Yoga Research Paper

Yoga is a practice for union. When yoga is being practiced the participant becomes relaxed and tries to achieve a higher state of mind.(Fisher 80) There are different types of yoga that help achieve different states of mind. Raja yoga is the path to mental concentration and is used by meditative people. Jnana yoga is the path to rational inquiry which is done by rational people, and for naturally active people there is karma yoga which is the path of right action. “Yoga is known as the disconnection of the connection with suffering.” –The Bhagavad Gita (hinduwisdom.info) Hinduism also has a series of gods and goddess who Hindu’s pray to and worship. Durga whom is called the Ideal Warrior, Sita, who is the

Yoga is a comprehensive system of mind/body techniques that is thousands of years old. Its techniques are designed to improve physical and mental health and well being, and include such practices as physical postures and stretching, breathing exercises (pranayama), focused concentration, meditation, visualization, and chanting (mantra) (Desikachar, 1999; van der Kolk, 2014).

The art of doing yoga we know today originated 5000 years ago in India. The infinite cognitive, physiological, and neurological benefits of yoga have been found and proven effective in regaining energy, balance, and health. Practicing this ancient body art, even just for few short minutes, will enable an individual to regain balance and physical energy. Regular practice of yoga can bring improvement in health, in mind and body, increased energy, well-being, and

This is perhaps the most common view of yoga. That it is a form of physical exercise. This certainly needs to be clarified and I am going to provide some details about true yoga practice in order to do this.

The meaning of hathayoga is “yoga of force” and refers to an intangible energy network within our physical body called “the subtle body.” Accordingly to the medieval teachings of hathayoga, there are two energy channels, the solar and lunar, which are balanced through postures and breath-control to then force the body to move into a meditative state, which seems so important for gaining insight about our physical existence. However, this metaphysical side of hathayoga was not addressed at the yoga practice I attended at. With this in mind, yoga certainly has physical benefits, but to ignore the spiritual aspect of the practice should not be forgotten and challenges my understanding of yoga as taught in lecture. For example, yoga can be seen as a spiritual path where through the unification of mind, body, and our senses a greater understanding of the “ultimate self” or “reality” can be gained, which then leads to liberation. Thus, I think for today’s yoga it would be useful to also emphasize the spiritual components to further expand the experience of the practitioner. The origin of yoga from the Indian traditions emphasized that yoga is a vehicle for physical, metaphysical, and spiritual transformation of the practitioner. Yoga has a huge component of self-reflection and contemplation in order to gain insight for liberation from worldly suffering, which is often accomplished through meditation where a strong, healthy body supports that practice. For example, the Vedic tradition and early Hindu society used mantras to go beyond their physical experience. The performance of mantras can be seen as a meditative as well as contemplative practice where one strengthens their mind to then unite with divine beings. Not to mention, accordingly to the Upanisads, yoga of meditation (dhyanayoga) is a common method to reach insight about

Yoga is used over 100 times in the Bhagavad Gita by Krishna. Yoga can be used as a noun or a verb, depending on the usage and linguistic representation. Yoga is something that everyone practices, regardless of his or her knowledge of it (Ghosh, 2012). The definition of yoga is revealed to be devotion, discipline, and self-fulfillment.

Body fitness is a state asserted to be highly essential in ensuring healthy living. It often realized through regular physical exercises. Yoga is a technique that may be deemed an old means of working out however recently most people adopt its use in as a way of ensuring they stay fit and in shape. For instance, most sports personalities have added yoga to their working out strategies. Similarly actors use the work out approach to ensure they stay in shape.

The yoga that most studios practice is derived from an ancient Indian practice that has roots in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. However, many yoga teachers disregard the religious aspect of yoga and focus more on the self-discipline and physical aspects of the exercise. Yoga usually is practiced in a Dojo styled setting, with relaxing background music in comfortable clothing and on Yoga mats. It is used to focus oneself, as well as to build strength and self discipline.

If you are looking for a calming and relaxing experience then hatha yoga is probably right for you. If you'd prefer something more energetic then you should consider

1B.The definition of the word yoga is union. It is derived from the Sanskrit root "yuj," meaning "to join", "to unite" but also "to subjugate," and “to control.” Yoga can take on meanings such as "connection", "contact", "union", "method", "application", "addition" and "performance".

Yoga is a discipline both involving physical and mental control that originated in India. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word, "yug", meaning union and it means the joining of the individual spirit with the universal spirit. The type of yoga known as Hatha Yoga, ("Ha"- sun, "tha"-moon) is what is most commonly practiced and this yoga involves the path of the mind and body and is the most physical. There are eight limbs or steps of Hatha Yoga, the first step being the five Yamas. There are five yamas and these concern your behavior to the world.

A type of yoga that focuses primarily on the breath is viniyoga; which also uses chanting, pranayama, and asana techniques. Asana is a relaxing type of yoga that includes many resting poses and pranayama are breathing exercises. Ashtanga is a fast paced yoga and the inspiration for many power yoga classes you can find at the gym. Bikram is hot yoga, which is generally practiced in a room that is generally heated to over 100 degrees (McCall 106-113). Kripalu is different from other forms of yoga because it places importance on emotions, physical sensations, and thoughts that arise during practice. The way we think and react during practice is an example of the way we respond to people and act out in our everyday life ("Kripalu" 4-5). Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy is a practice where the instructor moves your body into a number of positions while you remain passive. There are many other types of yoga as well including; kundalini, anusara, triyoga, savasana, tantra, and gym yoga (McCall 110-113).

Both the Yoga sutras and early Buddhist meditation studies the eightfold or eight limbs practices and principles. The eightfold of the early Buddhist meditation practices includes the right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. The eight limbs of Yoga sutra meditation similarly practices five restraints, five observances, postures, breath control, control of the senses, concentration, contemplation, and meditative absorption. There are multiple commonalities when it comes to the practice of Yoga sutra and early Buddhist meditation which importantly is state of the mind where the mind is informed. These steps of practices are the direction of finding

Yoga is the physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India with a view to attain a state of permanent peace of mind in order to experience one 's true self. “Yoga is the suppression of the modification of the mind.” In Yoga, the word nirodha, which means suppression, is one of the most significant terms used in the entire Yoga vocabulary. In Yoga there are spontaneous forces at work that must be prevented from producing their effect on the mind, which is what you must suppress them. It is stated that suppression is the basic purpose of Yoga itself. “There are as many forms of Yoga as there are varieties of spiritual traditions in India.” Each of these varieties is able to give heir own unique way saying exactly what yoga is and its liberation towards mankind.

* Ashtanga – This yoga is for those who want a serious and physically demanding workout. “It involves synchronizing breathing with progressive and continuous series of postures-a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs” (Mats, LLC, 2013). Not recommended for beginners.