Yoga - Learn the Basics

Yoga - Learn the Basics

So what is Yoga? What is the real meaning? And what exactly can it do for you?

Yoga is an ancient practice reaching back for more than 5,000 years. originating in India. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means to bind, join, attach and yoke. It also means union, to direct and concentrate one's attention on, to use and apply.

In simpler words, yoga is about concentrating on your mind and body to bind you to God.

It's about disciplining yourself to balance your mind, soul, and emotions so that you can connect with your individual spirit, or your jivatma, which is, in turn, part of the Supreme Universal Spirit, or the Paramatma, a.k.a. God.

Yoga is about focusing your energy into constructive channels. An individual who follows the teachings of yoga is known as a yogi.

There are actually many different types of yoga; it is not strictly a term for the stretchy exercise that most of us think of when we hear the term. Yoga is not a religion, although its practice can lead to enlightenment and a higher spiritual bond. The term yoga can refer to any of these following concepts.

Karma yoga -- focuses on giving of oneself without expecting any reward

Jnana yoga -- a philosophical approach to unveiling the illusions of the world

Bhakti yoga -- channeling emotional energy into one's spiritual practice

Rhaja yoga -- focuses on concentration and mind control

Just as there are many styles of dance, so are there many forms of yoga.. In fact, a new yoga style or type might be developing right now, as a teacher puts his or her own stamp on a specific technique.

Current popular yoga styles include, but are not limited to:

Gentle yoga, which is sometimes also called by the generic name hatha yoga -- this usage of hatha is debatable; some folks believe the term should only be used to refer to the general idea for all physical yogas, while others use it colloquially to refer to the gentler style.

In Gentle yoga, the focus is on long stretches and flexibility, with slow, deep breathing (yogic breathing is known as Pranayama). This can be very soothing for the mind -- it is the kind of mellow style most people picture when they think of yoga.

Kundalini yoga, which works on the premise that the body has eight chakras, and through use of breath of fire (rapid breathing), one can heat up the body from the bottom up, eventually raising kundalini to achieve a feeling of high enlightenment.

Power yoga, which is also known by the Sanskrit term Vinyasa yoga (a vinyasa is a series of rapid movements which warm up the body all over). This is a very active form of yoga, in which a person moves quickly through the poses (called Asanas), not holding them as long as in other styles.

It is virtually guaranteed that you will sweat a lot in this style; it is not for the faint of heart and gives a real challenge to the muscles.

To learn yoga, you must commit your full attitude and spirit to it. It is not a simple gym exercise, where you can just stride through when you want to overcome an excess of calories now and then..

Yoga focuses on the integration of the mental and spiritual with the physical to heal and enhance all three aspects. Through consistent practice, this triad of our essence is harmonized and improved in may ways that we may not even expect.