When I first encountered this thought, Karma is who we are, it appeared strange and very unfamiliar to me. But, over the years as my understanding of karma grew, I began to understand the full impact of this insight and I would like to share with you this awareness about karma in this article.

Karma Background

In the West we tend to view karma as good or bad or positive or negative. We think of karma as our past sins and very much view our time here on Earth as a living hell or payback time for the karmic “wrongs” of our past. Karma is usually also described as for every action there is a reaction or cause and effect. It is believed that an action now will have an opposite reaction in an incarnation to come. This is not true. For example if you were a victim of a robbery in this incarnation, it doesn’t mean that you have been a robber in a past incarnation. This view is simplistic and destructive for your soul evolution.

Karma is neutral, it is never good or bad, it is not negative or positive, it is just APPROPRIATE for whatever we have to learn during this incarnation with our set of karma. It is our human mind that colour our karma as good or bad, because we have taken incarnation on this planet where we have two polarities, the positive and the negative.

All is Energy

Think of your karma as energy. We acknowledge the fact that all is energy, even our bodies, some dense, some very light. If we view our karma also as energy, then the energy of your thoughts and acts becomes who you are. Therefore all your actions, positive or negative, will remain in your energy field as part of you, until you have have reached the evolutionary point in your life where you are ready to release the energy pattern as part of your awareness growing and evolution.

How does this release happen?

 As a yogi we need to learn that the release of our karma is closely connected to our emotional response towards the specific energy from which we need release.  When the Christ gave us a new law, the Law of Love, he was referring exactly to our emotional response towards all our karmas in life. Love is an emotion, it is the strongest emotion we are humans can harbour and express and when we allow the Law of Love to manifest itself above all else in our lives, it is then that we gain release from specific energy patterns.

At its core then, our karma is a process of healing damage to the soul as well as evolving from this healing towards our final enlightenment and release from the samsara of taking rebirth. By understanding the process of karma, we also assist the entire planet and all its inhabitants to evolve. Therefore in the bigger scheme our own undertsanding of karma, we aid the evolution and awareness of others who come after us.

TAMAS GUNA

In the philosophy of Yoga, all matter in the universe arises from the fundamental substrate called Prakriti. From this ethereal Prakriti the three primary gunas (qualities) emerge creating the essential aspects of all nature—energy, matter and consciousness. These three gunas are tamas (darkness), rajas (activity), and sattva (beingness).

Tamas is a state of darkness, inertia, inactivity and materiality. Tamas manifests from ignorance and deludes all beings from their spiritual truths. To reduce tamas avoid tamasic foods, over sleeping, over eating, inactivity, passivity and fearful situations. Tamasic foods include heavy meats, and foods that are spoiled, chemically treated, processed or refined.

Tamas - accounts for restraint and inertia. Experienced psychologically as delusion, depression and dullness. Classical Yoga: - when tamas (obscurity, heaviness) predominates, consciousness is sthiti - inert, punged into a state of repose and torporTamasic Food is meat, alcohol, tobacco, garlic, onions, other fermented foods (pickles and vinegar for example), and either over-ripe or stale foods. These foodstuffs are seen not to benefit either the body or mind and energy, Prana, is reduced producing inertia and dark moods.

The body’s resistance to disease is weakened and consequently the whole being becomes inert, greedy and prevents one from seeing the spiritual truths.The mind’s psychological qualities are highly unstable and can quickly fluxuate between the different gunas. The predominate guna of the mind acts as a lens that effects our perceptions and perspective of the world around us. Thus, if the mind is in rajas it will experience world events as chaotic, confusing and demanding and it will react to these events in a rajasic way.

RAJAS GUNA

Rajas is a state of energy, action, change and movement. The nature of rajas is of attraction, longing and attachment and rajas strongly binds us to the fruits of our work. To reduce rajas avoid rajasic foods, over exercising, over work, loud music, excessive thinking and consuming excessive material goods.

Rajasic foods include fried foods, spicy foods, and stimulants.Rajas - accounts for motion, energy and activity. Experienced psychologically as suffering, craving and attachment. Classical Yoga: - when rajas (energy) predominates, consciousness is pravritti - active and energetic, tense and willful.

Rajasic Food is usually hot food, both in terms of temperature and spiciness; they include fried food, coffee, tea, spices, fish, eggs, salt, peppers, chocolate and other stimulants. These foodstuffs are seen by some as a block to the body-mind equilibrium, feeding the body at the expense of the mind and stimulating artificial processes in the brain making it restless and wandering.

SATTWA GUNA

Sattva is a state of harmony, balance, joy and intelligence. Sattva is the guna that yogi/nis achive towards as it reduces rajas and tamas and thus makes liberation possible. To increase sattva reduce both rajas and tamas, eat sattvic foods and enjoy activities and environments that produce joy and positive thoughts.

Sattvic foods include whole grains and legumes and fresh fruits and vegetables that grow above the ground. All of the yogic practices were developed to create sattva in the mind and body. Thus, practicing yoga and leading a yogic lifestyle strongly cultivates sattva.

Sattwa - Samkhya: accounts for thought and intelligibility, experienced psychologically as pleasure, thinking, clarity, understanding and detachment. Classical Yoga: - when sattwa (purity, illumination through comprehension) predominates, consciousness manifests itself as prakhya - vivacity, illumination, mental clarity and serenity.

The Sattvic Diet is a pure diet comprised of cereals, nuts, fruits, vegetables, seeds, spouting seeds, some dairy products, honey and herbs – including herbal teas of course. These foodstuffs will nourish the body, calm and purify the mind creating a balanced flow of energy between the body and the mind.

The system of the chakras and nadis came down from the cosmology of Samkhya. Samkhya philosophy heavily influenced the cosmology of yoga and tantrism. This is only a description of each chakra and its attributes.

A chakra is an energy center or vortex that exists in the pranic sheath of the ethereal body. A nadi is an ethereal tube that allows prana to move through the body, much like blood moves through the blood vessels. Chakras are located at nexus points where nadis intersect. Every point where nadis intersect with one another there is a chakra. There are 72,000 nadis throughout the body and thousands of chakras.

There are ten major nadis and fourteen major chakras. Yoga and tantra consider three nadis and seven chakras to be the most important. The three most important nadis are named Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna. The seven most important chakras are named Muladhara, Svadisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vissudha, Ajna, and Sahsrara. The Sushumna, perhaps the most important nadi, is a hair-like ethereal tube that begins just below the base of the spine and extends through the middle of the spine, then up to the top center of the head. The Sushumna runs through the seven most important chakras, which are located each located along it’s path.

Chakra is a Sanskrit word for wheel or disk. They are called chakras because one of the ways that these energy centers were perceived by the ancient rishis and seers was as spinning disks. Sometimes a chakra is called a lotus because it can appear like a flower. A metaphor used to describe what happens when a chakra is energized is the opening of the lotus petals. Each chakra has a variety of individual characteristics and attributes. I will describe the major attributes of the seven most important chakras. I hope you find this information interesting and useful.

Explanation of the attributes

SANSKRIT NAME: The English transliteration of the Sanskrit names of some of the chakras vary a little from author to author. Some of the chakras have two common spellings. The first spelling is my personal preference, the spelling in parenthesis is another common spelling. The Sanskrit name is followed be a translation of the name.

COMMON NAME: Most of the chakras have a common name, like Base, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye and Crown Chakra.

LOCATION: There are a few differences between authors as to the exact location, shape and size of the chakras. Most authorities agree that the first five of the seven most important chakras are located along the spine. There is a school of thought that the chakras are located in specific organs. I believe that is a mistaken idea. The mistake comes from confusing the pranic sheath of the ethereal body with the physical body. Although there are some direct correlations between the physical body and the ethereal, and they do occupy the same physical space, they are organised independently of each other and their differences should not be overlooked. The chakras are not physical organs and the nadis are not the physical nervous system, however in order for us to understand their importance in our lives we as humans has ascribe them to specific places on the physical body. For example, thr Throat Chakra is associated with the thyriod gland and the Third Eye Chakra is associated with the pineal gland.

SEED SOUND: The Sanskrit word is Bija. Each chakra has a letter of the Sanskrit alphabet associated with it as it’s seed sound (Bija). The sound of the Bija has a distinct vibration. Repeating the Bija is one of the ways to energize the chakra and induce “the opening of the lotus petals.” Again, transliteration makes the exact English spelling of the Sanskrit sound questionable. I’ve chosen a spelling that I think is phonetically understandable.

COLOR: Each chakra has a color of the rainbow associated with it. This seems to have been first introduced by the Theosophist Society in the early twentieth century. This is a commonly accepted color scheme that is related to the vibrational frequencies of the different colors of light. The red light is a lower frequency than the blue light, so the red chakra must be at a lower frequency than the blue chakra.

OTHER ATTRIBUTES: Each chakra has a number of additional attributes. Every chakra has a certain number of nadis (rays) coming into it, a mythic animal and a god and goddess associated with it. The Muladhara (lowest chakra), the Anahata (Heart Chakra), and the Ajna (third eye) have mystical fertility symbols associated with them. Each chakra is also associated with a different sense, different organs and body parts, different personality attributes, etc. I will leave all of these topics for another time so as not to make this short description of the chakras too unwieldy.

Description of the Chakras

SANSKRIT NAME: Muladhara = Root of Tree
COMMON NAME: Root Chakra
PLANET: Saturn
LOCATION: Base of Spine
SEED SOUND: Lam
COLOR: Red

SANSKRIT NAME: Svadhisthana (also Swadhisthana,) = One’s Own Place
COMMON NAME:
PLANET: Jupiter
LOCATION: Along the spine behind the genitals
SEED SOUND: Vam
COLOR: Orange

SANSKRIT NAME: Manipura = Jewel City
COMMON NAME:
PLANET: Mars
LOCATION: Along the spine behind the region four fingers above the navel
SEED SOUND: Ram
COLOR: Yellow

SANSKRIT NAME: Anahata = Un-struck Sound
COMMON NAME: Heart Chakra
PLANET: Venus
LOCATION: Along the spine behind the heart region
SEED SOUND: Yam
COLOR: Green

SANSKRIT NAME: Vissudha (also Vishuda, Visuddha) = With Purity
COMMON NAME: Throat Chakra
PLANET: Mercury
LOCATION: Along the spine behind the pit of the throat
SEED SOUND: Ham
COLOR: Sky Blue

SANSKRIT NAME: Ajna = Wisdom Center
COMMON NAME: Third Eye
PLANET: Sun / Moon
LOCATION: Three fingers behind the center of the brow
SEED SOUND: Aum (Om)
COLOR: Indigo

SANSKRIT NAME: Sahasrara (also Sahashrara) = Thousand
COMMON NAME: Crown Chakra; The Thousand Petaled Lotus
LOCATION: Crown of head (Most authorities say the Lotus is located above the crown of the head. Some authorities say the Lotus petals are turned downward, covering the crown of the head.)
COLOR: Violet

When considering yoga many aspirant yogis want to know if I teach aspects of Eastern philosophy in my class and by this they want to know actually do I speak about karma, reincarnation, the different Hindu deities and their teachings and the Chakra system in my class during the talks. Invariably I have to answer yes and explain to people that you cannot disconnect the practice from the philosophy - the overall effect of the yoga will be lost somehow.

Consider this: Is Christianity still Christianity if I ask you to exclude any reference to the Holy Communion and to cut that out from a service? Is Islam still essentially Islam if I ask you to discontinue Friday prayers? The same with Hinduism, If I ask you to omit the Aarati at the end of each day I take something away from Hinduism. I think most will agree that there are certain essential philosophies and practices which come together to form our concept of what Christianity, Islam or Hinduism represents. If you omit any of the above practices and philosophies, you have in fact rob the Christian or Muslim or Hindu of an important aspect of their religious life.

The same goes for yoga, behind all the physical asanas, pranayama, meditation and other physical practices is the philosophy which ensures that you enjoy the most benefit from your overall yoga practice. For  example, each asana is connected to one or more of the seven main Chakras. Now, you can do yoga without ever knowing this or without anybody telling you about this and unfortunately the effect will somehow be diminished as there are no cognitive recognition of this fact and therefore the connection between mind, body and soul become watered down. However if your teacher would instruct you on this aspect and relationship, then each asana will become so much more, all of a sudden there is another side to the asana, it is not merely a physical exercise anymore, but now the connection between mind, body and soul becomes more evident. And in this recognition of this connection you set in motion a chain of events on the physical plain as well as on the subtle plains to enhance and further your soul evolution.

It is important to realise that yoga philosophy is there to enlighten your soul, to shed Light on the evolution of your soul. How can you make butter if nobody ever taught you the theory behind turning cream into butter? The same with yoga, how can yoga purify and liberates the inner being if nobody give you the mental tools, i.e the philosophy behind the physical aspects of yoga to do it.

 In conclusion, yoga philosophy won’t distract from your current religious practice, in fact it will enhance it only. Remember yoga is not a religion and in no ways want to be a religion. Yoga and yoga philospohy are  tools that can help you to understand your own religious practice much better. It can open doors in your thinking(mind and body) that will lead you to greater insight and awareness about your current state of spiritual life(soul) and religious practice.

People calling me to find out more about yoga and what it is all about usually ask me along the conversation, but how soon will they find relieve from this pain or that illness. Yes, yoga has many therapeutic values, however one of the main ingredients for this therapeutic value to take effect is patience. It is impossible to tell how soon a person will experience release/relief from let’s say back pain as we have to take into consideration the years of bodily neglect, the severity of the injury, emotional and mental issues surrounding that pain and also the karmic implications of such as pain.

 Westerners tend to view yoga as a Drive-Thru, we order, we pay and we get! Instant gratification, we have lost the ability to be patient, we want everything in a matter of minutes, because that is how Western life has taught us it should be and we expect that now from yoga as well. And then comes the disappointed when I tell the interested person in yoga that this is unfortunately not how yoga works. Years and years of neglect is not corrected by a few months of yoga, it takes time and this is where we can learn from the tortoise. Cultivate patience to move forward steadily, no matter how slow your progress, eventually you will experience the benefits of a steady practice.

The main culprit in our society today, is that we think we should accomplish something without putting much effort into it. Parents teach their children from early childhood the value of instant gratification and this becomes an inherent pattern for many which they carry into adulthood as well. Then there is the culture of demanding this or that which has been added in many cultures to instant gratification. This is most unfortunate as Hatha yoga, which is the bringing together of two opposites requires consistent effort, has little time and place for instant gratification and unrealistic demands.

Unfortunately this state of mind and the lack of patience leads to disappointment for many people. They then blame either the teacher for lack of insight to teach proper yoga or they blame yoga itself, but by doing so they miss the value of yoga, to learn something about themselves.

The lack of patience has two unfortunate side effects:

a) it diverts your attention from the asanas and the yoga you are presented with to what you believe and perceive you are entitled to; and

b) it makes it impossible for you to be in the now, in this very moment and to appreciate what you are learning, what benefits your body derive from this practice, now.

So, how can we cultivate patience? I don’t say it will be easy, but by following these few steps, you may be well on your way to become more patient with yourself and your set or karmic bodily limitations:

• accept your limitations and be grateful for each of them, that is working off karmic debt;

• resolve to be present in every moment of your yoga practice;

• cultivate mindfulness, in other words become totally aware of what you are doing and how your body reacts to that;

• let go of all your expectations and accept that your life and evolution is a slow but deliberate process; and

• lastly, enjoy yourself no matter what, let go of your own pressure on yourself and be free from all bondages you apply to yourself.

These are simple and practical things you can apply to make your yoga practice more meaningful and I can give you my word, eventually the release from your aches and pains, be they physical, emotional or mental, will transpire. Have patience, the lack of patience causes so much strain and stress in the lives of so many people in this day and age. By adding patience to your own life, you add it to the universal consciousness of mankind. This is positive yoga.

Eckhart Tolle starts his book The Power of Now with a striking story about a beggar who asks a man passing him for some change. The man then answers that he has nothing to give and asks him what he is sitting on. The beggar replies that it is just an old wooden box. The man asks him if he ever opened it and the beggar says no, because there is nothing in it. The man then insists that he opens the box, the beggar opens the box and discovers that he has been sitting on a box of gold all his life. Today I am that man in your life. I am going to ask you to open your box and to look inside. 

Most of us get up every morning, we go to the bathroom and we look in the mirror at the image which is reflected back at us, thinking this is me. While brushing your hair you look in the mirror and think, look what I am doing or you do your make-up thinking I am going to look so beautiful today. The image in the mirror is you and without thinking twice you will confirm it to anybody who will ask you who is that in the mirror and you will most probably say it is me, so and so. And everyday we will repeat the same old story over and over until one day. 

That image in the mirror is not you, it is only a reflection. The moment you walk away from the mirror that image is gone and has no reality anymore, because it wasn’t really you, it was only a reflection, an illusion or maya, which was created by the play of light. Problem is most of us walk away from the mirror still thinking about that image in the mirror, identifying with it, thinking that image in the mirror, that is who I am.  

This identification with an image which is un-real, an illusion is how most people spent their whole life. They think this body, the outer reflection of the inner Truth is real, without realising that the outside is just a reflection. Once we have completed our journey with the outer vehicle (the body) the true Self (call it soul, spirit, divine spark within etc) will leave this earthly plain behind, and then the realisation dawns upon the Self that it was all the time only a reflection, an illusion. 

People will say, but I feel my body, so how can it be an illusion? Yes, it is true, we perceive and experience our outer world through our five senses and while in the body it is a condition of  existence to experience the world through the body. However, what I propose here is that people think the body is also the true Self. Yes, people will say I have a soul, but do they realise who is the soul? Can you bring yourself to the point to stop thinking that I am a body and soul, but that I am God?  

How can yoga help you to realise your true Self – the I AM?

Firstly, the practice of yoga is designed to bring awareness from the outer sensory world within to the inner metaphysical world through various practises such as yoga nidra, pratyahara (see article on the eight limbs of yoga) and meditation.

Secondly, yoga teaches you to detach from the physical (all our desires and attachments which cause so much pain) and tune more into the metaphysical or inner life. Part of the yamas and niyamas is to get our desires under control, all part of yoga practise and discipline.

Thirdly, yoga teaches you how to control the mind and therefore the emotions. Most people are controlled by their mind and their emotions. They react in a certain way, because their mind tells them this is how you should react. Emotions are the body’s reaction to our constant thinking by the mind. Through meditation and yoga you can learn to bring the mind under the control of the true Self, you can stop the constant chattering of the mind and realise in that silent moment the I am that I am.

Most of the comments I am receiving ask where, when and how much is the yoga I presenting. So here goes:

Venue: Hall of the Liberal Catholic Church on the corner of Carter and Garret Streets in Queenswood, Pretoria, South Africa. (click on the thumbnail of the map for directions).

When & Cost: I have a beginners class on Tuesday evenings, starting at 17:30 - 19:00 and cost is R150 per month.

 If you want to see what it is all about, a trial class is R50 per class. If you come for a trial class and decide to permanently join, the trial fee will be part payment of the monthly fee and will be deducted.

The Chinese authorities claim that H.H the Dalai Lama is fueling the violence and protests in China at the moment and they blame His Holiness for all the troubles and for the death of thousands of innocent Tibetans. The Chinese also claims that the protesters turned violent and that they respond with violence to this violent behaviour.

However, we need to consider the following before we blindly believe what the Chinese is feeding the world with their outdated propaganda machine.

1. The Tibetan people has always been a very peaceful nation. They couldn’t even lead a successful revolt against the Chinese in 1959 during the Uprising.

2. The Tibetans subscribed to the philosophy of non-violence or Ahimsa for the past 800 years through Buddhist philosophy. Therefore peacefulness is so deeply etched in the mass consciousness of these people that it is difficult to believe that they turned violent.

3. His Holiness has always proposed a peaceful dialogue and solution to the problems between China and Tibet. We all know that the Chinese is the ones who always rejected His Holiness’ proposals.

4. It is common knowledge that the Chinese has a very poor human rights track record, how they can think that the world must believe them rather than His Holiness is a mystery if you have more than 10 brain cells.

 To all yogis and spiritually minded people, please bless the situation in Tibet and the Tibetan people and His Holiness as this current situation in China may lead to positive dialogue about the future of Tibet, but without the unnecessary bloodshed by the Chinese.

To conclude, look at the two photos at the top of this article and use your own discrimination and discernment and ask yourself which face has Light, Love, Peace and Harmony written all over it and which face looks diabolical and evil?

The practice of yoga is an art and science dedicated to creating union between body, mind and spirit. Its objective is to assist the practitioner in using the breath and body to foster an awareness of ourselves as individualised beings  connected to the whole of creation. In short it is about making balance and creating equanimity so as to live in peace, good health and harmony with the greater whole.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, approximately 200 AD,  describes the inner workings of the mind and the art of living. and provides an eight-step blueprint for controlling the restlessness of mind and body so as to enjoying lasting peace.The core of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is an eight-limbed path that forms the structural framework for yoga practice. Upon practicing all eight limbs of the path it becomes self-evident that no one element is elevated over another in a hierarchical order.

Each is part of a holistic focus which eventually brings completeness to the individual as they find their connectivity to the divine. Because we are all uniquely individual a person can emphasize one branch and then move on to another as they round out their understanding.      

In brief the eight limbs, or steps to yoga, are as follow:

1.      Yama :  Universal morality

2.      Niyama :  Personal observances

3.      Asanas :  Body postures

4.      Pranayama :  Breathing exercises, and control of prana

5.      Pratyahara :  Control of the senses

6.      Dharana :  Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness

7.      Dhyana :  Devotion, Meditation on the Divine

8.      Samadhi :  Union with the Divine

Yamas and niyamas are the suggestions given on how we should deal with people around us and our attitude toward ourselves. The attitude we have toward things and people outside ourselves is yama, how we relate to ourselves inwardly is niyama. Both are mostly concerned with how we use our energy in relationship to others and to ourselves.The yamas are broken down into five “wise characteristics.” Rather than a list of dos and don’ts, “they tell us that our fundamental nature is compassionate, generous, honest and peaceful.”

They are as follow:

I. Yamas (Universal Morality)

1.      Ahimsa – Compassion for all living things The word ahimsa literally means not to injure. I like to think of it also as not to show cruelty to any creature or any person in any way. Ahimsa is more than just lack of violence. It means kindness, friendliness, and thoughtful consideration of other people and things. It also has to do with our duties and responsibilities in life too. Ahimsa implies that in every situation we should adopt a considerate attitude and do no harm.

2.      Satya – Commitment to Truthfulness Satya means “to speak the truth,” yet it is not always desirable to speak the truth on all occasions, for it could harm someone unnecessarily. We have to consider what we say, how we say it, and in what way it could affect others. It also refers to discovering your own inner Truth and to live it out in your daily life.

3.      Asteya - Non-stealing  Steya means “to steal”; asteya is the opposite. This also means that if we are in a situation where someone entrusts something to us or confides in us, we do not take advantage of him or her.

4.      Brahmacharya - Sense control  Brahmacharya in the east is mostly associated with abstinence or celibacy. However, this applies strongly if your are a monk, but most people practicing yoga in the West are people in relationships or marriages. Therefore in the West I like to think that Brahmacharya suggests that we should form right relationships with others, even our sexual partner, that foster our understanding of the highest truths.

5.      Aparigraha - Neutralising the desire to acquire and hoard wealth Aparigraha means to take only what is necessary, and not to take advantage of a situation or act greedy. We should only take what we have earned; if we take more, we are exploiting someone else. The Yoga Sutra describes what happens when these five behaviors outlined above become part of a person’s daily life. Thus, the yamas are the moral virtues which, if attended to, purify human nature and contribute to health and happiness of society.

II. Niyama (Personal Observances)

Niyama means “rules” or “laws.”  These are the rules prescribed for personal observance. Like the yamas, the five niyamas are not exercises or actions to be simply studied. They represent far more than an attitude. Compared with the yamas, the niyamas are more intimate and personal. They refer to the attitude we adopt toward ourselves as we create a code for living soulfully.

1.      Sauca - Purity “Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” my yoga teacher Sri Durga devi used to say. Sauca has both an inner and an outer aspect. Outer cleanliness simply means keeping ourselves clean. Inner cleanliness has as much to do with the healthy, free functioning of our bodily organs as with the clarity of our mind.

2.      Santosa - Contentment Another niyama is santosa, modesty and the feeling of being content with what we have. To be at peace within and content with one’s lifestyle finding contentment even while experiencing life’s difficulties for life becomes a process of growth through all kinds of circumstances. We should accept that there is a purpose for everything - yoga calls it karma – and we cultivate contentment to accept what happens.

3.      Tapas – Disciplined use of our energy Tapas refers to the activity of keeping the body fit or to confront and handle the inner urges without outer show. Literally it means to heat the body and, by so doing, to cleanse it.

4.      Svadhyaya – Self study The fourth niyama is svadhyaya. Sva means “self’ adhyaya means “inquiry” or “examination”. Any activity that cultivates self-reflective consciousness can be considered svadhyaya.

5.      Isvarapranidhana - Celebration of the Spiritual Isvarapranidhana means “to lay all your actions at the feet of God.” It is the contemplation on God (Isvara) in order to become attuned to god and god’s will.  

III. Asanas (Body postures)

Asana is the practice of physical postures. It is the most commonly known aspect of yoga for those unfamiliar with the other seven limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. For more information see my article on Blog about Asanas.

IV. Pranayama (Breath Control)

Pranayama is the measuring, control, and directing of the breath. Pranayama controls the energy (prana) within the organism, in order to restore and maintain health and to promote evolution. When the in-flowing breath is neutralized or joined with the out-flowing breath, then perfect relaxation and balance of body activities are realised. In yoga, we are concerned with balancing the flows of vital forces, then directing them inward to the chakra system and upward to the crown chakra.Pranayama, or breathing technique, is very important in yoga. It goes hand in hand with the asana or pose. In the Yoga Sutra, the practices of pranayama and asana are considered to be the highest form of purification and self discipline for the mind and the body, respectively.

V. Pratyahara (Control of the Senses)

Pratyahara means drawing back or retreat. The word ahara means “nourishment”; pratyahara translates as “to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses.” In yoga, the term pratyahara implies withdrawal of the senses from attachment to external objects. It can then be seen as the practice of non-attachment to sensorial distractions as we constantly return to the path of self realization and achievement of internal peace. It means our senses stop living off the things that stimulate; the senses no longer depend on these stimulants and are not fed by them any more.

VI. Dharana (Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness)

Dharana means “immovable concentration of the mind”. The essential idea is to hold the concentration or focus of attention in one direction.  “When the body has been tempered by asanas, when the mind has been refined by the fire of pranayama and when the senses have been brought under control by pratyahara, the sadhaka (seeker) reaches the sixth stage, dharana. Here he is concentrated wholly on a single point or on a task in which he is completely engrossed. The mind has to be stilled in order to achieve this state of complete absorption.”In Dharana we create the conditions for the mind to focus its attention in one direction instead of going out in many different directions. Deep contemplation and reflection can create the right conditions, and the focus on this one point that we have chosen becomes more intense.

VII. Dhyana (Devotion , Meditation on the Divine)

Dhyana means worship, or profound and abstract religious meditation. It is perfect contemplation. It involves concentration upon a point of focus with the intention of knowing the truth about it. The concept holds that when one focuses their mind in concentration on an object the mind is transformed into the shape of the object. Hence, when one focuses on the divine they become more reflective of it and they know their true nature. His body, breath, senses, mind, reason and ego are all integrated in the object of his contemplation – the Universal Spirit.

VIII. Samadhi (Union with the Divine)

The final step in the eight-fold path of Yoga is the attainment of Samadhi. Samadhi means “to bring together, to merge.” In the state of samadhi the body and senses are at rest, as if asleep, yet the faculty of mind and reason are alert, as if awake; one goes beyond consciousness. During samadhi, we realize what it is to be an identity without differences, and how a liberated soul can enjoy pure awareness of this pure identity. The conscious mind drops back into that unconscious oblivion from which it first emerged. Thus, samadhi refers to union or true Yoga. There is an ending to the separation that is created by the “I” and “mine” of our illusory perceptions of reality.

These eight steps of yoga indicate a logical pathway that leads to the attainment of physical, ethical, emotional, and psycho-spiritual health. Yoga does not seek to change the individual; rather, it allows the natural state of total health and integration in each of us to become a reality. 

Hatha yoga represents opposing energies: hot and cold (fire and water, following the same concept as the yin-yang), male and female, positive and negative, sun and moon. Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind and body via:

• physical exercises, or “asanas”,

• controlled breathing, and

• the calming of the mind through relaxation and meditation. Asanas teach poise, balance and strength and are practiced to improve the body’s physical health and clear the mind in preparation for meditation in the pursuit of enlightenment. 

Asana eliminates

Asanas purify, strengthen and give flexibility to the body. When we do asana not only do we start to perspire, which eliminates toxins from the body, but we also place pressure on some of the glands in our body, helping us to rid the body of impurities and toxins associated with daily life. Through asana physical purification starts to happen, which also affects our subtle bodies. Without physical purification the move to subtle levels of consciousness cannot effectively happen. Asanas work to awaken and empower one’s innate but dormant nervous/psychic systems (often referred to as the nadis, chakras, energy, body, subtle body, etc.) so that even greater conscious integration and realization can occur through consistent effort. 

Purification Through Posture and Breathing

The first four limbs of Yoga (Yama, Niyana, Asana & Pranayama) serve to bring the mind and body into harmony and balance. A strong emphasis is placed upon the necessity of purification and detoxification of the body, and various practices are encouraged to purify the body and the senses, of which asana is the most accessible and easiest to master for most people in the West. The practice of asanas mirror many of the lifestyle changes recommended today by the health sector and can be invaluable to maintaining one’s quality of health.  

Yoga Postures (Asana)

The most widely known yoga practice in the West is asana, often known as Hatha yoga (asana means “ease” in Sanskrit). It includes a variety of physical postures and exercises that create immediate changes in the body. There are two main types of asana today: meditative and therapeutic.  

Meditative asanas bring the spine and head into perfect alignment, promoting proper blood flow throughout the body, and bringing the mind into a state of relaxation and stillness that facilitates increased concentration during meditation. At the same time, these asanas keep the glands, lungs, and heart properly energized. 

Therapeutic asanas such as the cobra locust, spinal twist, and shoulder stand are geared toward improving health and physical well-being, and have been commonly prescribed for patients with back, neck, and joint pain.  

Discipline and Awareness

Although yoga postures may involve very little movement, the mind is involved in the performance of every asana, to provide discipline, awareness, and a relaxed openness. The discipline and awareness help maintain the posture, and the relaxation and openness help stimulate the circulation of prana (life energy), allowing the student to fully experience the power and essence of the posture.

“Practicing with total awareness within the body is advanced yoga, no matter how easy the posture; practicing with your attention scattered is the practice of a beginner, no matter how difficult the posture. Hatha yoga trains the mind as well as the body, so focus your attention without lapse.” H. David Coulter.

Balance

According to the Yoga Sutras, a properly executed asana creates a balance between movement and stillness–exertion and surrender–which is precisely the state of a healthy body. The practitioner learns to regulate autonomic functions like heartbeat and breath, while physical tensions fade into relaxation.