| Yoga is a spiritual practice that helps the individual unify | | | | - Pranayama - Breathing. Combined with mudras and |
| his/her body, mind, and spirit. But in most people yoga | | | | bandhas, the slow, rhythmic breathing done with self |
| invokes pictures of a tough exercise routine where | | | | awareness holds the key to awakening the pranas, |
| extremely supple humans twist themselves into | | | | chakras and kundalini shakti. |
| pretzel-like forms. We are told of the lofty things that | | | | - Pratyahara - Sensory withdrawal of the mind from |
| yoga aims to do - bring about the union of our souls | | | | the physical world. The consciousness of the individual |
| with the Supreme. Is it possible, really? Doing the | | | | is internalized so that the sensations from the sense |
| asanas (postures) correctly can definitely reduce the | | | | organs don't reach their respective centres in the brain |
| obesity, cure you of diabetes, relax and reduce the | | | | and the practitioner is free to meditate without |
| cholesterol levels that were dangerously high. But to | | | | distractions. |
| take you to higher realms of spirituality, you need to do | | | | - Dharana - Focus, the object being focused upon is |
| something more than merely doing the asanas | | | | held in the mind without consciousness wavering from |
| mechanically. It's a serious business - gaining total | | | | it. |
| control over the body, mind and spirit. | | | | - Dhyana - Meditation. As the meditator becomes |
| The preceptors of Yoga knew just how difficult this | | | | more advanced, consciousness of the act of |
| was. When maharishi Patanjali compiled the Yoga | | | | meditation disappears, and only the consciousness of |
| Sutras, he envisaged a progressive series of eight | | | | being/existing and the object of concentration exist (in |
| steps or disciplines to purify the body and mind, | | | | the mind). |
| ultimately leading the practitioner to enlightenment. | | | | - Samadhi - Blissful absorption of one's individual |
| Enumerated below are the eight steps of Patanjali: | | | | consciousness in the essence of God. |
| - Yama - Moral observances for interactions with | | | | As you probably noticed, modern yoga as it is typically |
| others. This talks of living virtuously by always | | | | practiced today is heavily influenced by steps three |
| speaking the truth, by not harming other living beings, by | | | | and four - asana and pranayama. These practices |
| not accumulating material wealth, by not coveting | | | | purify the mind and body and assist in the meditative |
| others' properties and by continence. | | | | effects of steps five through eight. |
| - Niyama - Moral observances for interactions with | | | | The yoga, as explained above is called hatha yoga. |
| yourself. This involves maintaining a clean body, | | | | There are other forms of yoga as well, such as |
| contented mind, self-introspection and surrender. | | | | karma yoga and bhakti yoga, which are pathways to |
| - Asana - Postures. Done with deliberate slow | | | | enlightenment through action and devotion alone. |
| movements and self awareness. | | | | |