Yoga & Meditation
Yoga
Yoga means physical and mental discipline, along with a rigorous practice routine. Yoga originated in India. The practitioners of yoga have a strict moral code of conduct because yoga is incomplete without a pure mind which is free from any malaise intentions. The male practitioners of yoga are called yogis and the female practitioners of yoga are called yoginis. There are various forms of yoga namely karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, hatha yoga and raj yoga. The Hindu religious texts describe the various forms of yoga and the ways to practice them with perfection. The Vedas and Upanishads throw light on the origin and development of yoga. The word yoga basically means union.
The history of yoga cannot be perfectly described although in the Hindu texts we get to know about the origin of yoga. The idea which can be drawn from the Hindu texts is that it started somewhere between 300 to 900BC. But ruins of the Indus Valley civilization depict figures in common yoga poses. It is possible that yoga may have started in that period but this cannot be confirmed properly.
Yoga is a mean to unite oneself with the universal truth. The whole universe has a particular energy and that energy is present in all human beings and even in all inanimate objects of this world. Yoga tries to bring an individual close to the level of supreme consciousness where the practitioner of yoga will detach himself completely from all worldly affairs. The level of understanding and realization attained by practicing yoga is immense. The whole human body has an energy chain and the body works properly only when the energy balance is maintained properly inside the body. Yoga has tremendous health benefits and it is known to cure many deadly diseases. The root cause of a disease is energy imbalance and yoga eliminates the energy imbalance within the human body. The energy centers in the body are rejuvenated by the proper practice of yoga and it switches on the healing process of the body.
The longevity of a person’s life is also increased by practicing yoga because the vitality of the body increases. The increase in vital strength will automatically prolong a person’s life and help him to lead a healthy life. The Hindu philosophy teaches man to practice Karma yoga that is to achieve spiritual enlightenment through ones actions. The philosophy says that the duties of man are important than any other activity and he should strive to do his duties properly. The fruits of your actions will be rewarded soon and your spiritual enlightenment will be immense.
The benefits of practicing yoga are immense and it is still a mystical science. Scientists all over the world are trying to explain the essence of yoga. They have managed to interlink yoga with energy. Yoga means concentrating one’s energy at a particular region or point. That will yield immense power that is achieved through yoga. The foresight of a person practicing yoga is immense and his understanding of a particular topic is far better than that of an ordinary person.
Yoga originated in India but the ancient Chinese people even practiced meditation which is same as yoga. One might say that the art developed simultaneously in two great civilizations of the world. The approach was different but the essence remains the same even today. The Chinese martial art techniques give priority to meditation. This brings the mind and body under control so the person becomes so focused and dedicated that he can achieve extraordinary feats like fire walking. It might sound strange but this can actually be done by proper mind control and some hermits of India do actually levitate. Those are astonishing feats but they actually take place in reality. The basic reality behind these things is that once the human mind is totally under control it can do things which are beyond explanation. The common perceptions of pain vanish completely and the practitioner of yoga goes to a state of total trance. The energy channels are completely opened up and the practitioner of yoga is bestowed with an extraordinary strength which once instilled does not diminish. The practice of yoga truly yields immense benefits.