Religion offers salvation. Yoga offers liberation.

Yoga is a practice which encourages spiritual growth. And the purpose of all spiritual disciplines is the removal of the impurities of the mind.

Om Tat Sat.

In your practice of yoga, it is important to study under a great teacher. Recognize what is important for your development and growth and learn from a teacher whose teachings and methods are aligned with yours or vice versa.

In asana practice:

1) Do you feel comfortable learning from the teacher?
2) Does the teacher’s style and methods suit your preference and understanding?
3) Does the teacher allow you to ask questions?
4) Can you trust your teacher?
5) Does the teacher practice what is preached?

In philosophy:
1) Does the teacher remove your doubts or cause you to be more doubtful?
2) Does the teacher answer your questions?
3) Does the teacher speak the truth or is the teacher influenced also by the media?
4) Does the teacher practice what is preached?
5) Will this teacher contribute to your development or stunt your growth?

I have been to many yoga classes, yoga philosophy workshops, self development programs and seminars. Sadly, there are many people out there who are “parroting” what has previously been said to them without discovering and exploring the truth for themselves. There are also many who have no idea what they are talking about and are not practicing the techniques they are sharing.

Be wise to discern between a good teacher and a great teacher. A great teacher is Sattvic in nature. A great teacher shares freely and humbly. A great teacher practices and speak the truth. A great teacher is not threatened by questions or performance of students.

Pranayama comes from the following words:

• Prana – “life force” or “life energy”
• Yama – “discipline” or “control”
• Ayama – “expansion”, “non-restraint”, or “extension”

Thus, Pranayama means “breathing techniques” or “breath control”. Ideally, this practice of opening up the inner life force is not merely to take healthy deep breaths. It is intended for yoga practitioners to help and prepare them in their meditation process.

In our respiration process, we breathe in or inhale oxygen into our body, going through our body systems in a form of energy to charge our different body parts. Then we exhale carbon dioxide and take away all toxic wastes from our body. Through the practice of Pranayama, the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide is attained. Absorbing prana through breath control links our body, mind, and spirit.

Benefits of Pranayama

Breathing is a normal part of our life, though we hardly pay attention to it. It is an autonomic function of the body that we perform even without concentrating on it. Why then do we have to learn yoga breathing? Here are some reasons why Pranayama is important:

• Pranayama teaches us the proper way to breathe. We became used to breathing from our chest, using only a fraction of the lungs, not knowing that this unhealthy and unnatural way of inhaling may lead to several complications. With yoga breathing, we increase the capacity of our lungs, bringing more oxygen supply to the body to function well. We learn how to breathe slowly and deeply – the right way.
• Pranayama reduces the toxins and body wastes from within our body. It prevents one from acquiring diseases.
• Pranayama helps in one’s digestion. With the proper way of breathing, one’s metabolism and health condition will start to improve.
• Pranayama develops our concentration and focus. It fights away stress and relaxes the body. Controlling one’s breathing also results to serenity and peace of mind.
• Pranayama develops better self-control. Through concentration, one can better handle temper and reactions. Mind can function clearly, avoiding arguments and wrong decisions. Moreover, self-control also involves control over one’s physical body.
• Pranayama leads to spiritual journey through a relaxed body and mind.

However, Pranayama should not be forced and done without proper preparation, or it may lead to nervous breakdowns. It is part of a process in yoga. Breath control is a spiritual practice of cleansing the mind and body which should be done appropriately and with proper guidance and preparation.

Karma Yoga, The Yoga of Action

It is the path chosen primarily by those of an outgoing nature. It purifies the heart by teaching you to act selflessly, without thought of gain or reward. By detaching yourself from the fruits of your actions and offering them up to God, you learn to sublimate the ego.

Bhakti Yoga, The Path of Devotion or Divine Love

This path appeals particularly to those of an emotional nature. The Bhakti Yogi is motivated chiefly by the power of love and sees God as the embodiment of love. Through prayer, worship and ritual he surrenders himself to God, channeling and transforming his emotions into unconditional love or devotion. Chanting or singing the praises of God form a substantial part of Bhakti Yoga.

Jnana Yoga, The Yoga of Knowledge or Wisdom

This is the most difficult path, requiring tremendous strength of will and intellect. Taking the philosophy of Vedanta the Jnana Yogi uses his mind to inquire into its own nature. We perceive the space inside and outside a glass as different, just as we see ourselves as separate from God. Jnana Yoga leads the devotee to experience his unity with God directly by breaking the glass, dissolving the veils of ignorance. Before practicing Jnana Yoga, the aspirant needs to have integrated the lessons of the other yogic paths – for without selflessness and love of God, strength of body and mind, the search for self-realisation can become mere idle speculation.

Raja Yoga, The Science of Physical and Mental Control

Often called the “royal road” it offers a comprehensive method for controlling the waves of thought by turning our mental and physical energy into spiritual energy. Raja Yoga is also called Ashtanga Yoga referring to the eight limbs leading to absolute mental control. The chief practice of Raja Yoga is meditation. It also includes all other methods which helps one to control body, energy, senses and mind. The Hatha-Yogi uses Relaxation and other practices such as Yamas, Niyamas, Mudras, Bandhas etc.. to gain control of the physical body and the subtle life force called Prana. When body and energy are under control meditation comes naturally.

1. Yamas – The Yamas or restraints (Don’ts) are divided into five moral injunctions, aimed at destroying the lower nature. They should all be practiced and developed by the letter but also more importantly in the spirit. They should all be practiced in word, thought and deed.
   • Ahimsa or non-violence
   • Satyam or truthfulness
   • Brahmacharya or moderation in all things (control of all senses). Also refers to celibacy
   • Asteya or non-stealing
   • Aparigraha or non-covetousness
2. Niyamas – The Niyamas or observances (Do’s) are also divided into five and complete the ethical precepts started with the Yama.. These qualities are:
   • Saucha or purity – this internal and external cleanliness.
   • Santosha or contentment
   • Tapas or austerity
   • Swadhyaya or study of the sacred texts
   • Ishwara Pranidhana which is constantly living with an awareness of the divine Presence (surrender to God’s Will)
3. Asanas – Postures
4. Pranayama – regulation or control of the breath. Asanas and Pranayama form the sub-division of Raja Yoga known as Hatha-Yoga
5. Pratyahara – withdrawal of the senses in order to still the mind.
6. Dharana – concentration. The last 3 steps constitute the internal practice of Raja Yoga. When Dharana is achieved, it leads to the next step:
7. Dhyana – meditation is that state of pure thought and absorption in the object of meditation. There is still duality in Dhyana. Mastering Dhyana leads to the last step:
8. Samadhi – the superconscious state. In Samadhi non-duality or oneness is experienced. This is the deepest and highest state of consciousness where body and mind have been transcended and the Yogi is one with the Self or God.

Many people are first drawn to yoga as a way to keep their bodies fit and supple. Others come seeking help or relief for a specific complaint, like stress, tension or backache. Some are merely impelled by a sense of diasstisfaction with life in general. Whatever your reason, yoga can be a tool, an instrument for you – giving you what you came for, and much more.

To understand what yoga is all about you need to experience it for yourself. It is not something anyone can “give” to you.

At first glance, it may seem to be nothing more than a series of strange physical postures. But in time, anyone who continues with regular practice becomes aware of a subtle change in their approach to life – through persistently toning and relaxing the body and stilling the mind, you begin to glimpse a state of inner peace which is your true nature. It is this that constitutes the essence of yoga – this self realisation that we are all seeking, consciously or unconsciously, and towards which we are all gradually evolving.

Yoga literally means “joining” or union. Union with this unchanging reality liberates the spirit from all sense of separation, freeing it from the illusion of time, space and causation. It is only our own ignorance, our inability to discriminate between the real and unreal, that prevents us from realising our true nature.

Even in this ignorance the human spirit often perceives that something is lacking in life – something that neither achieving a goal nor fulfilling a desire can satisfy. In each individual life, the restless search for love, for success, for material possession, for change, for happiness are all witness to this underlying awareness of a reality we sense we cannot touch.

And that is the purpose of the practice of yoga – to attain self realisation and inner peace.

It is said that before the Big Bang or Creation, there was OM – a silent vibrational force. OM is causeless – with no beginning and no end.

OM covers the whole universe and is experienced as self realisation – the Absolute and Oneness.

When pronounced properly, OM covers the whole vocal chord range and thus is said to represent all language and since language and the world is interrelated, it represents the world.

It also represents the threefold of human experience – wake, dream and deep sleep.

2) Proper Exercise is given by the yoga postures or asanas, which work systematically on all parts of the body – stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, keeping the spine and joints flexible and improving the circulation.

3) Proper Breathing means breathing fully and rhythmically, making use of all, not just part, of your lungs to increase your intake of oxygen. Yoga breathing exercises or pranayama teach you how to recharge your body and control your mental state by regulating the flow of prana – the life force.

4) Proper Diet is one that is nourishing and well-balanced, based on natural foods. It keeps the body light and supple and the mind calm, giving a high resistance to disease.

5) Positive Thinking and Meditation help you to remove negative thoughts and still the mind, ultimately transcending all thoughts.