the right toe with left hand and left with the right.
Time: 15
secs for each round
Value: It contributes to flexibility of the body
and makes muscles pliable.
Utkatasana ~ semi-standing pose on tiptoe
Stand, keep the
hands stretched parallel in front or at the sides with palms down, then squat.
While squatting, slowly rise on tiptoe as you inhale. When breathe intake is
complete squat again exhaling with thighs pressing against the respective
calves. Taking in breath rise up on toes to standing position. Then slowly lower
the heels to the floor. Rest for 4 secs, then repeat.
Time: 2
minutes for 10 rounds
Value: Flexes the muscles of the legs and the
pelvis.
Chakrasana ~ the wheel pose
Stand with feet 20
inches apart. Raise the arms upwards keeping it close to the ears, fists tight,
inhale and bend backwards with abdomen forward. Then interlace the fingers of
the up-stretched arms above head forming an anterior arc. Pause for 6
seconds.
With arms
up-stretched and exhaling, bend forward to touch the ground. With the head
almost touching the knees freely swing the arms straight upwards till they are
vertical and parallel to the legs. Maintain position for 3 secs. Then reverse
while taking in the breath.
Time: 18-20
secs for each round
Value: Exercise of the spine and the
mid-trunk.
|