Yoga and Pranayama
"Yoga works primarily with the energy in the body, through the science of pranayama, or energy-control. Prana means also 'breath.' Yoga teaches how, through breath-control, to still the mind and attain higher states of awareness. The higher teachings of yoga take one beyond techniques, and show the yogi, or yoga practitioner, how to direct his concentration in such a way as not only to harmonize human with divine consciousness, but to merge his consciousness in the Infinite." - Paramahamsa Yogananda.
We offer consultation and lessons of yoga and pranayam to our distinguished patients. We prescribe these lessons according to the patient's health condition and ailment. In kaya Kalp, we follow a complete holistic and natural pattern of treatment, and also make certain that special attention and proper care is given to the patients by our dedicated and committed staff.
What is yoga?
In practice, yoga is an applied science of the mind and body. It comes from the Hindu vedas (scriptures). Practice and study of it help to bring about a natural balance of body and mind in which the state of health can manifest itself. Yoga itself does not create health; rather, it creates an internal environment that allows the individual to come to his own state of dynamic balance, or health. Basically, yoga teaches that a healthy person is a harmoniously integrated unit of body, mind and spirit. Therefore, good health requires a simple, natural diet, exercise in fresh air, a serene and untroubled mind and the awareness that main's deepest and highest self is identical with the spirit of God. As a result, to many devotees, yoga becomes a philosophy that offers instruction and insight into every aspect of life: the spiritual, the mental and the physical. Of course, because it is all-encompassing, people who want to pick and choose from its smorgasbord can do so without being disappointed. Yoga is equally satisfying as a physical therapy alone.
Yoga breathing teachings:
Karma, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana, Hatha Yoga, Kriya, Mantra, Kundalini, Laya, Ashtanga, Bikram and Anusara Yoga.
Meditation, contemplation, concentration, through controlled breath.
Pranayama Yoga - Tantric Breathing
Doing these tantra exercises helps to balance the energies within us. Tantra teaches that every adult has all their natural childlike energy within them, always waiting to be activated and help us be more creative, healthy, experience love, and feel happiness.
Anyone can learn these home breathing techniques. All the information you need is right here on this web site and is absolutely free. Please feel free to share it with others and link to us!
Yoga Psychology
Yoga is nearly 5000 years old. The sages or yogis were very keen observers of nature. They observed the postures of various animals and devised a system of exercise for human beings. Acharya patanjali one of the greatest philosopher and teacher of yoga has written a book in yoga by the name ‘Yoga sutras’ which is accepted as the basic text of ‘Yoga Darshan’.
The term yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root “YUJ” which literally means ‘union’. It is believed that Soul; or eternal element in our body has to combine with ‘GOD’ for mukthi. The aim of yoga is detachment of eternal element or Soul from the worldly materials or desires which is the root cause for all evils and sins. To achieve this one has to be pure in mind, soul and body. This can be achieved by particising YOGA.
As a field of teaching and research, yoga psychology has a recent beginning. Institutes and universities offering formal courses in the subject are very few. But its subject matter, principles and techniques are a matter of the ancient past glory of Indian society. Yoga is referred to in the Rig Veda and particularly in the Atharva Veda where there is an elaborate discussion of the individual’s psyche and well-being. However, the most systematic presentation on yoga was made by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras which, although a matter of controversy, may go back as far as 22 centuries ago.
The principles and methods of Yoga described in the ancient Indian scriptures remained neglected for a long time because they were written in different Sanskrit slokas, and also because they were considered to be religious, philosophical and mystic. However, from the beginning of the 20th century, good translations and commentaries of the yogic literature were made available by Indian seers and scholars in different modern languages. The medical scientists and therapists of other fields, including psychology, began verifying yogic principles and using its techniques for promoting health and human adjustment. The practices of yoga, particularly raja yoga and hatha yoga, have withstood scientific tests and they have been found useful in curing many of the so-called incurable diseases.
However, the world of science has to acknowledge and appreciate that yoga is basically a science of mind. Even certain steps of raja yoga such as asana and pranayama are not just physical and physiological exercises. The eight steps of raja yoga present a balanced combination of the physiological yoga of vitality with the psychic yoga of meditation, and the real experience starts from the practice pf pratyahara. Yoga has been rightly defined by Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1980) as “a complete science of consciousness. It provides mastery over all stages of consciousness”. So, most of the yogic sadhanas aim to tune and control the mind. Other yoga practices and steps are a preparation for the same.
Thus yoga has a close link with psychology. We know that earlier modern psychology was also defined as the study of the soul or mind which was later on spelled out in operational terms like conscious experience, behaviour and human adjustment. Yoga psychology presents a synthesis of the two disciplined of yoga and psychology. Precisely speaking, it deals with yogic concepts principles and techniques of psychological relevance. They need re-examination in the light available findings and models. It is amazing to note that many of the concepts which were brought to light in psychology in the 20th century were well-conceived and explained in the ancient literature of yoga psychology. In certain cases modern psychology has yet to match the progress made in the field of yoga psychology.
Different schools of Yoga:
- Bhavana Yoga
- Patanjali yoga or Astanga yoga
- Kundalini or Shakti yoga
BHAVANA YOGA: The name itself indicates devotion. This includes Jnana yoga, Bhakti and Karma yoga
KUNDALINI OR SHAKTI YOGA: Involves energy as power to stimulate the chakras.
PATANJALI YOGA OR ASTANGA YOGA: The name itself indicates that asta means eight, angas means limbs/steps. Eight steps are recommended to gain control over the senses and for spiritual advancement.
1. YAMA
- Means giving up vices. Yama involves behavioral commitments at the intellectual level like Non-Violence, Truth, Asteya (Non-Stealing), Brahmacharya (Celibacy) and Non hoarding.
2. NIYAMA
- Means doing pure activities. Niyama involves behavioral commitments at the emotional level like Purity, contentment, understanding oneself through studies & Surrendering to GOD.
3. ASANA
- Means posture.
4. PRANAYAMA
- Involves controlling of air within the body in order to sensitize the mind to the process of self-realization.
5. PRATYAHARA
- Means to withdraw one’s senses from the sense objects like a tortoise withdraws his body into his shell.
6. DHARANA
- Means to fix one’s mind on an object.
7. DHYANA
- Means meditation.
8. SAMADHI
- Samadhi is the final stage in achieving control over sense organs. It involves persistent awareness of balanced conditions of the self.