YOGA

Yog means INTEGRATION.

DEFINITIONS- 'yogashchttavritti nirodhah' i.e.yoga is inhibition of all activities of 'chitta'(mind)- Patanjali yogasutra               

'Yogah karmasu kaushalam'. - Bhagwadgita.

'Dukh sanyogviyog yoga sangyitam'. - Bhagwadgita.

'Samatvam yogamuchyte'. - Bhagwadgita.

Types-

• Gyan yoga
• Karma yoga
• Bhakti yoga
• Mantra yoga
• Laya yoga
• Hatha yoga (physical aspect)
• Raj yoga (mental aspect) [BEST CATEGORY]

Whole literature of yog science is taken from Upanishads, Bhagwadgita and Patanjali yoga sutra.

According to common belief various aasanas practised are taken as yoga although they are just one of the eight levels of yog called Ashtang yoga. The eight levels are-

1. YAMA- It has to be practised in five ways:

• Ahimsa (nonvoilence by mind, action and words)
• Satya ( truth)
• Asteya ( lacking desire to own other's money, material and thoughts )
• Bhrahmacharya ( Abstinence from material pleasure )
• Aparigrah ( non accumulation of material possessions).

2. NIYAMA- It is done by following ways:

•  Shauch (purity, cleanliness- external and internal)
•   Santosh (contentment)
•   Tapa
•   Swadhaya (Self analysis)
•   Ishwar pranidhan (Prayer)

3.AASAN- Various physical postures and techniques.

4. PRANAYAMA- Controlled breathing exersises. It includes three parts: purak (inspiration), kumbhak (holding breath, rechak (expiration).

5. PRATYAHAR- (Self control) Detaching oneself from the outer world. Its a bridge between internal and external stages.

6. DHARANA- (Concentration) Concentrating at a point inside or outside the body.

7. DHYAN- (Meditation) Fixation of mind on desired subject.

8.SAMADHI- Disappearance of self awareness. integration of mind and soul. It is of two types: Sampragyata (Conscious) and Asampragyata (Unconscious).