ORIGIN OF WORD YOGA
The word Yoga means “Unity” or “Oneness”. It is derived from the
Sanskrit word YUJ which in spiritual terms mean the union of the
individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. On a
more practical level, yoga is a means of balancing & harmonizing
the body, mind & emotions and this state need to be achieved
before union with the higher reality takes place.
WHAT IS YOGA?
In Yoga Sutras Maharishi Patanjali replies to the question of
“What is yoga?” as,
“Atha yoga anushasanam” – yoga is a form of discipline.
Maharishi Patanjali quotes the result of this discipline as,
“Yogaha chitta vritti nirodhaha”
Through this discipline we will gain control over the different modifications of
Chitta
AIM OF YOGA
What is the aim of Yoga?
The aim of Yoga is not only to
control the Vrittis, but in turn by controlling the Vrittis obtaining
a state of union with the Paramatma.
The term Yoga carries several technical meanings. One of its principal meanings is
‘Yukti’. Yukti means technique, trick or skill for achieving the goal indirectly when the
goal cannot be achieved directly. Yoga as Yukti can also be termed as a junction in order to feel the divine within us.
Yoga as Yukti involves many different processes which require proper training. So the techniques or practices (i.e., yuktis) enjoined in yogic literature also go under the name of Yoga. Thus we get such terms as Laulika Yoga, Neti Yoga, Dhyana Yoga, Samadhi Yoga etc., for the individual yoga practitioner.
When various such techniques or practices are systematized and formulated they are known as schools of yoga like Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga, Raja Yoga etc., all these schools of Yoga are only Yoga in the sense of so many techniques, Yuktis or Yogic practices.
The four major schools or streams of Yoga are:
(i) Karma Yoga – Path of Self Sacrifice
(ii) Bhakti Yoga – Path of self Surrender
(iii) Jnana Yoga – Path of Self Analysis
(iv) Raja Yoga – Path of Self Control.
The nature of all Yogic practices is psycho-physiological. Although every Yogic practice is psycho-physiological in nature, those practices which emphasis control of mental processes directly are more psychological. Some yogic practices of Hatha Yoga are more physical or physiological than psychological. Only these yogic practices which predominantly are physical or physiological in nature could be referred to as exercises.
Rather, they should be understood in the sense of what is called the hygienic exercises.
Some of the yogic exercises are Surya Namaskar, Asana, Pranayama, Mudras, Bandhas
and Shat kriya.