Ashtanga Yoga

 Ashtanga Yoga

 

Let us jump straight into the heart of the matter and then we will come back to the basics.

Ashta means eight (8). The Yoga is divided into 8 parts. In fact, they call it steps. You have to climb them one after another. You cannot jump to 4 th step from the ground. You will and get injured if you do so. People try to jump, people try to find short-cuts.

What are the 8 steps?

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1.      Iyamam

2.      Niyamam

3.      Aasanam

4.      Prnaayaamam

5.      Prathtyaakaaram

6.      Thaarannai

7.      Thiyaanam

8.      Samadhi

 

In this list, the first 4 belongs to the discipline of body and the next four is about the mind.

Without getting the body under control, we cannot control the mind.

The body is gross…it can be touched, felt, organized, disciplined. We cannot directly access the mind. We can reach the mind through the body. Body and mind are so closely interrelated.

Yoga means integrating. Integrating what?

Integrating body and mind.

Our body pulls in one direction and our mind in another direction. We do not know who is in control of our life. Sometimes, it looks body drives and some other times, it is the mind which directs the flow.

Yoga brings a synthesis between the two and makes it unified.

People jump to 3 part directly, Aasanam and call it yoga.

Even if somebody jumps to Aasanam directly, why to do Aasanaas? For what purpose? Why to sit straight, bend your body in so many postures? For what purpose?

Yoga has become too commercialized and there are so many brands for Yogas.

It has become a fitness process.

It is not. Yoga’s objective is to integrate the mind and body and attain the calm, peaceful and tranquil status of mind. A mind void of all disturbances, distractions, and confusions.

How that is achieved?

We are going to see it in the days to come.