Yoga Ancient Spiritual Practices In India
By Kevin Pederson
VYoga. Just the sound of it mystifies our spirit! An ancient Hindu practice, Yoga today has stormed the West with its positive effects on those who practice it. No longer is yoga looked upon as just a quite activity of meditation done in a silent and serene atmosphere.
Yoga is more than just an exercise to get your physical body in shape, proper practice of yoga is aimed at bringing mind, body and soul in perfect alignment with the Creator. And in doing so one is able to reap the benefits of inner-peace, clear thought process, lower stress levels, physical as well as spiritual wellbeing.
Yoga finds its origins in India. It is an ancient spiritual practice that is said to mean enlightenment. It is still a very vibrant tradition to this day, not only in India but is practiced all over the world. Yoga practices includes traditional elements like morals and ethical principles, postures to help keep the body fit, guidance in everyday life -through God, a Guru-student relationship, the chanting of mantras or holy words, breathing exercises also known as pranayama, calming the mind and body through meditation.
These things are have evolved over the years and have become the way of ancient Hindu yogic exercises.
There are four major types of Yoga, namely Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga, Raja yoga; Karma yoga is the consecration of all ones actions and their fruits unto the Lord. Karma refers to ones action. When deeds or Karma is being done with selfish motives it binds the beings spirit.
Karma yoga liberates ones spirit when it is done with a selfless attitude. Working unselfishly means becoming a useful instrument in the hands of Maker. Bhakti yoga refers to meditation by visualizing, thinking and feeling that the Lord is sitting or standing before him.
Jnana Yoga, Jnana means wisdom or discernment, the main purpose of Jnana meditation is to withdraw the mind and emotions from perceiving life and oneself in a deluded way so that one may behold and live in attunement with Reality. Raja Yoga, also called Ashtanga yoga is one of the four major Yogic paths of Hinduism involving psycho-physical meditation techniques.
It is also thought as moksha in Hindu, which means liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Ashtanga meaning eight limbs refers to the eight stems of yoga widely practiced today. Its benefits are known to be positive and globally accepted
About the author
Kevin Pederson can guide you on the working principles behind Yoga which focuses on the benefits of Yoga techniques intended to produce a positive state of mind in us. Yoga an ancient art of meditation and exercise that brings the mind, body and soul aligned with a greater spiritual being. from http://www.FreeArticlesAndContent.com
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