Preview

Yoga Philosophy

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
603 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Yoga Philosophy
Most of the time when people think about yoga they simply imagine contorting their bodies into strange and awkward positions in hopes of keeping themselves in shape. I have to admit that I was one of those people. However, I have come to understand that the art of yoga is much more complex than I had ever imagined. This form of exercise, that I thought was restricted to famous people attempting to keep there movie star physiques, is becoming an epidemic among modern society. Yoga is much more than contorting your body into strange and somewhat un-normal positions. Mind and Body explains that “Yoga is both philosophic and metaphysic conditioning.” This art is also a general name for the controls and techniques that are used to create mythically the perfect body, mind, and spirit. Along with the above definition of yoga, we must look at it as one of the six systems of Indian philosophy “Darshanus”, meaning viewpoint or vision from the root (Hewitt). Yoga differs from all other systems because it is not content on the metaphysical knowledge, but has devised and presented practical techniques that allow intellectual understanding and can be reinforced by experimental knowing.
The fundamental principle of Yoga philosophy is that nothing exists beyond the mind and its consciousness. The objective of this philosophy is to dig up misconceptions about the existence of external 'realities ' from the minds of men. It believes that it is possible to reach this stage of self realization through regular practice of yogic meditative processes that bring complete withdrawal or detachment from all false sources of knowledge and exposes an inner sense of balanced calm and tranquility (Mind and Body).
The sense of meditative healing and yogic philosophy works on the five states of the mind, the five modifications of the mind, and the nine impediments of the mind. To begin the philosophy exposes the five states of the mind which include; disturbed, confused, distracted,



References: "Mind Body Focused". August 29, 2008 <http://www.mindbodyfocused.com/articles/body/yoga/yoga-philosophy.php>. Claire, Thomas. Yoga for Men : Postures for Healthy, Stress-free Living . Franklin Lakes: The Career Press, 2004. Hewitt, James. The Complete YOGA Book. London : Hutchison Publishing Group Limited, 1977.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    3.03 Managing Stress

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Yoga is a relaxation technique that is very helpful in diminishing the effects of stress on your life. The word yoga means “to join or yoke together,” and yoga brings the body and mind together into one harmonious experience. Yoga incorporates exercise, breathing, and meditation. The exercises of Yoga are designed to put pressure on the glandular systems of the body, thereby increasing its efficiency and total health. Breathing techniques are based on the concept that breath is the source of life in the body. These two systems of exercise and breathing then prepare the body and mind for meditation, and the student finds an easy approach to a quiet mind that allows silence and healing from everyday stress.…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hum130 Hinduism Terms Map

    • 303 Words
    • 2 Pages

    | My understanding of Yoga is it is a relaxing exercise to clear your mind and relax muscles.…

    • 303 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Yoga is an exercise practiced for heath and relaxation having to do with breathing control while adopting specific body positions. Some conclusions have been pieced together about the history of yoga since the exact origin is uncertain. The first concrete evidence of yoga’s existence are some stones which have pictures on them of people doing various poses that resemble today’s yoga. These stones are thought to have been used around 3000 B.C. But even though there is not physical evidence of yoga before this, some scholars believe that its origin was before the stones were created. Since Stone Age Shamanism and yoga have similar characteristics, the scholars believe this is when yoga…

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This is why Yoga can help heal today's world. Yoga teaches us about the law of Karma. Today, we may say, "What goes around comes around," but "what we sow, we shall reap," is a scarier thought. Karma is the law of cause and effect.…

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Bikram yoga was developed thirty years ago by Bikram Choudhury, a renowned Hatha Yoga Master. It is a specific yoga practice that is carried out in 105˚ F at 40% humidity for 90 minutes. Some studies and practitioners have suggested that Bikram yoga practice has positive impacts on physical health as well as decreasing stress and anxiety. There were certain inclusion criteria for participation in this study. Age was not an exclusion and participants ranged in age from 18 to over 60 years of age. This study sought to interview active students of Bikram yoga who have been practicing consistently for at least the last eight weeks, at a minimum of three times per week. Students meeting the requirements at the Bikram yoga studios in San Antonio were invited to complete the survey instrument from November 16 through November 26, 2011. Seventy-five students responded to the survey. The results indicated that there are significant positive results from regularly practicing Bikram yoga. Since Bikram yoga encourages students to hold poses in a “hot” room it increases heart rate and acts as a cardiovascular exercise without the high impact normally associated with cardio exercises. The results of the survey instrument yielded over 50% of respondents reporting an answer of “somewhat better” for all of the questions, indicating that most respondents see a benefit in their practice. Additionally, stress and anxiety decreased with over 80% of respondents reporting somewhat to much less anxious and stressed. Improvements to physical fitness were observed with over 90% reporting improved…

    • 5925 Words
    • 24 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Nt1330 Unit 3 Assignment

    • 2805 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Yoga is a system of techniques that can be used for a number of goals, from simply managing stress better, learning to relax, and increasing limberness all the way to becoming more self-aware and acquiring the deepest knowledge of one’s own self. The core of Yoga’s philosophy is that everything is supplied from within the individual. Thus, there is no dependence on an external figure, either in the sense of a person or god figure, or a religious organization.…

    • 2805 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Living your yoga is about taking the practice off the mat and into our everyday life. Also it is about realizing that it is called the “practice” because it is exactly that. Yoga philosophy teaches us simple and valuable lessons about acceptance, happiness, health, appreciation, and love. Making our lives full of these things not all the time but consistently is difficult and Judith helps us see that patience and ahimsa (non hurting or self judgment) can help us experience these things daily despite our external conditions. Looking inward is where to find the gold, it is nowhere else.…

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    For many people with hectic, stressful lives, relaxation means zoning out in front of the TV at the end of the day or getting some extra sleep at the end of the weekend, but for a certain group of people relaxing does not include this. These people are called yogis; those who achieve relaxation through the art of meditation, breathing, stretching, and finding inner peace. In today’s fast paced society it is hard to find a way to fully relax because people are constantly being forced to push their minds and bodies to the limit, which can result in high levels of stress. Rather than fighting against life’s hardships, people who practice yoga value deep relaxation in order to be free of stress and live each day in peace and harmony without being thrown out of balance by the ups and downs life may bring.…

    • 3159 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Yoga Essay

    • 254 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Yoga is a triumphant American survivor. Where other esoteric or foreign-born spiritual practices have veered off course, endured only in the margins of society, or failed altogether, yoga has thrived. Theories abound as to why Americans have taken to yoga. Maybe it's because yoga, with its quiet poses and careful breathing, provides the perfect ballast to stressful American lives. Maybe it's because yoga offers a cure for American body-hating Puritanism. Or maybe it's because yoga offers spiritual transcendence, an hour at a time, all within the confines of your yoga mat.…

    • 254 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Hinduism, there are four main ways to reach towards the divine reality, whether the ultimate goal is a better life, union with the divine, or a release from life. Each yoga puts on its followers a set of actions that help lead the practitioner towards their goal. The yogas are Jnana yoga, Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, and Raja yoga. For meditative people, there is raja yoga, the path of mental concentration. For rational people, there is jnana yoga, the path of rational inquiry. For naturally active people, there is karma yoga, the path of right action. For emotional people, there is bhakti yoga, the path of devotion.. These are all spiritual approaches to understanding the divine world.…

    • 388 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Truman Show Essay

    • 278 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Yoga is a health practice that has been practiced in India for thousands of years and has now become popular around the world (1). It is known as a gentle form of exercise consisting of body postures and breathing…

    • 278 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Yoga can be defined as “a system of exercises practiced as part of this discipline to promote control of the body and mind.” There are many different types of yoga practised around the world. Some of the most popular types include Hatha, Bikram, Vinyasa, Kundalini, Ashtanga, and Iyengar yoga.…

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ontology and Yoga

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages

    When we did yoga on Thursday during class time, it was so much fun. I had never done yoga before and I thought it was going to be hard, but it actually came very easy to me. It worked out every core in my body, especially in the abdominal area. I had imagined before I did yoga that I was going to be out of breathe a lot, but then again I didn’t really know what yoga consisted of. I think we did it, to work out our muscles and joints in our body. Every body is different, so every body had a different reaction to the yoga session. Yoga defines itself as a science – that is, as a practical, precise, and systematic discipline or set of techniques that have the lofty goal of helping human beings to become aware of their deepest nature. It connects us to our faith and self and brings us to peace and freedom during that time. We lose all connections to the outside world and just concentrate on ourselves and who we are. Yoga is more than just an exercise to get your physical body fit and healthy, proper practice of yoga is intended at bringing mind, body and soul in perfect harmony. The reason this fits in with the definition of health is because yoga brings you happiness and you become content with yourself and nothing can bring you down, you feel invincible or that’s how I felt at the time. I felt at peace, and didn’t want the session to end. It was rejuvenating to me and for others as well. You need to go in there with a good attitude, and I think that will make a difference on how you feel when you do yoga. Dr. Bogus was an excellent instructor, and she made the class a lot of fun. Everyone was in tune with what she was saying and didn’t want to stop. For some people it was a little tough for them, but they still got by and they felt happy and worked out. Yoga is a great workout and it will continue to work out the core of every muscle in our…

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Benefits of Yoga

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages

    yoga is the balance between mind and body mentally and physically. the word yoga means union or merger in Sankrit language. yoga combine yogasanas, pranayama, and meditatiion, all in which help a person feel relaxing and energizing. yoga provide physiological, pyschological, and spiritual benefits. these benefits include flexibility in the body, build strength, and feel good as a person overall. the practice of yoga makes a person become more aware of one's existence. it acts as both curative and preventive therapy. yoga important aspect are to achieve mental peace, increase concentrations, and create a healthy relationship.…

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Yoga therapy is an ancient holistic system of recovery of the body. For proper functioning of the body, one needs to balance the operation of such systems as digestion and blood circulation, to establish the normal operation of the endocrine glands and the vestibular apparatus. In this case, the energy state of the tissues of the body depends on the good functioning of the nervous system. The practice of yoga is based on the use of asanas and pranayama. Asanas are the physical exercises, but they are not only physical exercises. Asanas are used to affect all three aspects of a man (body, mind and consciousness), forming and combining them into one harmonious unity. Pranayama is a set of breathing practices aimed at the relaxation not only of the body, but also of the soul. It is the way of relaxation and meditation, which ensures the successful use of asanas. Because being effective in solving different problems, “more and more people afflicted with stress-related illnesses are flocking to yoga to help with managing the symptoms of these illnesses” (The Everything Yoga Blog, 2009).…

    • 958 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays