YOGA Cont…
The eight rungs are:
- Social discipline (yama) consisting of non violence, truth, non stealing, non coveting other’s possessions as well as a moderate life style.
- Personal discipline (niyama) encompassing physical and psychological cleanliness, contentment, pursuing the set goals, self awareness and giving up ego.
- Posture (asana) i.e., maintaining a physically and psychologically stable state of body.
- Art and science of breathing (pranayama).
- Withdrawal of senses (pratyahara) so that mind can be ready to get focused.
- Concentration (dharana) which provides one pointedness to the mind.
- Meditation (dyana) providing a state of absorption with an object / thought.
- Contemplation (samadhi) in which the distinction between the seer and the seen disappears.
These eight rungs of yoga need not be seen as independent steps; instead they are inter-dependent. The practice of all these rungs of yoga is very essential.
Yoga An Introduction
Yoga is a spiritual science, which has been gifted to us by our ancient Rishis. Yoga leads to final emancipation. This does not mean that yoga is not for worldly people. In fact, science of yoga has become a popular subject as a curative and a preventive measure for human suffering.
Human suffering may be physical and/or psychological. Yoga addresses both in an integrated way. In yoga, body, mind and soul are not seen in isolation. They are inextrinsibly interwoven and inter-dependent.
The modern life is haunted by speed, competition and change in lifestyle. The life is full of pressures, pains, tensions, stress and strain. In addition, he is afflicted within himself by anxieties, worries, desires, lust, anger, greed, aversion, hatred, temptations and so on. All these cause an imbalance in body-mind complex leading to disease.
The diseases are categorized mainly, in three types, namely Adhyatmic, Adhibhoutic and Adhidaivic. Adhyatma is that which covers the soul. The body and mind covers the soul. The diseases caused by these coverings (body and mind) are called adhyatmic disease.
Adhibhoutic disease is that which is caused by the matter or living beings, derived and produced from five elements, namely; earth, water, fire, air and ether. Therefore, the diseases caused by flood and draught (water), fire (agni), food poison (five elements) come under this category. Adhidaivic disease is one, which is caused by the super-natural and divine bodies, the movements of planets etc. These diseases are categorized for convenience sake, and so look separate, yet, while reacting on a person they work unitedly.
Lord Patanjali (founder of Astangayoga) with his yogic method helps us to eradicate this root-cause of disease, by bringing Sharirashuddhi (purification of body), Manahshuddhi (purification of mind), Karmashuddhi (purification of action), Chitttashuddhi (purification of mind) and as result of all that Atmashuddhi (purification of soul).
Lord Patanjali says: “The pain which is yet to come can be and is to be avoided”. Therefore, Yoga is a science of preventing the sufferings. Lord Patanjali offers the “Ashtanga-yoga” as a curative and preventive measure.
