The Basics of Yoga
To Learn To Be Kind
One of the Mohammedan saints, who happened to be a woman, once prepared to go to Mecca on a pilgrimage. Mecca is a place of pilgrimage for Mohammedans and is located in Arabia. She had some money for the journey and as she was about to start, she noticed some poor, hungry fellow in the neighborhood. She gave everything away to him and then was not able to go to the place of the pilgrimage. What was the result? An angel appeared to her, and said that her pilgrimage was accepted.
Do you understand what this means? The man who lives on his own earnings, earned by the sweat of his brow, honestly, and who shares with others, is fit to progress on the spiritual way. Do not give for the sake of compensation, or a return. Give for the sake of sharing with others. That is your duty towards your brothers and sisters.
Once Christ was sitting in a gathering and his mother came and sat behind him. Somebody told Christ that his mother had come, and he said, “These are my brothers and sisters, they are also my mothers.” All Masters behave this way.
When our Master went to his own place, the poor came to him and he served them like anyone else. To serve others, to live for others, is really a criterion to know who is a man. We are all beasts in men.
Therefore, the subject today is, earn your livelihood by honest means first. Then, share with others as best you can. Begin with the least you can afford, maybe 1/10th, maybe 1/40th, but you must give something.
Here I have made a rule. Those who give more than thirty or forty rupees should come to me. I must see whether they are in a position to give or not. Sometimes, out of devotion, we want to give everything at the sacrifice of our own children. Those who give little are most welcome. Their donations are received with great appreciation. They are not refused. However, sometimes I find that it is the people who cannot afford to give, who want to send in their money without mentioning their name. Once I had this case. Sometimes I refuse; sometimes I return it all, sometimes I accept half, only to see if not anybody out of devotion cares for their family. That is my concern. It is also my concern to look after your interests. Therefore, the case I mentioned before concerned a man who used to give Rs. 150 a month. His whole monthly income was not more than Rs 200. How could he afford to give Rs. 150 out of Rs. 200? So, I looked into the matter, and found that he had not given his name. I asked that the man come forward during Satsang, as I had kept the money in trust for him and had taken nothing.
The Power Of Sanskrit Language In Yoga
Yoga beginners and enthusiasts alike, one would often hear Sanskrit words, or phrases that sometimes seem like out of this world. Many people are still not familiar with Sanskrit and they do not understand what it is, and its relevance to Yoga.
What is Sanskrit?
Sanskrit is considered to be the very origin and the oldest language recognized by man. It is said to be where all languages have evolved or arisen. In fact, Sanskrit was the language used in the earliest accepted scriptures of the human race or the “Vedas”. The Indians firmly believed that during the Vedic period (about 6,000 to 8,000 years ago) the Devas or the God’s language is Sanskrit and so it was also recognized as the Divine speech or as the “Daivi Vak”.
The language became more apparent in the 7th century BC. It is during this time when Panini, the great grammarian, systematized this language with his grammar and from then on it was referred to as “Samskritam”. Popular and important numerous classic literatures on philosophical, spiritual, cultural and scientific texts (including physical sciences, astronomy, architecture, astrology, and medicine) used the Sanskrit language as their means of expressing, sharing and recording their views, thoughts and ideas.
The Significance of the Sanskrit language
Quantum physics explained to us that any object or phenomena consists of vibration that has its own composite or unique patterns. As such, it is assumed that the Universe’s vibration is where the Sanskrit language originated from. Each Sanskrit word has its own inherent sound. If an individual’s mind is free from anything and is utterly pure then it can replicate the exact figure or object’s image when they hear the Sanskrit word. The same thing happens when the Sanskrit word is pronounced perfectly, the occurrence has the power or influence to manifest the particular image or object in one’s mind. It is for this reason that the Sanskrit language was referred to as the perfect language.
This is why you would often hear a chanting of the mantra and during the Vedic era it was regularly practiced because it is the core of the Sanskrit language. However today there are only a handful of people who are not aware of the essence of perfectly enunciating the Sanskrit words. Moreover there is lesser number of individuals who keep a pure mind. At this rate, most people are experiencing a hard time creating the images in their mind.
Yoga and Sanskrit
Yoga is all about joining and creating a harmonious relationship between the body and mind together for a healthy and balanced state of being. Yoga has become a philosophy and spiritual approach to anyone who wants and needs self-contentment and pure blissfulness. As Yoga became to be popular in the modern Western world, the Sanskrit language became less and less visible or known. People who are in Yoga today are not even aware of the Sanskrit language’s underlying power which has led to lack of understanding. So to re-educate everyone, it would be important to at least know the basic Sanskrit Yoga words:
Asanas – This word refers to a series of poses or postures designed to groom the mind and body for meditation
Chakra – This refers to a person’s sacred energy-centers. There are seven energy-centers in an individual’s body where vital energy is stored and released
Namaste – This is an Indian traditional greeting which and expresses respect and honor the divine presence in the individual they are greeting
Pranayama – Refers to the breath control and exercises fundamental to Yoga
Yogi – Signifies a person who is proficient, mastered the practices, and teaches Yoga
Myths About Yoga
For a beginner, the word Yoga can be overwhelming. Many people have the impression that yoga is something that requires years of intense training and intense body flexibility to excel at. There are many misconceptions about yoga. Let’s break down some of those misconceptions about yoga.
One of the first myths about yoga is that it is an intensely physical sport, only meant for those who are already in peak physical condition. This is simply not true. While there are parts of yoga that do require some physical prowess, this is not true of the entire genre.
Anyone with any body type can do yoga. It is not just something for those who are already athletic. Yoga has benefits for everyone. These days there are multitudes of Yoga for beginners in books, DVD’s and more that you can purchase and learn from Another misconception about yoga is that only women like to do yoga. Yoga is an activity for everyone. Men enjoy yoga just as much as women do, and can also achieve many benefits from doing it. Yoga was never intended to be a sport for one sex over the other.
Yoga isn’t exercise; it’s only to help you be flexible. This is another widely held myth about yoga. Yoga can be just as physically demanding as you make it. You set the pace. Push it as far or as little as you want to. Yoga can be a great way to exercise your body, or it can be a great way to relax and clear your mind.
A final misconception about yoga is that it is a goofy activity, where the people who participate sit around chanting and burning incense. Yoga is about holistic practices. While it originates from India, where a lot of incense is also from, and in many movies it is shown with people who are doing both of these practices, those things are not what yoga is about. It is recommended that you not even burn incense while you are practicing yoga, because it produces smoke, which isn’t good for your lungs.
There are many myths and misconceptions about yoga. Instead of believing in these things that you see or hear about, take a chance and try it for yourself. There isn’t much that you have to buy or learn to begin practicing yoga. In just a few minutes, you can see for yourself just what yoga can do for you.
Understanding Kirtan Yoga
Life is too fast and sometimes our busy day-to-day activities prevent us from catching a calm breath, smelling the roses, and reflecting about life. There is a point in our life where we feel like we need to do something to break away from our daily stressful life. Everyone has an untapped distinctive potential and will only be realized and recognized when one tries to access and explore a deeper level of consciousness within ourselves.
For those who are ready to begin their journey to a stress and anxiety-free living, Kirtan Yoga is recommended. We all know that yoga exercises and postures are performed to relax and strengthen the body and clear the mind from stress. One may also be hearing about the word mantra which is a form of sound vibrations used in the meditation process. It also helps in revitalizing and providing positive energies for the mind.
Kirtan originated from India which can be traced back 2,500 years ago. It is a variety of devotional chanting (written in Sanskrit language) where those who participate sings the sacred mantras and the names of the Hindu gods and goddesses (Kali, Rama, Shiva, Krishna, Ram, Lakshmi and Durga). This creates a livelier form of Yoga exercise where chanting is accompanied by classical Indian instruments. These instruments include the drums (including Indian tablas), harmonium (a freestanding keyboard that sounds like an accordion), finger and bells cymbals.
This practice is what they typically refer to as a call-and-response style of singing involving the audience and encouraging everyone to join in. Kirtan begins with the leader singing a line of a chant which is answered with a response from the guests or audience.
The traditional practice of Kirtan can be compared to a group singing. The group is composed of a chant leader (“kirtan walla”) and the audience. The chant leader sings out words or phrases of words and the audience echoes it back. This gathering usually lasts from 10 to 30 minutes of periodic silence in between songs. Unlike any musical performance, applause is never applied and the chant leader can modify the speed and length of chant. It is an ancient tradition that has been known as an art of relaxing the mind, unlocking the heart, and awakening & connecting the spiritual self to the Divine consciousness.
Kirtan offers a better form of Yoga for those who gets bored, who have little interest, or for individuals who find it difficult in concentrating during the meditation process. The style is different but the benefits and effects of KirtanYoga is basically the same. It gives one the opportunity to find the inner path, explore, and have a taste beyond the body and mind’s realm consciousness through a direct experience of Kirtan Yoga.
Yoga Mantra
Wikipedia defines and describes Mantra as a tool for a spiritual transformation which is created through sound, word, syllable, and even group of words. India’s Vedic tradition is where Mantras originated which later on became a fundamental part of Hindu’s custom and tradition. It has also been an established practice within Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism and since then it gained popularity and became a widespread custom among other religious groups or movements, some of which were off-shoots of the earlier religions and Eastern traditions.
Mantra is also found to be a practical and profound method of opening, self-awakening and self-transcendence. As part of yoga, mantra is also used to discover one’s profound natural roots of his being. What happens here is that the dormant centres of the brain are awakened by the subtle vibrations of both inaudible and audible frequencies during the mental and vocalised sound act. This leads to attuning of the 3 faculties (spiritual, psychological and physiological) to the nascent and sustaining pulsation of life as the vibrations cleanse and purify the consciousness. When one is in the state of deep meditation, one would be able to acquire self-healing and desired universal knowledge.
The significance of Mantra has just been recently recognized in the Western World. The Westerners found out that there is truth to the capacity of certain sound and music-waves in promoting a faster healing compared to orthodox methods.
To give one an overview of the different and varying types of Mantra, this article would try to briefly discuss each type.
Universal Seed – This is the basic, essential, or prime sound vibrations which include the most popular of all – “Om”. Religiously practicing the chanting of the word in a calm and focused mind will enable one to achieve a deeper state of meditation achieving harmony with the universe.
Long mantras – Mantras are originally in Sanskrit language but nowadays many of the words are in different languages. It has also developed into longer mantras which are positive pronouncements or are chanted to gain desired or specific benefits.
Compact prayer – These mantras are chanted as a form of prayer.
It is also important to note that a mantra, whether chanted with a word or phrases of words, can be recited mentally, internally, or in silence and repeated with feelings that which gives one greater benefits.
For beginners, one should allow the mantra in its natural stage. As time goes by, one will be able to gradually move from one level to another. There are four levels by which Mantra is attained: 1) word 2) feeling 3) constant awareness, and 4) silence.
The Power Of Sanskrit Language In Yoga
For Yoga beginners and enthusiasts alike, one would often hear Sanskrit words or phrases that sometimes seem like out of this world. Many people are still not familiar with Sanskrit and they do not understand what it is and its relevance to Yoga.
What is Sanskrit?
Sanskrit is considered to be the very origin and the oldest language recognized by man. It is said to be where all languages have evolved or arisen. In fact, Sanskrit was the language used in the earliest accepted scriptures of the human race or the “Vedas”. The Indians firm believed that during the Vedic period (about 6,000 to 8,000 years ago) the Devas or the God’s language is Sanskrit and so it was also recognized as the Divine speech or as the “Daivi Vak”.
The language became more apparent in the 7th century BC. It is during this time when Panini, the great grammarian, systematized this language with his grammar and from then on it was referred to as “Samskritam”. Popular and important numerous classic literatures on philosophical, spiritual, cultural and scientific texts (including physical sciences, astronomy, architecture, astrology, and medicine) used the Sanskrit language as their means of expressing, sharing and recording their views, thoughts and ideas.
The Significance of the Sanskrit language
Quantum physics explained to us that any object or phenomena consists of vibration that has its own composite or unique patterns. As such, it is assumed that the Universe’s vibration is where the Sanskrit language originated from. Each Sanskrit word has its own inherent sound. If an individual’s mind is free from anything and is utterly pure then it can replicate the exact figure or object’s image when they hear the Sanskrit word. The same thing happens when the Sanskrit word is pronounced perfectly, the occurrence has the power or influence to manifest the particular image or object in one’s mind. It is for this reason that the Sanskrit language was referred to as the perfect language.
This is why you would often hear a chanting of the mantra and during the Vedic era it was regularly practiced because it is the core of the Sanskrit language. However today there are only a handful of people who are not aware of the essence of perfectly enunciating the Sanskrit words. Moreover there is lesser number of individuals who keep a pure mind. At this rate, most people are experiencing a hard time creating the images in their mind.
Yoga and Sanskrit
Yoga is all about joining and creating a harmonious relationship between the body and mind together for a healthy and balanced state of being. Yoga has become a philosophy and spiritual approach to anyone who wants and needs self-contentment and pure blissfulness. As Yoga became to be popular in the modern Western world, the Sanskrit language became less and less visible or known. People who are in Yoga today are not even aware of the Sanskrit language’s underlying power which has led to lack of understanding. So to re-educate everyone, it would be important to at least know the basic Sanskrit Yoga words:
Asanas – This word refers to a series of poses or postures designed to groom the mind and body for meditation.
Chakra – This refers to a person’s sacred energy-centers. There are seven energy-centers in an individual’s body where vital energy is stored and released.
Namaste - This is an Indian traditional greeting which and expresses respect and honor the divine presence in the individual they are greeting.
Pranayama – Refers to the breath control and exercises fundamental to Yoga.
Yogi – Signifies a person who is proficient, mastered the practices, and teaches
Yoga.
