Personal Growth, Meditation and Spiritual Healing
Yoga:
What It's All About and How It Can Help You Heal
by Lucille Wood
The confusion lies in the identification of yoga with the Indian culture and therefore its religious practices. India was instrumental in recording the yogic principles and to philosophies but they are far more ancient than that, and one must look beyond the Indian culture for the essence of yoga.
Yoga – an ancient Sanskrit word whose root is ‘yug’ which means to ‘yoke or join’, to make whole, to unify, is as old as time itself. It embodies the principles of life and purpose of existence. Yoga is a road map and an instruction manual for living a successful and fulfilled life.
Yoga can be considered the basis or root of all religions or philosophies, and thus complements whatever faith you choose to follow. If you prefer to be ‘outside’ conventional religion, yoga provides a well-tested and effective guide for spiritual living.
Yoga brings about ‘union’ or ‘wholeness’ within our being, a bringing together of body, mind and spirit through the various practices, that improve our physical bodies, making them a better vehicle for the mind and Spirit. ‘Getting our show together’, to use modern parlance.
Yoga philosophy teaches us that we are “spiritual beings having a human experience” in order to learn and grow in consciousness and therefore wisdom. The best possibility for that to happen is a healthy, vibrant, physical body in order that the soul can work out its purpose in this life. This is brought about by practising ‘Hatha yoga’ – the physical exercises (asanas) and breathing practices (Pranayama). There are many styles of hatha yoga but all should include preliminary warm-up stretching, and relaxation (Yoga Nidra) upon completion. Commonly recognised styles of hatha yoga are Ashtanga, Bikram, Gita, Integral, Iyengar, Oki, Satyananda, and others.
Each of these styles, like the tributaries of a river, have a specific origin of time, style and intent, but all use the classical asnanas as their basis.
For instance, Ashtanga focusses on strength and stamina through continuous flow; Bikram uses sequences performed in 38 degree heat to facilitate flexibility and release toxins; Gita’s moderate style balances the vitally important hormone producing glands; Iyengar’s origins were for people who were ill or damaged and needed support and props to help them achieve the position; Satyananda follows the traditional Indian ashram pattern.
Each of these hatha styles arose in response to a specific need in a situation or time, but they all come under the heading of hatha yoga, so if you are looking for some specific exercise which will benefit the whole body, investigate some of these.
The next aspect, the development of the mind, comes under the name ‘Gnani yoga’, or the yoga of wisdom, from the Sanskrit root word ‘gna’ meaning ‘to know’. It attracts and exercises our intellect. This is a challenging mental path, as it requires us to question and explore all ‘truths’ until we have fully integrated and become them.
It is challenging, because all dogma and previous beliefs must come under the microscope of the mind searching for spirit and the meaning of existence.
Gnani yoga sees truth in all philosophies and religions but recognises each as a small part in the greater whole. It answers the why’s and wherefore’s of life for those who are not satisfied with the usual exploration about the meaning of life.
‘Bhatki yoga’ is the path of ‘love of God’ or Spirit. It supports our innate knowing that there is ‘something more’ to life than the tangible physical world. Bhakti yoga is sometimes called the ‘Yoga of Devotion’ and is seen as devotees following a Guru, similar to Religious Orders in Convents and Monasteries of the past. The true Bhakti Yogi sees the Absolute in all things, and sees all Creation as the field of expression of Love of Spirit. Thus right living, ethics, values and World Service are all expressions of true Bhakti Yoga in action. It will also include meditation and self scrutiny, personal spiritual discipline and self development in all areas of life, including career and talents.
‘Karma yoga’ is the yoga of action, from the Sanskrit root ‘kri’, meaning ‘to act or to do’. One could more easily understand it as ‘learning by action’ or ‘cause and effect’. Commonly seen as the yoga of service, as in doing the jobs around the place that no one else wants to do ( like cleaning the toilets!) its intent is to find Spirit within the everyday tasks -in other words, we can show our Spiritual intent and further our soul growth by doing the mundane tasks of life with the purpose of releasing and uplifting the Spirit within all of Creation!
When we begin to see ourselves as a tiny but essential cog in a great machine, we can begin to play our part without necessarily knowing the whole Plan of existence.
Karma is not punishment – it is learning by action. We cannot run away from our Karma - we can only exhaust it by working through it! In many ways Karma yoga is the essential ‘missing ingredient’ in the lives of many who seek to travel the spiritual path.
When all of these aspects of yoga are simultaneously and equally practised in a life, it carries the title of Raja yoga, the kingly way, or the way of Kings, indicating a disciplined state of beingness - moving towards enlightenment!
So is yoga an art, or a science or a religion? Oh Yes! All of these. We are tempted to say “much much more than that – art, science and religion are far too limited to describe life itself!” Far too limited to describe a sense of wholeness and eternity. Far too limited to describe the sense of freedom from fear and the courage of conviction.
If you’re ever wondered about the meaning of life. If you’ve ever sought for greater purpose and meaning. If you’ve ever wondered ‘what’s next?’, then yoga in its totality – Hatha, Gnani, Bhakti and Karma yoga, which leads to royal way of Raja yoga – the path home to spirit, to Life itself, is the way for you!
Lucllle Wood is a Co - Directors of Gita International Yoga. Together with Di Lucas, they have been the guiding hands behind Gita’s development and expansion since 1983. Margrit Segesman, a Swiss National who studied in the Himalayas, began teaching this very specific style of yoga in 1954, soon after she arrived in Melbourne. In 1960, she founded the first full time Yoga Centre in Melbourne and it has continued full time ever since.
This article first appeared in Living Now magazine November 2006. www.livingnow.com.au
