But I must say that this activation does not happen quickly for all people. Therefore, for many, yoga remains the same. exercise type morning exercises which simply makes the person "feel good". This is for those people who understand their physical body by the word "I" or "myself". That is, for those who think that he is "a piece of meat with bones and a brain." This is why so many people get stuck in yoga. The physical body is good - and okay.
Having been engaged in such yoga exercises for several years, a person develops flexibility and a certain dexterity in performing asanas. In the future, people often become yoga instructors (as it is now profitable and fashionable) and continue the line of “yoga without teaching”. Therefore, at the moment we have many yoga schools where the instructors do not know anything about yoga! Although they perfectly bend on the rug in different poses.
But I'm not saying it's bad! For most people, this is just what you need. Since not everyone can understand yoga as a teaching. Yoga is first and foremost a teaching.! And it was intended for the caste of warriors (rulers) and brahmins (teachers). For those who can see in this teaching a school of life on Earth. The rest of the castes can learn yoga only as exercises for the physical body.
But for me personally, magic began precisely with yoga, so I want to explain to everyone what yoga is, since this question is often asked to me. It can be said that I still do yoga, but already at its highest levels. In my understanding, magic is the so-called raja yoga (yoga of kings or yoga of the elect). On this moment there are thousands of different variations of yoga. How to deal with them?
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The very doctrine of yoga is described in only one treatise. This treatise is called the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. What it is? There used to be such a sage Patanjali (according to various sources, it was around the second or fourth century BC). He was a sage who studied the Vedic scriptures for many years. And since the era of degradation has already begun, he took and collected his knowledge for posterity in his yoga sutra and passed it on to his students along with a set of exercises. So, all yoga there is divided into 8 steps.
Each step involves the passage of the previous steps. The first 4 steps are conditionally called hatha yoga. The next steps are raja yoga. That is, both hatha yoga and raja yoga are just subsections of the classical eight-step yoga described by Patanjali. All other varieties of yoga are also just smaller fragments of the classic 8-step yoga! Except for the already obvious gag, which has nothing to do with yoga. Therefore, in order to understand whether any direction can be called yoga, you need to read the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali itself.
yoga steps
- Niyama.
- Asana.
- Pranayama.
- Pratyahara.
- Dharana.
- Dhyana.
- Samadhi.
The first two stages of Yama and Niyama are philosophical life principles, without the approval of which the student was not allowed to the next stages. The very first principle of Yama is Ahimsa(not causing harm - neither in thoughts, nor in words, nor in deeds), hence vegetarianism and the corresponding perception of the world follow! This is only the first step of the first step, and there are five of them.
Only after mastering the philosophy of yoga, the student was allowed to study asanas, and only then pranayamas were shown to him. The student could reach the next fifth step only after decades. Everything depended on the ability of the student. Since yoga is the "white way", the help to the student was minimal. The white teacher's best assistant is a stick.
All steps, starting from the fifth, this is what we call magic. But we are already doing this in isolation from the body, as well as with the help of body-oriented practices. We can afford it, because we have experience and energy. For people walking on their own, this approach is not possible. Therefore, their path is longer and more difficult. However, with all this, those who follow this path develop more harmoniously and correctly, since they do not forget about their body! Therefore, I strongly recommend to all magicians and esotericists not to abandon body-oriented practices.
Yoga is often perceived as a kind of oriental fitness, or the teachings are shrouded in a halo of magic and mysticism. In fact, yoga is an ancient complex Indian system, the methods and practice of which help to find the harmony of soul and body. The philosophy of the system is based on a special perception of the Universe and the human role in its development. The global goal that yoga puts before every practitioner is liberation from the illusions of being and unification with Brahman - the eternal transcendental principle. If you decide to study yoga, we recommend that you also read our article.
Content:
Fundamentals of Yogi Philosophy
The philosophy of yoga calls for movement from illusion to reality, from the transient to the true and eternal.
According to the yogic concept, a person is a consciousness that has a form and is embodied in the visible world. The soul or atman itself is boundless and free from attachment and feeling. The body is mortal, it can live only for a while, after which it dies. Consciousness is eternal, after the death of the body it is embodied again in another, and thus, again and again comes to the physical world. Such an endless cycle of rebirths in Hindu philosophy is called samsara. Life in such a reality is just an illusion, dooming oneself to suffering in one way or another. You can completely get rid of worldly suffering only by destroying imaginary illusions and freeing yourself from identifying yourself with the body, thereby interrupting the chain of rebirths.
Supreme enlightenment, or absolute union with Bharman, is called the state of Samadhi. This is what yogis are trying to achieve through a combination of various practices.
The True Self of each of us experiences a state of eternal bliss and is inseparable from the primordial source of all things and concepts. Yoga philosophy calls for movement from illusion to reality, from the transient to the true and eternal.
Eight Stages of Achievement
Yoga Sutra - the first description of yoga by the sage Patanjali around the second century BC. e. The system includes 185 aphorisms, the common name of which is “Precious Rosary”. They reveal the philosophy of yoga, understand the obstacles on the path of the yogi to the highest goal. It was Patanjali who brought out the concept of the "eightfold path", which logically represents the sequence of all steps of complex practice. It is also called "the steps for the search for the soul."
- The first step is Yama. Compliance with moral precepts and rules that form interpersonal relationships;
- The second step is Niyama. Responsible for internal control and self-discipline;
- The third step is Asana. Care about physical health through a system of exercises (poses);
- The fourth step is Pranayama. Breathing exercises, aimed at controlling and managing the flows of Prana;
- The fifth step is Pratyahara. Temperance and control of the senses;
- The sixth step is Dharana. Concentration and concentration of thoughts;
- The seventh step is Dhyana. Meditation;
- The eighth step is Samadhi. Merging with the Higher Mind or enlightenment.
The eight step system consists of the components of a happy and fulfilling life. They complement each other and are interdependent. All steps lead to a single, final goal - Samadhi. Any gaps in the cultivation of one of them will serve as an obstacle to true self-realization.
You don't have to be a hermit to practice yoga.
In yogic philosophy, the concept of dharma plays an important role. This is such a moral and ethical code, which consists of the following principles:
- Ahimsa (refraining from harming the body or mind);
- Article (truthfulness and honesty in thoughts and words);
- Asteya (refraining from stealing);
- Brahmacharya (chastity and control over carnal urges);
- Karuna (compassion);
- Maitri (mercy).
There is an opinion that in order to practice yoga, you need to go into hermitage, sit in a cave and meditate all the time, leaving behind all the sorrows and joys of worldly existence. This path exists, but is only one of many others. Retreat for the sake of stopping the internal dialogue and achieving Samadhi is called a sannyasin. Another, more accessible practice option for a modern person is yoga in action.
Types of yoga
In the philosophy of yoga there are seven branches of practice leading to the comprehension of truths and self-improvement. Experienced practitioners choose several styles based on their own needs, skills, and preferences.
- Raja yoga. Getting rid of samsara through meditation and prolonged concentration on one's own feelings;
- Janana Yoga or the yoga of wisdom presupposes a gradual comprehension of the laws of the Universe;
- Yoga of Karma or action. It is aimed at developing a person's karma with the help of correct actions leading to improvement;
- Bhakti. Achievement of Samadhi through prayers and religious ecstasy;
- Mantra yoga. Sound view, during the practice of which special chants and mantras are sung;
- Tantra yoga. Internal practice work with subtle energies and biofield;
- Hatha yoga or power yoga. Associated with the transformation of the physical body through the performance of asanas.
Treatment of diseases with asanas. Yoga as medicine
Some yogic schools have developed a whole system of wrong states of human consciousness, which are contrary to the laws of nature. These violations lead directly to disease. Modern medicine also has a similar course - psychoimmunology. The starting point of any illness is a distorted state of consciousness. For example, if a sore throat is caused by an unspoken opinion or the inability to explain anything to others, then a cold is a consequence of gossip and criticism in relation to loved ones.
Due to the fact that the disease is the cause of spiritual disorders at a subtle level, traditional medicine with the help of chemicals and surgical methods can only eliminate superficial symptoms, while the root of the disease remains in the mind.
Yoga philosophy offers practitioners a different approach to the treatment of ailments. The system of hatha yoga assumes that each asana affects in one way or another on all systems of the body, helping to eliminate the cause of the disease. Asanas help to enter that very correct state, linking physical and mental processes.
According to the scripture, asanas were given to man by the god Shiva to achieve the health of the body and thoughts. During the performance of asanas, the body enters a certain pose, performing it both in statics and in dynamics. Assanas are classified according to postures of contemplation, inverted postures, balance postures, etc. Mental processes in the practice of asanas are directly related to muscle activity. The whole practice is accompanied by controlled three-stage breathing.
Regular performance of asanas has a therapeutic and restorative effect. Hatha yoga improves the functioning of the digestive, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, excretory and musculoskeletal systems.
Below is a short list of the most popular asanas with a description of the healing effect.
One of the leading and universal postures in the practice of hatha yoga is Shavasana or corpse pose. Its implementation implies complete relaxation of the body and mind. Physiologically, properly performed Savasana can replace several hours of good sleep.
Having mastered asanas, the practitioner stands at the foot of the possibilities of regulating all processes occurring in the body. By placing his body in various postures, the yogi sends healing energy to certain organs with the help of concentration and breathing.
Yoga is a process, a series of actions, a transformation, a movement towards a goal.
Health and absolute harmony do not appear quickly - it is the result of complex work on oneself and internal transformation. Every beginner who wants to learn yoga should be prepared for self-change. When we fear change, it doesn't come. The most important thing is will, self-discipline, regular classes and a great desire to achieve a given goal.
At the moment, according to statistics, yoga is practiced by more than 20 million people around the globe. What makes it so popular and relevant?
- Yoga is the key to whole body health. She is able to revive the body, fill it with strength and energy;
- Yoga has a positive effect on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels, connecting the soul and body into a single whole. The mind becomes clear and bright, and thoughts - clear and understandable;
- Practitioners of yoga get rid of many diseases in a complex, contrary to what Western medicine does, curing symptoms separately and resorting to expensive drugs;
- Yoga teaches to get involved in the flow of everyday events, while remaining internally indifferent and free from interfering fuss;
- Regular practice instills good habits, the desire to live honestly and righteously, to fulfill one's duties and debts without thought of potential retribution, and to control one's own thoughts and feelings;
- Yoga allows you to connect with your inner nature, gain deep knowledge of the universe, understand the laws of the world and know yourself.
It should be remembered that yoga is not an end in itself. Yoga is a process, a series of actions, a transformation, a movement towards a goal. The main idea of the whole philosophy is not the result for the sake of the result, but the experience of transcendent reality. For a real yogi, it doesn’t matter what he does: he washes dishes or walks on fresh air He will always be happy. Because inner happiness does not depend on the events of the illusory world. He is free, he observes, he is simple in life and therefore happy.
Yoga is based on the Vedas and is one of the Vedic philosophical schools. Yoga means "concentration", its founder is considered to be a sage Patanjali(II century BC).
Yoga according to Patanjali , is a systematic effort used to achieve perfection through the control of various elements of human nature - physical and mental. The philosophy of yoga requires a systematic effort on oneself , suppression of the spontaneous flow of thoughts. The mind, acting on the body, with its help reaches new spiritual levels. To implement this, developed its own octal method. It includes a successive change of levels of self-control and self-organization.
First stage - pit(abstinence). It forbids theft, lies, violence, hatred of people; promotes moderation in everything: in thoughts, words and deeds.
Second step - niyama(observance of the rules). It includes external and internal bodily purification, self-restraint, self-discipline. At this stage, you can not use swear words, shout at people. It is necessary to be silent one day a week, regularly study the literature on yoga, philosophy, physiology.
Third step - asana(position). It represents the physical support from the body to the state of concentration. Specific postures help to achieve greater concentration. To think, you need, at least, to sit in comfortable posture. Yoga attaches great importance to this.
Fourth step - pranayama(regulation of breathing). It includes breathing exercises. Particular attention is paid to holding the breath, during which vital energy - prana - is intensively supplied to the body.
Fifth step - pratyahara(removal of feelings). It involves focusing on oneself. At the same time, "the mind must be radically deprived of all impressions from the outside." He who has reached this stage must build a cell in his heart and retire into it every day.
Sixth step - dharana(fixing attention) It involves an active concentration of attention on the object. In ordinary life, ideas come and go, but they don't stay for long. You need to keep your attention on them.
Seventh step - dhyana(contemplation). At this stage, penetration into the essence of the object of concentration is achieved.
Eighth step - samadhi(concentration). This is the pinnacle and goal of yoga, as it lifts the soul from its temporary, conditioned, changing existence to a simple, eternal and perfect life.
A feature of Indian philosophy is its intellectual tolerance, all teachings do not completely reject the teachings of the Vedas, but supplement them, arguing that the truth is one, but it is multifaceted.
The basis of Chinese philosophy was the ancient Chinese literature: "Pentateuch" ("Wu Ching"). They raise many questions: where did evil come from - from God or man; the problem of the beginning of the world - fire, water, wood, metal, earth were called in their capacity; five phenomena of nature - rain, sunshine, heat, cold, wind. Important role in the explanation of the universe, two polar and at the same time interdependent forces are assigned - Yang and Yin.
These concepts are polysemantic, personify, as modern philosophers would say, dialectical opposites: Jan- active male power, yin- passive female power; they were forces of light and darkness, heat and cold, hardness and softness, positive and negative. It was believed that between these concepts and human life there is Feedback: if people act in accordance with the natural laws that these concepts reflect, then order and tranquility reign in society and in individuals, but if there is no such consent, then the whole country and everyone in it are in turmoil.
Founder Taoism(the most philosophical of all Chinese teachings) is considered the Chinese sage Lao-tzu (VI-V centuries BC) - the literal translation is “elderly teacher”. The central category of this philosophy is Dao, a multi-valued concept - the beginning and end of all things, the path of stars and virtues, the law of the universe and human behavior, the fundamental principle of all things.
Tao exists by itself, forever, no one can change it. A person in Taoism is considered from the point of view of a dual nature: his first beginning comes from the Tao, therefore it is true and natural, and the second is generated by the passions and delusions of the person himself, therefore it is false and artificial. Hence the conclusion: in a real person, the true must defeat the artificial, the false. A person is not able to influence the world order, therefore his lot is peace and humility.
The basic tenet of Taoism is non-doing theory- wuwei. But at the same time, Taoism raised the problem of immortality, for this a special life extension practice was developed, which is based on a certain worldview, diet, breathing exercises, a technique for stimulating the internal energy of qi and alchemy. Even emperors and high officials paid tribute to the mystical knowledge of the Taoists.
Another important theme of Chinese philosophical thought was the idea of moral improvement in the way of observing the rules and rituals, which were set out in Confucianism. The founder of this philosophical school is Kung Fu Tzu (551-479 BC), who became famous as a talented teacher and politician. Unlike Taoism, Confucianism sees the individual as part of society.
Confucius taught that nothing positive can be achieved without being guided by the correct principles: humanity (ren), justice and duty (yi), knowledge of the correct ritual (li), wisdom (zhi), respectfulness (xiao). Confucius developed a model of a perfect man ("noble husband"), with him it is not only an ethical ideal, but also a political one, to which a perfect ruler must meet. Confucius formulates « Golden Rule morality""What you don't want for yourself, don't do to people"
Confucius saw the social structure of the state according to the principle of the family: the sovereign is the father and mother of his subjects, Heaven itself speaks through him, but the sovereign must take care of his “children”. Everyone should know the place that is intended for him in society: "The sovereign must be the sovereign, the subject - the subject, the father - the father, the son - the son." Everyone is obliged to comply with the norms of "li" - a social and religious ritual, then there will be order, balance and justice in society.
Confucianism turned into a state ideology and subsequently actually became the basis of a specifically Chinese way of life, largely shaping the unique face of Chinese civilization. A feature of the methodology of cognition in Confucius is the penetration into the truth through the comprehension of order: the construction of a structure, classification, decomposition into tables, rows, cells. If the motto of Western philosophy is “doubt and free reflection”, then Chinese philosophy is “learning and repeating what has been learned”. Confucian knowledge, therefore, is directed to the study of tradition, and not to the discovery of the new.
The "school of lawyers" opposed Confucianism - legalism.
Shang Yang, the founder of this school, developed the theory of a despotic state, opposed philanthropy, which he considered the cause of all misconduct, convinced that politics is incompatible with morality, instead of persuasion, coercion should be used.
Questions for self-control:
1. What is the difference between ancient Chinese philosophy and Indian philosophy?
2. If the motto of Western philosophy is “doubt and free reflection”, then Chinese philosophy is “learning and repeating what has been learned”. Try to identify the strengths and weaknesses of both positions.
3. Try to formulate the essence of the teachings of Confucius.
4. Try to formulate the main thing in the teachings of the Buddha.
5. Find out what the terms mean:
Upanishads
Orthodox
Despotism
Yoga has become very popular these days. Many tendencies of modern society served this process, and the development of the Internet and the disappearance of borders for the dissemination of information, could make yoga truly accessible to every seeker.
Let's try to figure out: what are the basics of yoga, what is the purpose of yoga, how yoga is understood by most modern people, what the sages of the past spoke about this science of self-knowledge, what books about yoga remained as a support in practice and what a beginner needs to know.
Most modern people believe that yoga is effective gymnastics, which has healing and rejuvenating properties, an activity that relieves stress and gives harmony.
Some go to fitness centers for yoga classes because they want to improve their figure, relax after labor exploits or treat their backs.
But, if we get acquainted with the basics of yoga and pick up books on yoga that have remained for us from the sages of the past, we will find that yoga is understood much more widely and the benefits of yoga, sought by our contemporaries, rather by-effect from regular practice.
The philosophy of yoga. The Purpose of Yoga
The word yoga itself comes from the Sanskrit word "eujin", meaning union, connection, union or community.
That is, the goal of yoga is to unite our "I", this formed personality, which we associate, most often, with our body, with a more perfect part of our being.
The perfect and wise part of ourselves in different concepts, cultures, religions is called differently, but this does not change its essence.
It is divine energy, soul, God, Atman, Absolute, Inner sage, Universe or Higher mind. There are a lot of epithets to express this essence, but one thing remains the main thing - yoga shows the path that can lead from the external to the internal, will allow you to better understand the absolute laws and your place in them, becoming truly useful to this world.
One of the goals of yoga is to be able to control your mind and use this perfect tool for its intended purpose. If the mind is uncontrolled, then it makes us selfish, filling us with fears and anxiety, does not give us the opportunity to be happy, calm and harmonious.
The basics of yoga are described in books left to us from the past.
Here are some books on yoga, in our opinion, the most authoritative and describing the principles and foundations of yoga, both from a practical and theoretical point of view:
- Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Commentary
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika
- Three volumes of the Bihar School of Yoga
- Hatha Yoga Deepika (B.K.S. Iyengar)
Video about the origins of yoga:
The philosophy of yoga. yoga steps
The first and most famous book on yoga, of course, is considered to be the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. This work, written more than 5 thousand years ago, includes 196 sutras - short stanzas that are complete in terms of semantic content. The levels of depth of meaning in each of these sutras are astounding.
This yoga book contains philosophical foundations ancient science of self-knowledge and is considered one of the most authoritative sources. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe the foundations of philosophy and yoga as a holistic system.
This is not to say that this is a book about yoga that should be taken immediately into the hands of a beginner. It is, to put it mildly, not for dummies.
The Yoga Sutras rather describe the philosophy and foundations of yoga for practitioners more high level. This book gives the steps of yoga that everyone who lays out a rug for the first time needs to go through. And, by the way, asanas, so popular in our time, are mentioned there only in one sutra: “Asana is a comfortable, stable position.”
The rest of the above list of books on the basics of yoga (they can) describe the basics of the practice and philosophy of yoga, and they can be used as tutorials for those who have begun to learn the basics of yoga.
There are eight steps in yoga, here is their sequence with names in Sanskrit:
- Niyama
- Asana
- Pranayama
- Pratyahara
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi
At the first two steps (Yama and Niyama), a beginner yogi is invited to develop a set of moral qualities in himself, which are aimed at forming a conscious person, responsible for his actions.
The five Yamas are instructions for the yoga practitioner on how a person should behave in this world. Non-violence (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya), do not steal (Asteya), non-covetousness, non-hoarding (Aparigraha), abstinence from sensual pleasures (Brahmacharya).
Five Niyamas are commandments regarding the inner world of the practitioner himself. Purity of body, speech and mind (Shaucha), self-discipline and asceticism (Tapasya), contentment, modesty, optimism (Santosha), self-education (Svadhyaya), dedication of one’s activities to higher goals, development of altruism (Ishvara Pranidhana).
As you can see, all the Yamas and Niyamas are guidelines for each person, familiar from childhood and necessary for adequate interaction with society and oneself.
It is important to note here that non-violence (ahimsa) is understood as not causing suffering to all living beings without exception, including oneself.
Mudra - seal, sign. These are special positions of the fingers that have different effects on the mental and physical body.
Also, for a deeper acquaintance with the techniques of Hatha Yoga, you can read the book: Fundamentals of the worldview of Indian yogis.
- Daily regime. Wake up early and follow the daily routine. This is the first and required condition to achieve results in the practice of yoga.
- Nutrition. Light, healthy food, the absence of lethal food in the diet, if not necessarily in the initial stages, will become a natural need with proper regular yoga practice.
- Reading. Read books on the basics of yoga, its philosophy and principles, biographies of great teachers, yogis of the past and present. This is a great motivation and support in the practice of yoga.
- "Information diet" - the absence of a TV is extremely important. Concentration of attention on the information promoting development.
- Regular practice of Hatha Yoga and combining it with activities that involve service. This will achieve much great results in yoga for the same period. Recommended for a beginner self-study from one of the above books on yoga, or classes
Philosophy is the love of wisdom. The philosophy of Yoga is altruism and love for nature.
The philosophy of yoga in a broad sense can be called the ancient doctrine of the spiritual self-improvement of man, which came to us from the civilization of the Aryans and developed into the form known today in the religious and philosophical schools of ancient and medieval India, which for almost two millennia has been a model of wisdom for many admirers of Indian spirituality leading a person to the highest possible goal of his life.
Yoga is one of the darshans, the six orthodox (following the spiritual tradition of the Vedas) philosophical schools of India. Coming Directly to Philosophy classical yoga, we single out two fundamental categories that include all being, all that exists. These are Purusha and Prakriti - spiritual and material substances.
Classical yoga, also called “royal yoga” (“raja yoga”), was formulated by Patanjali around the 2nd century BC. BC. As follows from the "Yoga Sutra", a work consisting of 195 short aphorisms ("sutras"), Patanjali taught dualistic, dualistic metaphysics. It contrasts the Spirit, or "I" (Purusha), with Nature or the Cosmos (Prakriti), considering them as two independent from each other root causes of Reality.
In yoga anthropology inner world man corresponds to being external. Man is considered as a microcosm, which is identical in its structure to the macrocosm external to him. Thus, man is also the result of the union of Purusha and Prakriti.
Unlike Prakriti, Purusha is not subject to change. Therefore, we can say that he is outside of time and space. Purusha is called the Spectator watching the unfolding picture of the change of matter.
Buddhi-Mahat is the stage of development of Prakriti and the basis of the universe. In it, as a stage in the evolution of matter, an individual Buddhi is formed, which is an ideal basis for the human psyche. In the future, other elements of the microcosm are formed. These are the organs of perception - hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell; organs of action - arms, legs, organs of excretion and reproduction, organ of speech; the organ of the mind is the mind (manas). So, in fact, everything that we are used to identify with ourselves, with our self - the physical body, memory, emotions, intellect, mental images, etc. - refers to matter and is potentially contained in the individual Buddhi.
Purusha in a person is pure consciousness, his Spirit, his true Self. Yoga assumes the existence of many “small parts” of Purusha, individual souls that manifest through different beings in Prakriti. Our true self is eternal and unchangeable. It is conscious and directs all processes in the sphere of Prakriti. The model of the connection of Purusha and Prakriti in a person is often compared to two people lost in the forest. One of which is without legs (Purusha) and the other is blind (Prakriti). It is clear that, having united, they will be able to begin to get out of the forest. Purusha, interacting with Prakriti, fills the individual buddhi of a person, the matrix of all his mental phenomena, with the ability to self-consciousness. Therefore, we, not knowing about Purusha, are aware of ourselves in our mental activity.
Man in his ordinary state does not know his true Self and identifies himself at best with his individual buddhi. But the ability of buddhi to be aware of itself is nothing more than an illusion, because only Purusha has true consciousness. We always say to ourselves: “I walk, I feel, I think”, etc., thereby limiting our being to the framework of Prakriti.
Yoga is a set of physical and spiritual practices aimed at developing a person at all levels: mental, spiritual and physical.
Yoga philosophy has the following properties:
It is spiritual, i.e. focused on the disclosure and comprehension of being with the help of awareness of the independent and self-existing Spirit of the individual.
Ethical, i.e. contains virtues, the main of which is non-violence.
Emotional, i.e. teaches about love, kindness and other beneficial qualities.
Practical, i.e. offers ways to control the body.
Intelligent, i.e. its methods involve the use of the powers of the mind, and the main provisions are substantiated by philosophical texts.
Yoga can be seen as a way to liberate consciousness from false identification with a particular physical shell. In other words, this is the discovery of spiritual vision, which returns the "I" to its true nature. It can also be said that yoga destroys the existential suffering of the mind, which is born due to the pernicious habit of identifying oneself as an individual, isolated from the rest of the world.
Experienced masters say that the entire Yoga Sutra and its commentaries were written with the aim of highlighting the doctrine of the meaning of human existence, the theory of liberation.
We already know that liberation means the separation of spirit from matter (Purusha from Prakriti). Why is it needed? The fact is that people in their usual state limit their own being within the framework of Prakriti. This is what causes all our suffering. We begin to strive for a constant sense of attachment and satisfaction, for pleasures that always end. It is important to understand that the stronger the satisfaction, the greater the disappointment in the future, and the desire for the forms of Prakriti determines the existence of karma.
Yoga is aimed at the comprehensive development of a person, and, mainly, at the growth of consciousness, the internal culture of any person.
In the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita (translated from Sanskrit as "Song of God"), the most authoritative source on the philosophy of yoga, God Krishna explains to his disciple Arjuna the meaning of yoga as liberation from suffering and grief: atmane, Partha, when the husband calmed the desires - he is then called "yogi". When the yogi, who has curbed the thought, strengthens himself in yoga, he is like a candle, whose flame does not fluctuate in a place without wind. Where the thought is stopped by the exercise in yoga , freezes, where the atman contemplating the atman finds joy in the atman, - for there he will know that happiness that is beyond the senses, one thought is accessible, beyond, standing in which, he will not deviate from the truth, - he who stays there will not be embarrassed even by the most difficult grief; after all, having reached that goal, he does not imagine something higher, better to meet.
This state is yoga that opens the shackles of sorrows. "Like a well-polished diamond, each of whose faces reflects one or another ray of light, so the word "yoga" reflects one or another shade of meaning with each facet, revealing different sides the whole range of human aspirations to achieve happiness, love and freedom. In the Bhagavad Gita there is another explanation of the term yoga, where the emphasis is on Karma Yoga (yoga of action): free of attachments, steadfast in yoga, accomplishing deeds, equating failure with good luck: this evenness is called yoga. Krishna also calls yoga wisdom in work or the ability to live in labor, harmony and moderation: "He is not a yogi who overeats, and not one who does not eat perfectly, and not one who sleeps beyond measure, and not one who sleeps In food, in rest, be moderate, be moderate in action, in sleep and in vigilance - thus you will find yoga that takes sorrow away. In the Katha Upanishad, yoga is explained as follows: "When the senses are calmed, when the mind is at rest, when the intellect does not waver, then, as the sages say, the highest stage is reached. This constant control over the senses and the mind is called yoga. The one who has achieved it is freed from delusions."
Yoga is a method, a system of exercises for calming the restless mind and directing energy into constructive channels. Just as a hydroelectric plant on a mighty river, which, when wisely dammed and channeled, is a huge reservoir of water that saves from drought and famine and generates electricity for the life of cities and industry, so the mind, when controlled, accumulates energy from the Cosmic River and generates huge strength for all-round human growth.
It is as difficult to calm a person's mind as it is to stop a mountain river.
Through the practical application of yoga in its various stages, the yogi acquires special strength. Like the proponents of Samkhya and other systems of Indian philosophy, the founder of yoga, Patanjali, argues that liberation must be achieved through direct knowledge of the difference between the Self and the physical world, including our body, mind and individuality. But this is possible only if we can suppress and limit the functions of the body and feelings, mind-manas and intellect, and finally, our individuality (that is, the empirical, personal self) And at the same time have self-consciousness, the experience of a transcendent spirit (purusha) . This would convince us that the Self is above the mind-body complex, above the senses and intellect, and above the suffering or joy of the individual - I. The self, as will be shown, must stand above all physical reality with its spatio-temporal and cause-and-effect relationships.
This is the realization of the Self as a free, immortal spirit, standing outside of evil and suffering, death and destruction. In other words, this is the achievement of a state of freedom from all suffering and misfortune - liberation. The yoga system indicates a practical path of self-development to all those who follow the dictates of the spirit and who sincerely strive to follow it. The Samkhya system, on the other hand, pays more attention to the knowledge of the difference between the Self and the rest of the world as a means of achieving liberation. But she does not forget to recommend such practical methods for achieving liberation as study, reflection, and constant concentration on the truth. Yoga philosophy focuses on the practical methods of purification and concentration to understand the difference between the Self and the body and mind, and at the same time to achieve liberation.
However, it should be noted that the teaching of yoga about self-knowledge of the Self has a solid foundation in the metaphysics of Samkhya, which substantiates the reality of the Self as a metaphysical and eternal principle of consciousness. If one believes in a transcendent spirit, then one cannot but admit that there are deeper levels of consciousness than the empirical, as well as wider possibilities and higher potencies than the physical or those related to the senses. Glimpses of this deeper reality of our individual life have dawned not only on prophets and saints, but also on such great philosophers as Plato and Aristotle, Spinoza and Leibniz, Kant and Hegel. Physical research and the modern school of psychoanalysis have made a great contribution to the field of knowledge of the dark sides of mental life, hidden from ordinary eyes. Yoga goes even further in this regard, formulating some practical methods of purification and self-control for realizing the true self of a person. For a correct assessment of this philosophy, its benevolent understanding and a sincere desire to realize and realize its truths are necessary ...
