Yog(a): mental, spiritual aspects
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The mind
A technique to calm the mind
Hasmukh Adhia, Yoga Is For Mind, Benefit To Body Is Incidental, January 28, 2019: The Times of India
The writer is former finance secretary, Government of India
Most people think of yoga as asanas only – as physical exercise. Some think of yoga as postures and breathing exercise. Few know of yoga as a meditation technique. Yoga is really a technique of developing awareness of mind with a view to enjoy the fullness of life. Benefits to body is incidental.
Sage Patanjali defines yoga as ‘chitta vritti nirodhah’, the process of controlling modifications of mind.
The Yoga Vashishta says ‘manah prasamanopaya yogah’, that is, yoga is a subtle technique to calm the mind. The Bhagwad Gita defines yoga as a state of equilibrium of mind: ‘Samatvam yoga uychyate’. Swami Vivekananda calls yoga a tool for condensing the process of evolution from human to cosmic being, that is, super consciousness.
Who is the raja, ruler of our life? The mind. Raja Yoga is so called because it is a technique of training the mind, which is controlling our life. Yogasana is quite different from any other forms of physical work-out. First, the purpose of physical exercise is to improve the body, while the purpose of yogasana is basically to control modifications of mind. When we do asanas as prescribed by scriptures, our mind becomes steady and quiet. Once you practice asanas for a long period, the mind learns to be steady in all situations. In this process, the body also becomes very flexible and toned.
In physical exercises, it is believed that the faster the movement, the better it is. But in asanas, slower the movement, better it is. Asanas are always performed with very slow movement of different parts of the body. The main benefit of asana comes in maintaining the posture in the final stage. Also, in yogasana, the coordination of breath with body movement has to be perfect. In physical exercise, we do not have to bother about this. Asanas become more beneficial if such breathing coordination happens. Breath is the carrier of prana, the life-energy of our body. The disturbance in flow of prana in our body causes restlessness of mind and disease in the body. Systematic breathing practice removes the imbalance. So along with asana, there has to be breathing coordination.
The third main distinction lies in the level of awareness. While doing asana, one has to keep full awareness in the body part which is being affected by the posture. One cannot think of anything else at that time. Listening to music while doing asana could also cause distraction. This is not the case with physical exercise. Most people workout while listening to music or watching TV. Yogasana has to be done in quiet and pleasant surroundings where one can link body and mind with awareness.
Hence yogasana is far superior as it benefits both body and mind. While both physical exercise and asana improve our skeleto-muscular, cardio-respiratory and circulatory systems, yogasana also improves the neuro-muscular system and endocrinal system which controls our sympathetic and parasympathetic reactions in case of perceived stress. Yogasana gives spectacular results in tackling lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, anxiety and depression.
Since happiness is a state of mind, our idea of ‘what makes us happy’ changes periodically, depending on how trained our mind is, to experience happiness. This technique of training your mind is yoga.
Yog Sadhana
Nivedita Joshi, Yoga Sadhana And Progress Of Civilisation, June 19, 2017: The Times of India
Yoga has been defined as `Chitta vritti nirodha', that is, `stops all internal and external forms of thinking which may sprout with or without volition' stilling the mind.
Chitta stands for three things: mind, intelligence and ego. Mind has no discriminative power but has the power of gathering and feeling. Intelligence discriminates and reasons and comes to determinative knowledge. Intelligence is the tool to find the true Self, but the `i-ness' interferes with intelligence and prides itself on being the true Self. Intelligence is the vehicle of the true Self whereas i-ness is the impostor of the true Self.
The human body has three layers: causal, subtle and gross. The causal body is the sheath of the soul; it is incorruptible and non-decaying. When you are not in this body , you lose your true state and dwell in the chitta. Then, it is the subtle body or the physiological sheath. Senses of perception and organs of action are vehicles of gross body , dependent on mind, without which the outer body cannot function.
Gross and subtle bodies are interdependent. We use our senses to fulfil and enjoy the mind's demands and so get caught in the web of worldly desire. Like the spokes of a wheel, these enjoyments revolve between pleasure and pain. We become victims of circumstances, which create dual consciousness or personalities. This state is the seed of separation viyoga, pain and dukkha, sorrow.
Practice of yoga sublimates the mind through conscious effort to obtain release from the web of pleasure and pain; it leads one to experience a state that is beyond pleasure and pain, as a pristine, pure and static shuddha swaroopa.
Yoga gives us ways to develop harmony and balance and achieve holistic health. Patanjali says that it is possible to achieve these either by practice and dispassion or by total surrender to the Supreme. Since total surrender is difficult, even impossible for most of us, Patanjali insists on abhyasa, practice and vairagya, dispassion. When harmony is achieved, then abhyasa and vairagya, starting out as forced regimental disciplines, become a natural process and the practitioner continues them without any motive or desire.From then on, his sadhana becomes vairagyabhyasa. In this state, the practitioner develops stability in mind and steadfastness in intelligence. He has no more disparities within himself or his encasement, the body . His sadhana becomes all in one and one in all, the true nature of oneself.
The practitioner of yoga, the yoga sadhaka, thus bridges the gap between body , mind and Self and becomes master of these three. The knower, the knowable and the known, become one.The journey of the seeker comes to an end. Through a constant process of evolving culture from yama to dhyana, he civilises himself and becomes kushal (adept), a true owner of the sacred body.
The light of wisdom dawns on him, like dharmameghas, a rain cloud of justice. As the dharma of clouds is to pour rain, the yogi's wisdom pours knowledge that is ever-pure, ever-green and continues to live for posterity . He becomes Krithartha, that is, his way of life reflects on humanity like the reflection of the mirror, and transforms it. Thereby , the culture of the yogi becomes the civilisation of the world.
Shri Krishn/ Gita state the benefits
B K Brij Mohan, June 20, 2019: The Times of India
Yoga For Your Body, Mind And Soul
The image that most readily comes to mind at the mention of the word ‘yoga’ is that of people stretching or holding their body in various postures.
Yoga is a good way to improve one’s flexibility and strength, and just about everyone can do it. Yoga is much more than physical postures or breathing techniques; it is a holistic discipline that leads to not only a healthy body, but also a strong mind and an empowered soul. In the Bhagwad Gita, in a treatise on yoga, Krishna tells Arjuna, “Perform action being steadfast in yoga, abandoning attachment and balanced in success and failure. Evenness of mind is called yoga.” Later on, Krishna says: “Endowed with wisdom – evenness of mind – one casts off in this life, both good and evil deeds; therefore, devote thyself to yoga; yoga is skill in action.”
If the mind and soul are stabilised, the choices one makes, and the actions one performs, will naturally be beneficial for the body. The root of most physical ailments is deficiencies in the form of vices such as lust, anger, gluttony and laziness. Medical scientists acknowledge that more than 80 per cent of all diseases are psychosomatic, that is, they are caused or aggravated by a mental condition.
When vices exert great influence, the person’s actions and lifestyle will tend to lead to diseases. Yoga, when practised in its entirety, strengthens the very foundations of health by making the soul the master of the body and ruler of the senses.
The Gita says, “The senses are superior (to the body); superior to the senses is the mind; superior to the mind is the intellect; and superior even to the intellect is the Self.”
If the Self, the soul, is weak, physical exercise may keep the body fit, but one might not experience peace of mind or happy relationships, and diseases will slowly take root inside the body. Yoga, including exercise, meditation and a yogic lifestyle, brings balance and harmony between soul, mind and body. This is characterised by moderation in one’s life.
“Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is always moderate in eating and recreation, who is moderate in exertion in actions, who is moderate in sleep and wakefulness,” says the Gita.
A sound body by itself does not produce a sound mind. The mind and the intellect are faculties of the soul, and just as nutritious food and regular exercise are needed to keep the body going strong, they require a diet of positive thoughts and exercise in the form of meditation to remain healthy.
The information we consume and the thoughts we create are food for the mind. As the quality of this food, so will be the state of the mind.
One cannot stop ageing and decay of the body, and one will gradually experience diminishing physical abilities, but an enlightened mind can lend great value even to a weak body.
The greatness one can achieve through yo g a is best described by the Gita, where Krishna says: “The yogi is thought to be superior to the ascetics and even superior to men of knowledge; he is also superior to men of action; therefore, be thou a yogi, O Arjuna!”
B K Brij Mohan is chief spokesperson, Brahma Kumaris, Mount Abu.
