Yoga

With the regular practice of asana, one can control cholesterol level, reduce weight, normalize blood pressure and improve cardiac performance. Pranayama helps to release tensions, develop a relaxed state of mind and Yoga Nidra is a form of meditation that relaxes both physiological and psychological systems.

Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India. Yoga is one of the six Āstika schools of Hindu philosophical traditions. There is a broad variety of yoga schools, practices, and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

The word “Yoga” essentially means, “that which brings you to reality”. Literally, it means “union.” Union means it brings you to the ultimate reality, where individual manifestations of life are surface bubbles in the process of creation. Right now, a coconut tree and a mango tree have popped up from the same earth. From the same earth, the human body and so many creatures have popped up. It is all the same earth.

Types of Yoga

To convey its spiritual message and guide sessions, yoga often uses the imagery of a tree with roots, a trunk, branches, blossoms, and fruits. Each “branch” of yoga represents a different focus and set of characteristics.

The six branches are:

• Hatha yoga: This is the physical and mental branch designed to prime the body and mind.
• Raja yoga: This branch involves meditation and strict adherence to a series of disciplinary steps known as the “eight limbs” of yoga.
• Karma yoga: This is a path of service that aims to create a future free from negativity and selfishness.
• Bhakti yoga: This aims to establish the path of devotion, a positive way to channel emotions and cultivate acceptance and tolerance.
• Jnana yoga: This branch of yoga is about wisdom, the path of the scholar, and developing the intellect through study.
• Tantra yoga: This is the pathway of ritual, ceremony, or consummation of a relationship.