Monday, November 8, 2010

What is yoga?

Generally, people relate yoga with asana (physical postures) but asana are 1/8th part of yoga. Here are couple of verses from Bhagavad Gita on yoga:

6-18 - When the disciplined mind rests in the Self alone, free from desire for objects, then is one said to be established in yoga.

6-19 - As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker - this is the simile used for the disciplined mind of the yogi practicing concentration on the Self.

Desire in itself is not bad, if you possess desire and not let it possess you. The benefit of yogaabhyaasa is that in that state, the mind is like a fortress that cannot be penetrated easily by internal and external desires. A yogi having a balanced attitude towards raga and dvesha slips into meditation very easily and enjoys communion with his own Self. It is difficult to collect the mind together in the face of external and internal desires, but a disciplined yogi is able to do this because he is free from the longing of all objects of desire. In this sense, he is said to be accomplished in yoga and his contemplation has been successful.

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