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Important Yoga Texts
One very important yoga text is The Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali which discusses the path of Raja yoga.
Explaining the eight limbs of yoga and terms such as the
yamas, kleshas and gunas. The main message being that only a controlled mind can achieve infinite bliss and peace.
Another important text is The Upanishads which discusses the path of Jnana yoga. It explains how the Upanishads are the foundation of the path of wisdom. It is designed for those with strong will power as well as intellect. There are 200 Upanishads and 13 of those are considered principal. Describing the nature of Supreme Self and explore and explain the ideas of karma and reincarnation. The main message being that Brahman and Atman are one: everything perceived through the senses is a construction of the mind.
Four Paths of Yoga
There are four main paths of yoga: Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Raja yoga and Jnana yoga. Karma yoga focuses on the path of action, and teaches mindfulness, service to others without thought of gain or reward. Bhakti yoga is the path of divine devotion. Directed towards those with an emotional nature. Bhakti yogis can obtain a quiet mind by focusing their energy as well as their thoughts on a deeper place than the superficial ups and downs of life. Raja yoga is based around the science of mental and physical control. It is the one most people associate with yoga the most, as it emphasizes meditation and other cleansing techniques. Lastly, Jnana yoga, which is the path of knowledge and/or wisdom. First documented in the ancient Vedas. The idea of monism, one universal consciousness also meaning that everything is connected with a timeless spirit.
Sri Swami Kailashananda, also known as Yogi Gupta, was born in Kanpur, Northern India, in 1913. ,ll
He then died at age 98 on May 6th, 2011 in India. He
originally practiced law before renouncing worldly life
and becoming a monk in the holy city of Varanasi. He
practiced yoga for many years mastering many forms of yoga. In 1954, he was invited to speak at a health convention in Chicago, after which he became a yoga teacher in America. He was the first to establish a Hatha Yoga Institution in the U.S, which was located in New York City. He was the Guru of countless people, one of them being Sri Dharma Mittra, as well as his wife. Yogi Gupta was a talented Ayurved physician and continued to help others until the very end of his days.
There are countless translations of the word Namaste, as there is so much meaning that can be found within the word. The most common translation is "I bow to you" but other possible translations are: the Divine light in me acknowledges the Divine light in you;
the God in me greets and meets the God in you; and
I honor the spirit in you that is also in me.
My favourite translation of namaste can be found within the photo to the right. I chose this translation as it just seemed to pop out at me as I read it. I felt the most connected to the translation which I thought was important. I enjoy the thought and connection out into the words and feel that they contain a lot of meaning.
Namaste is a special word, and gesture, within the yoga community. It is both a greeting and sign-off that demonstrates that you recognize a Divine spark within everyone and respect them as they respect you.
Despite how small it may appear, the word om contains a lot of meaning. Om is made up of three syllables: A, U, and M, which sound like “aaah,” “oooh,” and “mmm.” They can represent many different trios, such as: the heavens, earth, and the underworld; the Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva; and the waking, dreaming, and
dreamless states.
Om often strives to
represent the
inclusion
of all things.
When done properly, saying the word om releases vibrations and the rhythmic pronunciation also have a physical affect on the body by slowing down the nervous system and therefore calming the mind which is similar to meditation. Once the mind is relaxed, your blood pressure decreases and overall the health of your heart improves. Also saying om during practice is just a way to signify you are taking a special moment out of your day for yourself.
However the word om can lose its powerfulness if not done correctly.
First, you would need to position your mouth as you would say the vowel “U”. Next, without changing the position of your mouth, start pronouncing AUM. This is what causes the throaty “O” sound to occur. Then
finish with “M” as deep humming. Lastly let the sound fade off into silence, calming yourself as you do so.
http://www.yogabasics.com/learn/history-of-yoga/
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/history-of-yoga/yogas-trip-america/
http://www.sonima.com/yoga/100-most-influential-yoga-teachers-in-america-2016/
http://www.yogajournal.com/category/yoga-101/philosophy/yoga-sutras/
http://www.ancient.eu/Bhagavad_Gita/
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/philosophy/yoga-s-greater-truth/
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/yoga-workouts
http://www.healthandfitnesstravel.com/blog/why-is-yoga-so-good-for-you
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/health/count-yoga-38-ways-yoga-eps-fit/ ke
http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/6-reasons-men-should-do-yoga.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-gregoire/yoga-women_b_4163938.html https://genderleisureandsport.wordpress.com/2015/03/10/the-past-present-and-future-of-yoga/ -
http://www.itsallyogababy.com/men-on-the-mat-yoga-the-gender-divide/
http://www.sivananda.org/teachings/fourpaths.htmlhttp://www.swamij.com/four-paths-of-yoga.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kripalu/meaning-of-om_b_4177447.html
http://www.religionfacts.com/om
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7565/om-what-is-it-why-do-we-chant-it.htmlhttp://happyfit.ca/why-do-we-say-om-and-namaste/
http://aboutmeditation.com/how-to-pronounce-om/
http://www.yogabasics.com/learn/unlocking-the-mystery-of-om/ http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-2776/5-Facts-You-May-Not-Know-About-OM.html
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/beginners/the-meaning-of-quot-namaste-quot/ http://happyfit.ca/why-do-we-say-om-and-namaste/
https://www.gotquestions.org/meaning-of-namaste.html
http://www.wakingtimes.com/2014/11/08/meaning-namaste-many-translations-one-universal-intention/
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/whitehindu/2015/05/what-does-namaste-really-mean/ -
https://www.pinterest.com/explore/namaste-translation/
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/history-of-yoga/yogas-trip-america/
https://images.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl
https://www.google.ca/search?q=namaste&biw=1366&bih=662&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYnfz-tsPSAhXn5IMKHbd7CUYQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=yoga+clipart&*
https://www.google.ca/search?q=namaste&biw=1366&bih=662&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYnfz-tsPSAhXn5IMKHbd7CUYQ_AUIBigB
https://www.google.ca/search?q=namaste&biw=1366&bih=662&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYnfz-tsPSAhXn5IMKHbd7CUYQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=four+paths+of+yoga&*
Yoga can be traced back to over 5,000 years ago. The word being written in songs and texts, then slowly began to be refined by Brahmans and Rishis who wrote down their practices and beliefs in the Upanishads. The first systematic presentation was brought by Pantajali's Yoga-Sûtras. Pantajali organized the practice of yoga into an 8 limbed path in order to find enlightenment. Centuries later, yoga masters created new practices with the intention to rejuvenate the body and prolong life. Moving past ancient teachings and moving into a more modern approach based around the physical body and enlightenment. With that brought the development of Tantra Yoga; exploring techniques of cleaning the mind and body, breaking the ties to our physical existence. Which lead to the beginning of creating the image of yoga that we think of in the West: Hatha Yoga. In the late 1800s into 1900s is when yoga masters began to transition from India to the West, bringing their yoga practices with them.
*More details about the transition on a later slide
In the past yoga was thought to be a sacred activity. One that held honor and strength, performed men and sometimes also women who were up to the task. The classic image that comes to mind may be bald man sitting with his legs crossed. However over the years, things began to change. Nowadays, yoga is almost considered an activity based solely for women. In a study from 2012, 83% of yoga teachers in America were female. Women who perform yoga outnumber men who do so 3 to 1. As we try to move past our sexist ways, it is trying to be explained that yoga provides wonderful health benefits for both men and women, and both should partake in the activity.
After it's transition to the West, yoga gained a lot of popularity and is still practiced often today. Known for its health benefits and calming affects, people love the activity. There are different yoga classes provided and people are also encouraged to practice it on their own, both of which are wonderful opportunities. People find yoga to be relaxing and a great way to escape from their busy everyday life. Yoga also provides ways to develop muscle strength and improve balance, which makes it popular among many.
In the late 1800s into 1900s, yoga masters began to travel to the West, which attracted a fair bit of attention and followers. With the first large attraction being at the 1893 Parliament of Religions in Chicago, when Swami Vivekananda shocked the attendees with his lectures on yoga and the universality of the world’s religions. In continued through to the 1920s and 1930s which is when Hatha Yoga was being strongly promoted in India. Books were written and information still trickled through from India to the West until 1947 when Indra Devi opened her yoga studio in Hollywood. Ever since, the popularity of yoga has continued to grow, gaining millions of followers. Now there are many different schools around the world emphasizing many different aspects of the practice, offering a large variety for anyone and everyone who may be interested.
Honestly, I originally signed up for yoga because gym class scares the life out of me. I always would feel judged and compared to others while in gym class, and not like I was really working to improve myself, and rather just being forced to compete against my peers. I had heard that yoga was more accepting, and not as scary, so I was certainly willing to try it out. Also I've always had this urge to improve my flexibility and strength but was never one for stressful forms of activity such as weightlifting, running, rugby, or anything that included a large group of people. I wanted something that was about me, and my journey.
Walking into yoga I knew there was some history and spirituality to it but this assignment really opened my eyes as to how much history there is. Yoga has been around a a lot longer than I realized and was a lot more popular than I thought. I think the coolest thing I realized from this assignment was all the meaning and translations that can come from the word namaste, it's a small word with a lot of meaning, and I mean, a lot. But I like it, I enjoy simplistic looking things with a large story that can be found within them.
I can absolutely see myself becoming more interested with yoga and including it into my everyday lifestyle as it is a fun activity in which I can watch myself travel through a personalized journey, hopefully a fun journey at that.