Thursday, August 28, 2008
Yoga of Sri Chinmoy
...In the west yoga has become synonymous with the aspect of physical exercises known as hatha Yoga. However Yoga is a wide ranging set of spiritual teachings which seek to bring an aspirant closer to the Universal Self. The word yoga means "union" and in this case it is the union of a seeker with God or union with the transcedental consciousness. Sri Chinmoy says the essence of yoga is " Yoga is our union with Truth." Sri Chinmoy's path encompasses all aspects of Yoga. The principle strands of Yoga being
1. hatha Yoga - physical exercises
2. karma Yoga - Yoga of selfless action
3. Raja Yoga - Yoga of gaining control over mind
4. Bhakti Yoga - Yoga of love and devotion
5. Jnana Yoga - Yoga of wisdom
hatha Yoga
hatha Yoga is the science of practising different yoga postures for the improvement of physica health and general well being. It has been well documented that regular practise of hatha Yoga can also improve posture and also contribute to an improved state of mind.
hatha Yoga is not an integral part of Sri Chinmoys yoga. Meditation and spiritual growth depend primarily on a seekers sincere inner cry. Sri Chinmoy says of hatha Yoga
"If your aim is just to keep the body relaxed and fit, then hatha Yoga will certainly help you. But if you want to complete your course in the inner life, you have to enter into the school of concentration, meditation and contemplation."
But Sri Chinmoy does place great stress on the importance of physical health. A healthy body is of great benefit in the spiritual life. To this end Hath...more
The Benefits Of Yoga And Pilates
...If you only had one choice, what would you do to keep yourself physically and mentally fit: breathe through yoga, or stretch through pilates? While nobody can deny the various benefits that can be derived from either teaching, haven't you ever wondered which of the two is better in helping people achieve physical and mental health?
Talking about Yoga - The philosophy behind Yoga is purely a product from the East and places emphasis on the movement of energy throughout a person's body. If the energy inside our bodies is able to move more freely, this is taken as an indication that our physical health is improving.
Tension, stress, anxiety, and ot...more
The Truth About Christian Yoga
...As Yoga has grown, outside of India, so have the many contemporary styles. Among the contemporary styles is Christian Yoga. Just mentioning the words, Christian and Yoga in the same phrase, could start a controversy, depending upon who is listening.
Some fundamentalist Christians will state that Yoga and meditation are evil. To go a bit further on this issue, they point to the traditional roots of Yoga, in India, and the connection to Hindu beliefs. They claim that the millions of Yoga practitioners in the world are being indoctrinated into the Hindu faith.
Let's look at Christian meditation. This practice began when monks read from the scriptures. In fact, many ministers, monks, brothers, and priests, continue to meditate. ...more
Yoga: When Should You Consider a Private Lesson?
...s. Sometimes, I use them at workshops for Yoga teacher interns, but we stop the film at certain points and cover intricate techniques. This gives a Yoga teacher, or an intern, a more complete understanding of the subject covered.
On more than one occasion, we have had a new Yoga student join because he or she was injured while practicing hatha Yoga, with a video, at home. How is that possible? It is as simple as watching the television and cranking your neck to the side while practicing a Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana ) or Plow (Halasana).
Why would someone do that? Someone who is new to hatha Yoga, and has had no formal guidance from a Yoga instruc...more
