SANTOSHKUMAR RAMCHANDRA SHELKE

YOGA

IN MODERN TIMES,

IT’S

TRENDS AND IT’S APPLICATIONS

Submission of the Yoga Project & Assignments

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

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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.

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INDEX

CHAPTER NO.

SUB TOPIC

SUBJECTPAGE

NUMBERIntroduction 5

1 Trends in Yoga 8

2 Philosphy of Yoga 12I Meaning & Defination of Yoga 1II Yoga as a way to Healthy & Integral Living 15III Basic Rules for Yoga Practice 16IV Yoga as a way to socio-moral upliftment 17V Yoga as a Way to Aatmanubhuti 18

3 Types of Yoga Systems & CharacteristicsI Surya Namaskar 21II Ashtanga Yoga 22III Karma Yoga – The Path of Action 23IV Bhakti Yoga – The Path of Devotion 24V Jnana Yoga – The Path of Knowledge 24VI Acro Yoga 25VII Anti Gravity Yoga 27VIII Aerial Yoga 28

4 Scientific Basis of Yoga 29I Yoga & Bio Feedback 29II Stress Chain Reaction 29III Therapeutic values of Yoga 30IV Food Types in Yoga 31V Power of The Human Mind 31

5 Application Of Yoga Therapy 33I Yoga & Meditation – Alternative Treatment 34II Yoga & Modern Medicine 34III Benefits of Yoga & Meditation 35IV Mental Health 36V Mental Hygine 36VI Yoga Vs. Medical System 37VII Music Therapy & Musical Education 38VIII Yoga for Health 39

CONCLUSION 42REFERENCES 43

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INTRODUCTION

Man has made many errors in the past by ignoring the science of life. He has sponsored political movements, social movements,religiousmovements and military movements, but during the past few centuries he has failed to sponsor a yogic lifestyle movement. The world is changing now and its destiny is taking a complete turn about.

People have begun to think of the fundamental issue of life. With the dawn of the Aquarian Age, millions of boys and girls, men and women, and the collective consciousness will be influenced or are already being influenced.

It is important to know that yogic training should never be understood as withdrawal from life. Every aspect of yogic training should make us more capable of facing and confronting ourselves. 

As the twentieth century ends and the new century begins, we can expect a generation which will have greater understanding of itself and thereby greater understanding of the whole world.

Yoga is living a natural life, a life in which you are able tounderstand yourself. It is the science of life and the art of living. It is the common sense answer to overall physical and mental fitness.

At present wedo not live that sort of life. If we lived a natural life, our body would tell us what we needed to do, and we would not have to ask anybody. This body is a product of nature, of the pancha mahabhootas, the five essential states of nature, and therefore whatever kind of life we choose has to complement them.

As the body is a product of nature, any means that we employ to improve ourself has to be natural, not chemical. 

We ingest many things which are not natural and they cause an imbalance in the body. So when we talk of yoga, it is not just asana and pranayama that we have to consider, because that is a very small portion of yoga.

Yoga refers to a yogic lifestyle. It is a system of physical and mental self improvement and final liberation, that people have been using for thousands of years. Yoga arose in the age of the Vedas and Upanishads. It is India's oldest scientific, perfect spiritual discipline.

Yoga is a method of training the mind and developing its power of subtle perceptions so that man may discover for himself the spiritual truths on which religion, beliefs and moral values finally rest. It is realization of our hidden powers.

Yoga is science of life, it offers us simple, easy remedies and techniques and methods of health and hygiene to assure physical and mental fitness with a minimum of time, effort and expense.

Yoga is one of the most ancient metaphysical sciences, which investigates the nature of soul and, through its discipline, awakens the super-conscious mind of the man which unites the moral being with the immortal supreme spirit. Yoga

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leads to balance and also provides both a philosophy and a religion. The real joy of life appears when we can unify nature and culture, wealth and poverty, movement and stillness, attachment and detachment. Yoga can serve both the 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 there’s anything wrong with practicing Hatha Yoga. The body is a part of our human nature, and must be kept fit so it doesn’t 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.

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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 person’s 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 person’s 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.

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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.

3. Live Music Yoga Whether it's a live DJ like MC Yogi spinning Beastie Boys tracks, or

traditional Sanskrit mantras harmonized with the Rabab and harmonium, live music can help deepen your practice. Many studios now incorporate live music, DJs and, of course, Kirtan into their regular schedule rotation, offering a more spiritually uplifting experience for students.

4. Hot Barre Yoga A hot topic last year, barre classes were a were a hit with those tired of

yoga — now, Hot Barre Yoga classes are offered at many studios across the country. It's a combination of hot yoga with ballet, Pilates, and weight and interval training — with room temperatures averaging around 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

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5. Yoga Pole Dancing Women everywhere have rewritten their beliefs about pole dancing, as it

becomes a more widely acceptable, and even empowering form of intense exercise. Yoga Pole focuses on teaching inversions like headstands, handstands and forearm stands by using the pole to help practitioners hold steady.

While providing support and stability, the pole also allows students to enter deeper, challenging poses with more ease and less fear. According to Yoga Pole Studio in Brooklyn, "Yoga Pole does not teach you how to strip. There is no spinning in this class, no sashaying. No heels. You don't pant maniacally so much as you breathe, deeply. During class, you don't realize just how much your muscles are working until you wake up the next day and feel that your body has changed."

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.

9. Underwater Yoga Diving If you ever have the opportunity to travel somewhere exotic like Belize,

the Great Barrier Reef or Bali, you're probably keen on giving scuba diving a

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try. Underwater yoga diving gives the feeling of weightlessness in Lotus and Savasana a whole new depth of meaning.

10. Meditation Apps Technology might be the source of many of our distractions,

but meditation apps like Headspace make it easy to cultivate a daily meditation practice. There's a revolution happening in terms of ways to live more mindfully, and it's no secret that adaily meditation practice is highly beneficial to our overall health and mental well-being.

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/Women's Circles 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 Many yogis are discovering the life-changing benefits of sound healing.

Sound vibrations can have profound, lasting effects on our psyche. Bowls made of crystal or brass are placed next to each other and played by circling the outside rim, giving off a vibration. Sound healing workshops can be offered at yoga studios, and you'll probably notice your teacher playing the bowl at the end of class.

14. Temazcal Sweat Lodge 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.

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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 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.

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CHAPTER – 2

PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA

I. Meaning And Definition Of Yoga

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 self-development 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 pre-vedic 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 yogaAt 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.

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Yoga as a scienceYoga is a science, that is, it is a body of techniques that direct us to

consciously connect with ourselves and with life, the knowledge of yoga. As yoga is a science, there is no dogma or belief system attached to it. Yoga merely tells us to do a sure practice and then to feel the upshot of that practice, e.g. if we breath slowly in a relaxed manner we will slow our heart rate; if we focus the mind we will enlarge mental peace and deep insight.

Highest philosophical definition of yogaIn Sanskrit, the word ‘yoga’ is used to signify any shape of connection. In

a philosophical sense, however, yoga means the aware connection of the limited little egoic self with the unlimited, eternal, higher Self.

Patanjali’s definition of yoga The grandwise Patanjali, in the system of Raja Yoga, gave one of the best

definitions of yoga. He said, ‘Yoga is the blocking (nirodha) of mental modifications (chitta vritti) so that the seer (drashta) re-identifies with the (higher) Self. Patanjali’s system has come to be the essence of Classical Yoga Philosophy and is one of the 6 or 7 major philosophies of India.

Hatha yoga definition Hatha yoga comprises postures (asana), breathing techniques

(pranayama), purification techniques (shat karmas) energy regulation techniques (mudra and bandha). The description of yoga in the Hatha Yoga texts is the union of the upward force (prana) and the downward force (apana) at the navel center (manipura chakra). Hatha yoga educates us to master the entirety of our life force, which is also called prana. By learning how to feel and manipulate the life force, we right of entry the source of our being.

Kundalini yoga definition Kundalini yoga is the science of healing the dormant possible energy in

the bottom of the spine (kundalini). The meaning of yoga in kundalini yoga is the union of the mental current (ida) and the pranic current (pingala) in the third eye (ajna chakra) or at the base chakra (muladhara chakra). This merges duality in us by connecting body and mind and guides to the awakening of spiritual consciousness.

Yoga Definition In Shaivism In Shaivism, yoga is used to unite kundalini with Shiva. Mahabharata

defines the purpose of yoga as the experience of uniting the individual ātman with the universal Brahman that pervades all things.

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Yoga definition in Raja Yoga The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are frequently labelled as Rāja yoga

(Bhaskarananda,2001) It defines yoga as citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ (the cessation of the perturbations of the mind). The aim is to still the mind in order to reach Kaivalya, the "isolation" of purusha (the motionless consciousness "essence") from prakriti (the primal matter from which everything is made, including mind and emotions)(Edwin,2009). In Hinduism, Raja yoga is considered as one of the six āstika schools (those which accept the authority of the Vedas)(Flood,1996) of Hindu philosophy.3 Meditation is one of the keys for Raja Yoga.

Yoga definition in Tantra Tantra is the name given by scholars to a style of meditation and ritual

which arose in India no later than the 5th century CE.(Einoo,2009) The earliest documented use of the word "Tantra" is in the Rigveda (X.71.9).[37] Tantra has influenced the Hindu, Bon, Buddhist, and Jain traditions and Silk Road transmission of Buddhism that spread Buddhism to East and Southeast Asia.

Yoga definition in Jainism Jain meditation has been the central practice of spirituality in Jainism

along with the Three Jewels. Meditation in Jainism aims at realizing the self, attain salvation, take the soul to complete freedom5 .It aims to reach and to remain in the pure state of soul which is believed to be pure conscious, beyond any attachment or aversion. The practitioner strives to be just a knower-seer (Gyata-Drashta). Jain meditation can be broadly categorized to the auspicious Dharmya Dhyana and Shukla Dhyana and inauspicious Artta and Raudra Dhyana.

Yoga Definition in Buddhism Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of meditation techniques that

aim to develop mindfulness, concentration, supramundane powers, tranquility, and insight. Core techniques have been preserved in ancient Buddhist texts and have proliferated and diversified through teacher-student transmissions. Buddhists pursue meditation as part of the path toward Enlightenment and Nirvana. The closest words for meditation in the classical languages of Buddhism are bhāvanā and jhāna/dhyāna. Buddhist meditation techniques have become ever more popular in the wider world, with many non Buddhists taking them up for a diversity of reasons.

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II. Yoga as a way to healthy and integrated living

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 self-criticism, 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

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anchor for Yoga Education Dr. Tapas Pal, Dr. Sanat Kumar Rath, Prof. 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.

III. Basic Rules for Yoga Practice

Yoga postures exercises is a mistake even to call, in the usual sense of the word. Their purpose is not to strengthen the muscles. They emphasize relaxation quite as much as they do tension. Unlike most physical exercise, they do not excite; rather, they eliminate excitement from the system.

With these thoughts in mind, the practitioner will understand that he has not “done” a posture once he has succeeded in assuming it. It is only at this point that he can begin truly to derive the benefits of that pose.

An important thing about these postures is that in yoga practice one must never strain. Relax, never force yourself, into the prescribed positions. Stretch only slightly, if at all, beyond the point of comfort. You will be astonished to see how many poses you can accomplish by progressively deeper relaxation.

Yogis illustrate their teaching of relaxation by the example of the cat. Observe this self-contained creature. It never uses more of its body at any given moment than it needs. Lift it up when it is resting, and observe how it hangs, limp, in your hands. Yet, so poised is it that, from a position of complete repose, it can leap to its feet in an instant, ready to defend itself against sudden danger.

The yogi, similarly, should act always from a center of poise and calmness, of mental and physical relaxation. Between poses, he should calmly withdraw his energy from the periphery of his body; he should rest within himself. Savasana, the Corpse Pose, is particularly recommended for these peaceful relaxation.

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The yogi is enjoined to practice moderation in everything. He should avoid eating too much, or too little. He should not sleep too much, nor too little. (More than seven hours’ sleep in a night only drugs the nervous system.) He should be especially moderate in his sex life. Sexual over-indulgence causes a tremendous drain on a person’s natural vitality. Continence, by contrast, provided it has the full consent of the mind, can be a tremendous factor in helping one to achieve full vigor, mentally and physically, and to attain deep spiritual insight.

Yoga practices help one to live in harmony with the forces of nature. The yoga practitioner should assist this harmonizing process by living as much as possible close to nature. He should get out into the countryside whenever he can, there to enjoy the sunshine, to breathe the fresh air. Yoga breathing exercises will help him to gain the greatest possible benefit from nature’s free gift of oxygen.

In fact, the yoga postures should always, if possible, be practiced out-of-doors, or by an open window. They should be practiced on an empty stomach or at least three hours after eating. It is preferable that the body be warm when performing them. But don’t practice immediately after strenuous activity. Don’t practice so long, moreover, that the postures themselves result in over-exertion and fatigue.

Women should use caution if they wish to do yoga postures during the first day or two of the menstrual period. Pregnant women who want to continue their practice of the postures are advised to find one of the growing number of people who are specially trained in pre- and postnatal yoga.

The postures should not be practiced, save with the greatest of caution, when the body is unwell. Any posture that gives rise to a feeling of pain (other than muscular) in the chest, abdomen, or brain should be abandoned until the cause of pain has been ascertained. People with high blood pressure should avoid all but the most gentle poses…

The duration of each posture must be increased gradually. People beginning these postures after middle age should be particularly careful to start slowly, with the easier poses, only bit by bit working up to the more difficult ones.

IV. Yoga as a way to socio-moral upliftment of man

The yoga contains two necessary actions. First, by assembly of energies, a attentiveness, purification, and ambition, the individual seeks to become aware of his own factual self or being deep within his own heart, the soul or the heavenly spark in man. At the same time he opens himself to the Divine Consciousness-Force above and permits it to pour down into him and plug him with its Presence. Once this contact has been established he learns to reinforce the friendship between this inmost being and his outer personality, to make the

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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 Buddha’s 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.”

V. YOGA AS A WAY TO ATMANUBHUTI

Atmanubhuti Yoga is the science pedestaled on natural principles for beginning of soul energy within. Awakening of soul energy brings a whole physical, mental health, inner peace and purity in thoughts. It includes of five main organs Yoga Education Dr. Tapas Pal, Dr. Sanat Kumar Rath, Prof. SambhuCharan Roy 29 i.e. Asanas(Body posture), Pranayama(Breathing technique), Meditation, Kirtan (Singing devotional chants) and Satsang (Spiritual discussion and discourses). Yoga means to manage and think the body and mind. The word yoga factually means ‘union’ and therefore the basic aim of all kinds of yoga is the understanding of the divine and the realization of unity. The restoration of the original unity or atmanubhuti is the aim of yoga. Sri Aurobindo stated that Yoga implies not only the realization of God but ancomplete concentration and change of the inner and outer life till it is fit to obvious a divine awareness and become part of a divine work.Human mind incessantly works for the whole day and it is one of the most stressed functions. Mind has direct force on the general health of body as well. Therefore, it is enormouslysignificant that you need to give a pause to mental workouts. At least 10 minutes throughout the day should be allocated and securedentirely for giving total or 100% rest to your mind. This is unerringly what meditation does. It is said that you can grasp your inner self (atmanubhuti), also called the final objective of human life, only when you can attain a 'thoughtless' situation which can be achieved by standard practice of meditation. Thus meditation refreshes or rejuvinates your brain meaning and is awfullychief for the happiness on an individual. In a very easy term the Self-Realization is like returning of man to his actual Home – establishing of oneself in one’s true nature, which is not outside but inside the man. The self-realization is nothing but return to one’s

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own true Home, home which is full of harmony, balance, equanimity, Peacefulness. It is a state of one’s being without reference to the ‘other’. It is a state of Freedom (liberation) – a freedom from hurt and suffering, fears, duality’s, tensions of life. It is a freedom not just ‘to do’ but to be free from ego and attachments to baser things. It is a calm, stressfree, silence and impartial mental state. This Self-Realization is our second birth, and it frees us from the supremacy of our minds and our emotions. The Self-Realization called by many names: Second Birth, Enlightenment, Liberation, Moksha and it is the eventual goal of all religions and spiritual traditions of the world. Self-Realized person possesses body and lives in the world itself. He uses material world legitimately, for console and expediency not for ego satisfaction but for self-enrichment and realization. He lives in the world but he is above it, he is not of it. Now he is free from fear of loss and anxiety, from attachments and hatredness and he becomes very merry and loving personality. Self-Realized person completely enjoys the state of connection with the divine. After Self-Realization where he/she put his/her attention, the divine removes obstructions and creates miracles. There is much more. You also develop "collective consciousness". You can feel everything about another human being, and about yourself. Your compassion is awakened, and you understand others at a basic level. The results are apparent in beautiful, loving people with alert minds and open, loving hearts. The possible to attain this state is built into every human being in the form of Kundalini. Yoga is termination of movements in consciousness. Consciousness consists of mind,intellect and ego. Intellect (Buddhi) is individual selective intelligence. It has been tough to manage this consciousness or Chitta because it is self-contradictory. Let us study the human body. Eyes see the objects and send signal to occipital cortex in the brain. Then brain has to scrutinize this information and sends a respond. This interpretation is accepted by the mind, which finally decides whether this image is good or bad. Even though the image is wicked, mind still wants to see this. It goes through conflict, starts reasoning so that it can obtain some kind of satisfaction or pleasure from this. Your mind will it self understand that this is not good for your conscience. We need mind for every thing, either good or bad. This makes it so tricky to check the mind from peripatetic. A need will arise in the mind, and then craving instigates the intellect. Intellect gives its blessing to organs of action. So this cycle puts the mind in divergence and gives all kinds of reasoning, so that mind can sway it self and justifies its own actions. Then mind familiarity either Yoga Education Dr. Tapas Pal, Dr. Sanat Kumar Rath, Prof. SambhuCharan Roy 30 pain or pleasure. This happens physically and physiologically. Then Ego expands, thinking that and making you believe that you are responsible for all these reactions. The mind is addicted to these highs and lows. Sometimes this mind plays the role of a victim. At times the mind takes you to the other great, which is called Inaction. You do not feel like doing any thing. The mind will say that nothing matters; what ever you do, result will

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be the same so become Tamasic. The mind will say, don’t 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.

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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.

Surya Namaskar :Step by Step Pranamasana Hasta Uttanasana Hastapaadasana Aekpaadprasarnaasana Adho Mukha Svanasana / parvatasana Ashtanga Namaskara Bhujangasana Adho Mukha Svanasana Ashwa Sanchalanasana Uttanasana Hasta Uttanasana Pranamasana

Aditya Hridayamis another ancient practice which involves a variation of Sūrya Namaskāra. It is a procedure of saluting The Sun, taught to Sri Rama by Sage Agastya, before his fight with Ravana. It is described in the "Yuddha Kaanda" Canto 107 of Ramayana.

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II. Ashtanga Yoga

Patanjali wrote the YogaSutras around 400 BC, even if this date is much discussed. In the Sutras Patanjali sketchs the ''Eight limbs'' of Raja yoga. The first five are Exoteric, dealing with the objects exterior, in relation to the body, in relation to the society and so on. These are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara. The next three are esoteric yoga : Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. These eight branchs are interdependant and of parallel value.Patanjali's Raja Yoga is usually termed the Ashtanga Yoga or the Yoga of Eight Limbs, during the practice of which choice is attained. These eight limbs have been technicallygiven and dealt with. They are the natural steps in the stepladder which takes man from his human to the genuineheavenly nature. From the gross to the pale, all the chords that bind the Purusha to Prakriti are cut asunder. This snapping of the bindsliberates the Purusha to benefit from his Independence, Kaivalya Moksha. This is the purpose of Raja Yoga. Yama and Niyama distil the individual's actions and make them more Sattvic. Tamas and Rajas which are the pillars of Samsara are draged down through the practice of the Ten Canons of Yama and Niyama. Inner purity is amplified. The individual's nature itself is made Sattvic. Asana gives the individual manage over the Rajasic impulses; and at the identical time it forms the foundation of the impressivearrangement of Antaranga Sadhana, or the Inner Yoga-process. Pranayama brings the hopefulfeatures to face with the Life-Principle. Manage of this Life-Principle gives him an insight into its motive force. He is completedconscious of the fact that it is desire that sustains the life-force. Aspiration is the cause of externalization of the mind. Desire is the bed of Vrittis. Vrittis jointly form the mind, and it is the mind that links Purusha with Prakriti. The mind or the Chitta is the subtlest form of Prakriti's demonstrations. If mind is to be shattered, Vrittis are to be eradicated. If Vrittis are to be eradicated, desire is to be rooted out. The Yogi than speedily withdraws all the rays of the mind from their outsideforce (Pratyahara). To discover the basis of the mind, the Seed-Desire, he wants the light of the whole mind. At the same time, obstacle of the externalization of the mind breaks the ferocious circle, as need is dispossessed of its Yoga Education Dr. Tapas Pal, Dr. Sanat Kumar Rath, Prof. SambhuCharan Roy 34 livelyappearance. This concentrated beam of light is then directed towards the root of the mind itself (Dharana); and the mind is held in confirm. Now the realization which had so long been flowing outward collects itself and flows back into its source - the Purusha within, which is Dhyana. The association with Prakriti is gone. The Purusha practices the transcendental state of independence - Kaivalya - in Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Now unawareness is destroyed. The Purusha understands that it was only His realization that gave Prakriti its power to please Him, to give Him joy, to deceive Him, and to bind Him. He likes the bliss of His own nature and remnants for ever independent and heavenly. All thought ceases once for all in

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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.

III. KARMA YOGA – The Path Of Action (Selfless Service)

Karma refers to actexecuted for the sake of the body and its senses. The effort we do to build a living is karma. The work we put into having a high-quality time is karma too. When we eat, that's karma. When we sleep, that's karma. When we timepiece TV, listen to Beethoven, or Ravi Shankar, or Madonna, when we have kids, or impel our car—when we do just about anything—that's karma. Karma can be "extended" too. It's not lone what we do straight for ourselves but also what we do for others, in relative to the body and senses. When we help out a friend, give food to the poor, serve in the Army, or show our uncle how to cheat on his tax returns—again, it's all karma Karma may be "good" or "bad". So karma may bring good or bad results. These results are also sometimes called karma. Karma Yoga is the path of action, service to others, mindfulness, and remembering the levels of our being while fulfilling our actions or karma in the world. As renowned by a variety of observered, the Bhagavad Gita presents a sensible advance to release in the form of Karma yoga. The path of Karma yoga upholds the necessity of accomplishment. However, this deed is to be undertaken without any accessory to the work or desire for results. Bhagavad Gita terms this "inaction in action and action in inaction. The impression of such detached action is also called Nishkam Karma, a term not used in the Gita. Lord Krishna, in the following verses, elaborates on the role actions, performed without desire and attachment, play in attaining freedom from material bondage and transmigration: To actonly hast thou a right and never at all to its fruits; let not the fruits of deed be thy motive; neither let there be in thee any accessory to in force Fixed in yoga, do thy work, O Winner of wealth (Arjuna), abandoning attachment, with an even mind in achievement and failure, for constancy of mind is called yoga. With the body, with the mind, with the intelligence, even simply with the senses, the Yogis executedeed toward selfpurification, having abandoned attachment. He who is restricted in Yoga, having deserted the produce of act, attains fixed peace. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi writes, "The object of the Gita appears to me to be that of showing the most excellent way to attain self-realization", and this can be achieved by selfless action,"By desireless action; by renouncing fruits of action; by dedicating all activities to God, i.e., by surrendering oneself to Him body and soul." Gandhi called the Gita "The Gospel of Selfless Action". To achieve true

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liberation, it is important to control all mental desires and tendencies to enjoy sense pleasures.

IV. BHAKTI YOGA – The Path Of Devotion

Bhakti Yoga is the course of attachment, emotion, care for, sympathy, and examine to God and others. All events are done in the circumstance of identification the Divine. Bhakti yoga is supported on the policy “Love is God and God is Love”. The divinity is the dearly loved and the fan is the lover. In Bhakti yoga, everything is but a sign of the divine and all else is valueless, including the Ego. When the Bhakta is sacred by divine elegance he feels an undivided union and nondual awareness prevails. Bhakti Yoga is regarded as the the majority straight method to combine in cosmic awareness. This trail applications chiefly to those of an emotional life. Through prayer, worship, chanting and ceremony one surrenders himself to God or thing of faith, directing and transmuting his emotions into unqualified love and attachment. Continuous meditation of God or object of faith steadily decreases the ego of the practitioner. Suppressed emotions get unconfined and the refinement of the internal self takes place. Gradually the practitioner looses the self individuality and becomes one with God or the item of faith, this is the condition of self-realization.

V. JNANA YOGA – The Path Of Knowledge

Gyana is the chase of knowledge. Jnana yoga is the corridor of wisdom, knowledge, and nonstop experience of Brahman as the definitiverealism. The courseleaves both desires and actions, and is therefore depicted as being steep and very difficult in the Bhagavad Gita. This path is often associated with the non-dualistic Vedantic belief of the identity of the Ātman with the Brahman. For the followers of this path, the realisation of the identity of Ātman and Brahman is held as the key to liberation. When a sensible man ceases to see different identities due to different material bodies and he sees how beings are expanded everywhere, he attains to the Brahman conception. Those who see with eyes of knowledge the difference between the body and the knower of the body, and can also understand the process of liberation from bondage in material nature, attain to the supreme goal.

Jnana Yoga is a practice of learning to distinguish between what is factual and what is not, what is everlasting and what is not. Through a stableprogression in consciousness of the difference between Real and the Unreal, the everlasting and the chronological, one expands into a Jnani. This is fundamentally a lane of knowledge and favoritism in observes to the disparity between the atman and the body. Jnana Yoga is the advance of converting

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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.

YOGA SYSTEM - NOWADAYS

VI. ACRO YOGA

Acro-yoga is a physical practice which combines yoga and acrobatics. There are two schools of Acroyoga. Acroyoga Montreal, led by Jessie Goldberg and Eugene Poku, has used the term since 1999 brings together acrobatics, yoga and dance/performance.  Acroyoga Inc., which began in California with Jason Nemer and Jenny Klein and was labelled as acroyoga in 2006. The latter practices brings together acrobatics, yoga and Thai massage.[3] Both schools offer teaching certifications, and despite some differences have many similar poses.

AcroYoga may provide physical and mental health benefits. In addition to the exercise and strength building aspects of AcroYoga the partner balancing can improve concentration and the massage elements can provide stress relief.  However Acroyoga is more vigorous than many traditional yoga practices and this may lead to more injuries.

There are three primary roles in an Acro-yoga practice: base, flyer, and spotter. Base - this is the individual who has the most points of contact with the ground.

Often this person is lying on the ground with the entire back torso in full contact. This enables both the arms and legs to be "bone-stacked" for maximum stability and support of the Flyer. Main points of contact with the flyer are the feet (generally placed on the Flyer's hips) and the hands (which either form handholds or grasp the shoulders).

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.

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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 opennessWarm-up to gradually get your muscles ready for more strenuous exercisePartner flow - continue warming up with asanas and stretching with a partnerInversions help build trust between the partnersFlying and acrobaticsThai 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.

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

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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.

VII. AntiGravity Yoga

AntiGravity Yoga is the leading proprietorial method in the aerial yoga trend. Developed by former gymnast and dancer Christopher Harrison, AntiGravity Yoga provides a workout that allows you to stretch and strengthen without overstressing your joints or compressing your vertebrae.The key to AntiGravity Yoga is the hammock, a swath of silky fabric that acts as your support system. Using the hammock, you learn to invert and hang suspended in the air. The hammock supports your hips for forward bends and backbends. It acts as your seat for any number of variations on the ab-tastic crunch. It can be looped around one foot as you stand on the other for versions of standing big toe pose and king dancer, applications that are reminiscent of an Iyengar-style ropes wall. Best of all, the hammock wraps you in your own little cocoon for a swaying savasana.

Tips and Observations It is usually advised that you practice yoga on a empty stomach, and that

is especially true of AntiGravity Yoga, what with the inverting, spinning, and pressure of the hammock on your abdomen.

Long pants and a shirt with sleeves are must-haves, since the hammock can dig into your arms and legs under the weight of your body.

I felt some pain from the hammock when it was under my hips in forward folds, though my teacher assured us that this abates with continued practice.

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.

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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=

Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga with postures suspended in soft fabric hammocks. With the help of gravity and the hammocks, we can playfully explore floating, fluid movements and create space in our bodies without compressing our joints and spine. The feeling in the body is exquisite. The silky hammocks are a special high-density nylon that can hold over 2000 pounds each.   

Aerial Yoga is a wonderful complement to your mat practice. It unwinds fascial knots and tangles, quiets the mind, builds core-strength, and leaves your body feeling integrated.   The basic yoga principles of ahimsa (non-harm) and mindfulness are woven throughout the sequences. The hammock, like other props in yoga, is intended to assist alignment and deepen your awareness. The fabric becomes a learning tool and students often find "Aha!" moments that bring new life and understanding to poses they previously feared or fought to achieve.   In our classes we will alternate between practicing with the hammock and practicing on the mat to play with gravity in different ways and to stay energetically grounded.

Jasmine Astra-elle Grace and Michele Vinbury, co-owners of Yoga on High,offer Aerial Yoga in different formats: group classes, semi-private classes and private sessions.

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CHAPTER – 4

SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF YOGA

I. Yoga and bio-feedback

Biofeedback is the procedure of gaining greater consciousness of a lot of physiological purposesmainlyby means oftools that give information on the action of those similar systems, with aaim of being intelligent to influence them at will. Some of the procedures that can be controlled take in brainwaves, muscle tone, skin conductance, heart rate and pain perception. Biofeedback may be used to get better health, presentation, and the physiological changes that often happen in combination with changes to thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Finally, these changes may be upholded without the employ of extra equipment, even though no equipment is essentiallyrequisited to practice biofeedback. Biofeedback has been found to be effectual for the action of headaches. Biofeedback is a method by which a person allegedly learns relaxation. Of course, this relaxation is not resting or taking it simple.It usually, if not always,needsemploy of visualization, recurrence, and meditation. By joining oneself to a particularly designed monitor, people are learning to control the automatic (unconscious) roles of their bodies, including heartrate, skin temperature, blood pressure, etc.

II. Stress Chain Reaction

A prominent negative experience traced in the brain will change the mental, emotional and conscious planes, and, depending on the cause, give the person a headache, depression, anxiety, worry, tension or anger. If the conditionmaintains, then the collapse in mental and emotional patterns may even be the reason of psychological.If any of the sensory cells or motor cells are not stimulated or working properly, then the output of that cell will consist of sparse and uneven impulses. This will make tension in the central nervous system, causing a holdup in the normal process and affecting the functions of the brain, as the input and output of the stimuli will be uneven, and this may cause different physical, muscular, and mental tensions. If this conditioncarry on in a man over a period of time, then the state of consciousness will modify, energy confrontation will be lowered, mental and emotional states will be uncoordinated, and another stress will be added to this chain reaction process. Self-awareness is perception or knowledge of one's own conditions or states of changes in the body or the mind. Because biofeedback indicates the changes of the body and brain in the appearance of a sound or sketch, one can enlarge the

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self-awareness up to a convinced point as a side-effect of the biofeedback process. A skilled and aware Yogi is fully conscious of the subconscious activities of his body and brain, and is capable to manage his autonomic nervous system by attentiveness. Today, anyone with a little practice of the biofeedback system can achieve a conscious state of relaxation and expansion of mental ability, plus creativity. A Yogi knows that the autonomic nervous system, which controls and regulates the involuntary functions of the body, is controlled by the subconscious mind. Up to a certain point, the subconscious mind can be aimed at by the conscious mind. Through Yoga nidra, Antar mouna, Mantra yoga, Nada yoga and Trataka, a Yogi can co-ordinate and enlarge the repose of the muscular and nervous systems, thus avoiding the stress chain reaction process. A Yogi can growrelease from low emotional and low energy feelings. He give confidence the brain to expand its tasks for maintaining the harmony between the internal and external environments. He can enlarged the openness of consciousness, permitting it to mix together with the subconscious and unconscious elements of mind to become aware of those unseen activities that are constantly changing and forming the human personality. A simple practice of developing breath awareness, and trying to develop a rhythm in the breath, will allow one to watch exactly how the muscles and nervous activities are co-ordinated, how incoming and outgoing impulses are channelized, and how introversion of mind takes place. The same practice, if developed and practiced correctly, will allow the aspirant to rise above the sensual states of personality and accept the attitude of a seer. This opens the insight into the surrounding atmosphere in society, while taking protective measures to protect the personality from the arrival of negative reactions.

III. Therapeutic values of yoga

The sensory nervous system is prepared of many receptor nerve cells situated in different places on the sense organs, i.e. hearing- ears, sight- eyes, smell-nose, touch- skin and taste- mouth. These cells are linked with nerve filaments, which by joining into bundles, enter into the spine to form the spinal cord and are then spread to different centres and areas of the brain. Information which arrives in is analysed and categorised in the brain to shape the experience. The nervous system's majorpurpose is to attach the cells specialised in receiving stimuli with motor cells which can proceed on that information. The central nervous system obtains stimuli from the sensory receptors. It studies them, creates aexactingcondition of attentiveness and memorises them for future reference. Concurrently, these messages are then send out in the appearance of orders; through the motor nervous system to different body organs.There is a fire burning. The eyes transmit colour, shape and forms; the skin absorbs sensations of heat; the nose, the burning smell; the ears, the sound of burning

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and splitting of wood. These perceptions are in the brain, forming the experience, and at the same time preparing the actions to be taken against it, if essential. If one walk off near the fire, the brain will routinely send out a warning signal.

IV. Food types in Yoga:

Rajasi The Rajasi food comprises a variety of dishes. It derives its name from

the dining manners of Indian kings. It is said that no less than fifty-six dishes were served at a royal dining table. Naturally, in this type of preparations, dishes of various kindssome fried, some roasted, and some curried and highly seasoned -together with various sweets and drinks would be served.

Tamasi The second category of eatables, that is the tamasi food include those

which are prepared as hot stuffs. When any dishvegetarian or non-vegetarian-is prepared with too many spices and with excessive uses of salts, pepper, chili and similar other seasonings, it becomes tamasi.

SattvikIn this type, the food is cooked with the least amount of spices. and

without much seasoning. The food is fresh, attractive and nutritive, and is cooked in a simple way. This type of food is desirable and highly recommended for the yoga practitioners.

V. Power of the Human Mind  

With regard to many of the benefits of yoga, the mechanisms are at very subtle levels. The concepts of treatment in Yoga are different from those of western medicine. Sometimes, we in the medical profession, having been tuned to a particular way of approaching the human body, find it difficult to accept other systems of cure. It is a fact that the human mind is the source of immense energy. We use only one-tenth of our brain cells, the remainder being inactive. In a yogi, with accomplished capacity for supernormal healing, it is postulated that much more of the brain is active. Yogis have demonstrated their healing powers time and again; but this cannot be as objectively studied as western medicine would like it to be. There are no medical yardsticks to measure many of the effects of asanas and pranayama. There is no way of studying the 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.

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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.

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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 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.

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I. Yoga and Meditation : Alternative Treatment

Yoga and meditation are one of the nearly everyone widespread alternative treatments. The sense of yoga is harmony or to join to the higher being. It mostly alarms with holistic purification of mind, body and soul. The values of yoga is based on three gears meditation, exercising and breathing. In fundamentalism of yoga, the human body is a sort of an instrument and the Prana (breath) is the life. It is during meditation that both of these unite. Yoga is that sort of an train which is indispensable not only for the body but also for the mind because of its therapeutic properties for mind, body and soul. One can stay his body toned, flexible and fit and also can offer cure for regular pains or any chronic illness along with improving the immune system. Yoga and meditation also build an development in your blood flow while removing any signs of tiredness. When one works on his breathing patterns in yoga, he is able to control his breath, thus controlling mind and increasing concentration which leads to energizing it as well.

II. Yoga   and Modern Medicine

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 stress-reliever 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.

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.

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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.

III. Benefits Of Yoga and Meditation

Trains the brain Heart patients experience increased exercise tolerance Reduces Stress Better oxygen absorption Improves attention Decreases respiratory rate Increased blood flow and slower heart rate Deeper level of relaxation Reduced probability of an anxiety attack Relaxed muscles provide relief from headaches Builds self-confidence Higher serotonin production; improvement in behavioural patterns A support solution for chronic diseases Brings B.P. Back to normal (in case of High blood pressure) Diminish Pre- menstrual Syndrome Development in the immune system. Reduced possibilities of emotional pain Helps in post-operative healing Cancer Stress and Depression Anxiety

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Irritability and moodiness Low Self esteem and Low self confidence Pain Weakening or Loosening Memory Angina pains Asthma PMS (pre-menstrual cycle) Panic attacks Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Fibromyalgia High blood pressure Cholesterol Heart disease

IV. MENTAL HEALTH

A mentally healthy person is one who has aimpartial personality, free from schism and inconsistencies, emotional and nervous tension, discords and conflicts. A healthy adjusted person can pact with his potentialities as well as he can believe his limitations.Mental health is more than just being free of a mental illness. It is additional of an optimal level of thinking, feeling, and relating to others. Mentally healthy individuals be apt to have better medical health, productivity, and social relationships. Mental illness refers to all of the diagnosable mental disorders and is described by abnormalities in thinking, feelings, or behaviors. Several of the most common types of mental illness include anxiety, depressive, behavioral, and substance-abuse disorders. There is no single cause for mental illness. Rather, it is the result of a complex group of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors.

V. Mental Hygiene

It is a Science which deals with the process of attaining mental health and preserving mental health in the society. The term mental health is intimately related with the term mental hygiene as the main objective of mental hygiene is to attain mental health. In other words, mental hygiene is a means of mental health.

VI. Yoga Vs. Medical System

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In medical system the main trust is on medicine. It is understood that a particular medicine will heal a exacting disease. The medical doctor does the diagnosis, identifies the disease and prescribes a appropriate medicine. The patient in this system has to do extremely little or nothing at all. The duty of accurating the disease and disorder and refurbishing health is allocated to the medicine. There is a disparity between the medical system and yogic system of treatment. While in the medical system the medicine does the remedial work, in the yogic system this outside agent is not wanted. It is the patient himself whose personal understanding, practice and care heals his disease in the yogic system. It would not be rude to state that we encountered numerous patients paining from different chronic diseases, who had gone their confidence in the medical system because inspite of years of treatment they had not attained permanent and acceptable cure. The medicine offered them instant relief, but not a permanent cure. On the lopsided, a vast number of such patients achieved permanent cure from side to side therapeutic yoga within a period of three to four months. This has specifically been so in cases of diabetes, arthritis, asthma, gastro-intestinal disorders, nervous tension and various other cases. This restraint of the medical system should not mean that it is poorer to the yoga system; rather it is only a subject of the restraint and range of a given system. There are areas where only the medical science and not yoga can come to the liberate of the patient. Equally, there are some diseases, which though observed incurable through medicinal system, are absolutely cured through yoga. This demonstrates that every system of treatment has some sole points as well as limitations. Additional, the medical treatment has now become so luxurious that millions of people all over the world cannot have enough money it. It is, therefore, not astonishing that our hospitals now fail to offer medicines to the patients although they used to do so generously in the past. Yoga on the other hand does not absorb any expenses. As a result, it would be wise on the part of the medical men to adopt and use this tested ancient system of yoga for delighting those diseases and disorders whose medicinal cure is not certain. Since the system of therapeutic yoga is now scientifically recognized, it can be used as a self-cure method by people suffering from a variety of disorders in any part of the world.

VII. Music Therapy& Musical Education in India

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Music therapy is one of the alternative forms of therapeutic treatments. The 21st century regulation of music therapy began after World War I and II in USA when community musicians of all types, both part time and professional, went to hospitals around the country to participate for the thousands of war veterans suffering both physical and emotional trauma from the wars. The patients' notable physical and emotional retorts to music guided the doctors and nurses to appeal the hiring of musicians by the hospitals. It is distincted as the planned and original utilize of music to achieve and preserve health and happiness. Individuals of any age and aptitude may advantage from a music therapy program, despite of their musical ability. Music therapy can address physical, psychological, emotional, cognitive and social needs, with therapeutic relationships. It spotlights on meeting therapeutic aims, which differentiates it from musical Entertainment or musical education. Music therapy is the therapeutic application of music with proper methodologies and procedure, by a trained music-therapist, to restore, maintain or enhance the cognitive, socio-emotional and physical functioning of normal/ disabled persons of all ages. The lively form of music therapy is being used in many areas of paediatrics, and in geriatrics, to get back the memory of aged people having neurological disorders. In paediatrics, hyperactive children's over action has been abridged by frequently revealing the children to one or two sessions of energetic form of music therapy in a week. In a group of 40 children, diagnosed as hyperactive, on medication to reduce their hyperactivity, music therapy was used successfully to overcome their problems. Since the medicine in children is effective only for four to six hours – after this to control their over activity, music therapy was used for a stipulated period for the group as a whole, every day at a given time. This group therapy of music focussed on a number of actions of each child, and worked as a diversion for them. Over a period of eight to twelve weeks, the children were observed and to everybody's surprise the over-activity levels were reduced. Almost all the children in the group were benefitted by this therapy.Music therapists may be common in western countries, but the field is being taken seriously in India in recent years. Apollo offers an advanced medical music therapy course, which is open to postgraduate students of psychology and music Dr Thirumalachari Mythily is Cognitive Neuro Psychologist and Music Therapist at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. For patients interested in alternative therapies, Apollo Chennai offers a comprehensive, hospital-based Wellness Center, occupying a full floor of the hospital. Holistic healing therapies, such as Ayurvedic medicine, aromatherapy, pranic healing, yoga, meditation, and music therapy, are offered to international patients as part of the hospital’s complimentary

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recovery package. The Mumbai Educational Trust Institute of Alternate Careers (METIAC) recently introduced a certificate course in music therapy. The S.H Centre for Music Therapy and Mental Health, Amritsar, also offers a distance education course in music therapy.”

VIII. Yoga for Health

1. Most of the diseases take their origin in over-eating, sexual excess and outbursts of anger and hatred. If the mind is kept cool and calm at all times, you will have wonderful health, strength and vitality. Energy is depleted by fits of anger. The cells and tissues are filled with morbid, poisonous materials, when one loses his temper and entertains deep hatred. Various sorts of physical ailments crop up. The blood becomes hot and thin and consequently night pollution results. Various kinds of nervous diseases are attributable to excessive loss of the seminal energy and frequent fits of explosive anger or wrath.

2. Let any disease remain in your body. Do not bother too much. Do not fret and fume. Develop the powers of endurance and resistance. Strengthen your body, mind and nerves. Take plenty of open-air exercises, substantial nutritious food, medicated oil bath and plenty of rest. Have mental and physical recreation. Lead a well-regulated life. Be moderate in food, drink and enjoyments. Lead a spiritual life. All diseases will leave your body by themselves. All microbes will die, when your vitality, vigour and strength are at a flood tide. This is the secret of health and happiness.

3. Do not be carried away by the pompous advertisements made by quacks and charlatans. Lead a simple natural life. You will become all right soon. Do not spend any money in purchasing the so-called patent medicines and specifics. They are worthless. Quacks try to exploit the credulous and the ignorant. Beware. Do not go to the doctors very often. Endeavour to qualify yourself as your own doctor. Understand the laws of nature and the principles of hygiene and health. Do not trespass against the laws of health.

4. Bask in the sun. Expose your body to the rays of the sun for a short time daily. This is heliotherapy or sun-

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treatment. Sun is the source of energy and power. You will derive energy and power from the sun.

5. Soak 12 almonds at night. Remove the skin and take the almonds with some sugarcandy in the early morning. Or you can make a refreshing beverage by grinding these almonds with a little black pepper and sugarcandy. This is called ‘thandai’ by the Punjabis. This is a fine, cooling and strength-giving tonic.

6. Rest in bed is necessary. Adjust your diet. Take simple, wholesome, easily digestible, bland and non-irritating food. Give up hot, pungent curries, chutneys and chilliest Rest the stomach and the small bowels by taking recourse to partial fasts. If you can fast for a whole day, it is all the better. Fasting eliminates poisons and overhauls the system thoroughly. You can take sago and milk barley water and fruits like sweet oranges, grapes, etc. If you are thirsty, you can take lemon or orange juice with sugarcandy.

7. Observe Brahmacharya. Get up at 4 a.m. and practice Japa of ‘Hari Om’ or any other Mantra and also meditation for one hour. The Name of the Lord is the best medicine or tonic in the world. You should have intense faith in the power of the Names of the Lord. Incurable diseases are cured by Japa or singing Hari’s Name. Meditation creates new, healthy vibrations in all the cells of the body and removes any kind of disease. All the tissues are bathed in the nectar that flows during meditation. All germs that cause diseases are destroyed. The rationale of this kind of Yogic or spiritual treatment is yet unknown to the medical profession.

8. Why do you unnecessarily introduce foreign drugs into the system? Resort to Nature Cure and Yogic Chikitsa. Practise regularly Pranayama, breathing exercises, Asanas, concentration and meditation. This is the ideal treatment. Do not think too much of the disease and too much of the body. Too much thinking of the disease will intensify the malady. Keep the mind fully occupied in some way or the other. This is very important. Take away the mind from the body and think of the diseaseless Atma or Soul within, the bed-rock or substratum for the body and mind. Friend, cultivate this kind of Atma-chintana and attain the Anamayapada or the Painless State Param Dhama or Immortal Brahman. Cheer yourself up. Have a

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cheerful countenance always. Meditate on Om. Think of Om. Sing Om. Om is thy real name. Om is the best tonic, specific or sheet anchor, panacea or cure-all, ‘pick-me-up’ or sovereign remedy for all diseases. Smile and laugh. Thou art bodiless, undying Soul. Never, never forget this.

CONCLUSION

The Salt of life is selfless service. The bread of life is universal love. The water of life is purity.

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The sweetness of life is devotion. The fragrance of life is generosity. The pivot of life is meditation. The goal of life is Self-realisation. 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 God’s 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 Bhavaduring 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 self-surrender. 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, theSun 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 likelust. Santosha (contentment) is the best of all virtues.

REFERENCES

Books and Website -1) Yoga Education

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By - Dr. Tapas Pal, Dr. Sanat Kumar Rath, Prof. SambhuCharan Roy

2) Scientific Aspects of Yoga PPT

By - Dr. Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi

3) Ayurved - The Science Of Sel Healing

By - Dr. Vasant Lad

4) Easy Steps to YOGA

By - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

5) Essence Of Yoga

By - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

6) Practical Lessons in Yoga

By - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

7) Hatha Yoga

By – Yogi Ramcharaka

8) Yoga and Ayurved

By Dr. Marc Halpern

9) Wikipedia Website

10) Acroyoga Website

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