| Yoga is much more than just stretching and moving | | | | the present time, the Sutras have been the hallmark |
| the body from one pose to the next. The art, | | | | for doing yoga. This text organizes yoga into eight |
| philosophy, and science of yoga go back thousands of | | | | distinct paths, or limbs, for obtaining samadhi |
| years. Before people started doing what we call yoga | | | | (enlightenment, pure awareness, nirvana). Basically |
| today, their main purpose was to relax their mind | | | | these eight limbs encourage the serious student of |
| through meditation. | | | | yoga to: (1) be non-violent and truthful, (2) be pure of |
| This pre-yoga, meditation period occurred some 3,000 | | | | mind and body, (3) practice asanas, (4) practice |
| years before Christ. These ancient but wise people, | | | | pranayama (energy flow with breathing), (5) withdraw |
| understood that the mind could "run wild" and cause all | | | | of the senses in order to still the mind, (6) practice |
| kinds of problems by thinking of the past and the | | | | concentration, (7) practice meditation, and (8) obtain |
| future. To alleviate the problem of the so called "wild | | | | unity with all things - the state of samadhi. |
| mind" yogis would sit in a lotus position with their legs | | | | Samadhi is the ultimate goal of The Yoga Sutras. |
| crossed, back straight, eyes half-closed, gazing | | | | Samadhi is total oneness without form, complete |
| downward into nothingness. The object of meditation | | | | absorption into everything and attainment of the |
| was to be an observer of the thoughts. They didn't try | | | | utmost purity with full wisdom and insight. The Sutras |
| to stop thoughts, but rather, be the witness of the | | | | teach that samadhi is pure awareness - spiritual |
| thinking mind - to think nothing of their thoughts. They | | | | absorption, merging subject with object. |
| would literally sit for hours letting thoughts come and | | | | The word yoga literally means "union" - union of the |
| go at will. They knew not to take their thoughts | | | | body with the breath, the mind and spirit as well as |
| seriously. | | | | with all beings. Through the practice and discipline of |
| This pre-yoga period, which took place in Northern | | | | yoga, the yogi will begin to see these benefits slowly |
| India, is commonly referred to as the Vedic Times. | | | | emerge as genuine elements of their True Self. The |
| During this period survival was difficult and the mere | | | | Sutras have not been replaced nor improved upon |
| act of staying alive had much to do with faith in a | | | | since their inception over 2,000 years ago. It should be |
| higher power. The art and practice of the meditation | | | | pointed out that in order to do yoga the way The |
| they did was added to spiritual rituals, singing, and | | | | Yoga Sutras teach, asanas are but only a small part |
| poetry. These practices were written down over the | | | | of the practice. With the introduction of yoga into the |
| ages and handed down from one generation to the | | | | Western world, however, the practice of yoga has |
| next for thousands of years. Today these writings are | | | | dramatically changed. It has gone from being a way of |
| known as the Vedas which are the world's oldest | | | | reaching ultimate awareness to a practice of poses |
| known texts. The Vedic texts were guidelines for | | | | with maybe a little bit of meditation thrown in for good |
| reaching the ultimate state of consciousness. | | | | measure. Sadly, most of the limbs of The Yoga Sutras |
| As these practitioners of meditation got older they | | | | are ignored today. The original yogis would not |
| discovered their bodies getting stiffer and noticed that | | | | recognize today's yoga as that which was practiced in |
| it got more difficult to sit in the lotus position. This is | | | | their time. |
| when stretching and the moving began. They would | | | | To bring the original style of yoga to the Western |
| move their bodies into different poses before and | | | | world would require a transformation that many people |
| after meditating in order to stay limber. These body | | | | are not willing to make. But not all is lost because for |
| movements were the beginning of yoga poses while | | | | those who are interested in exploring the early yoga |
| the Vedic texts were guidelines for reaching the | | | | can expand awareness beyond the scope of asanas. |
| ultimate state of consciousness - pure awareness. | | | | First, you can begin by harboring no animosity toward |
| The Sanskrit word for pose is "asana," and yogis | | | | anyone or anything. This is what the first limb of the |
| began giving each asana a name. The person who | | | | Sutras taught - non-violence, love, and compassion.. |
| came up with a new asana got to name the pose. If | | | | Say silently to yourself, "I am one with everything, I love |
| the pose reminded the namer of a mountain, for | | | | everyone, I love everything." Repeated several times, |
| example, he would call it the "mountain pose." The | | | | this simple chant will begin the process of stilling the |
| naming became a game of sorts, with thousands of | | | | mind while, at the same time, generating love and |
| asanas being developed. Each name had a prefix, | | | | compassion throughout your body. |
| describing the asana and a suffix which was always | | | | Please don't give up your asana practice, but instead, |
| the word "asana." For example, the mountain pose is | | | | include in your practice a conscious and deliberate |
| "Tadasana;" Tada (mountain) and asana (pose). | | | | effort of focusing on your breathing. Imagine that your |
| As time went on, they learned to link one asana with | | | | breath is moving energy through your body, from one |
| another asana so that the transition from one to the | | | | end to the other. Imagination is a very powerful tool |
| next was a smooth flowing motion. Several asanas | | | | when used in a positive way. When moving through |
| would be linked together to make a continuous flow of | | | | your asanas, and even while sitting or being still, imagine |
| graceful asanas. This flowing, dance like motion | | | | that your breath is pulling energy from one part of your |
| became known as vinyasa. The vinyasa was a | | | | body to another part. Let's say, for example, you are |
| revelation, so to speak, in meditation because, what | | | | doing the downdog pose. |
| these yogis discovered, was that the flow of the | | | | You take a breath in, and as you do, you imagine |
| asanas brought the practitioner closer to the | | | | energy being pulled from the earth into your feet, up |
| meditative state. They also discovered that breathing | | | | your legs, and to your hips. As you breathe out, the |
| was an integral part of the flowing motion. In fact, the | | | | energy moves toward your head and shoulders, down |
| importance of breathing correctly while moving was | | | | your arms, and out your hands back to earth. In this |
| considered so important, the Masters of the time called | | | | case, the flow of energy is following your breathing |
| the breath "prana" (the life force). | | | | and passing through your body in an arc. You can |
| As time went on, many more things were learned | | | | channel energy through your body in any direction you |
| about the human body and the human mind. For | | | | choose and in any pose. This is pranayama, the fourth |
| instance, these ancient masters of yoga began to see | | | | limb of The Yoga Sutras. With practice, pranayama will |
| a strong connection between vinyasa and the | | | | occur naturally and with little effort. |
| cultivation of a calm mind. They also saw how these | | | | To move into the last four limbs of the Sutras requires |
| vinyasa movements, combined with meditation, could | | | | the guidance of a master, a guru or an experienced |
| enhance their consciousness and bring about a | | | | teacher - or you can read literature designed |
| stronger union with a higher power. The realization that | | | | specifically for teaching the art and science of |
| samadhi or a higher consciousness was possible | | | | concentration, meditation and pure awareness. |
| ushered in a new era in yoga and a new text, The | | | | Become a real yogi and do yoga as the original |
| Yoga Sutras. | | | | masters did. It will not only keep you limber and strong |
| The Yoga Sutras became the bible for doing yoga for | | | | but it will also open your mind and heart. |
| many years to follow. From about 2,000 years ago to | | | | |