What is Yoga?
When we hear the word "yoga," we may think twisting, movement like a snake, or simple
stretching in a fitness club. These are valid thoughts, but they are not the totality of yoga, which means that contortion and leg stretching, like the splits and inversions are not all of yoga. Of course, yoga makes our bodies flexible and makes it possible for us to do
advanced postures, but it is different from athletics, simple exercise, or stretching.
Yoga is a healing system that uses Indian wisdom that has been around for thousands of years. And it is the best science and art of the body. Stretching just works with the physical body of muscles and tissue, but yoga asana (postures) is melting into a pose with
pranayama (breathing) and being one with existence. We work with body and breath through yoga like a poet writes poetry, an artist draws, and a dancer dances. This is a kind of art and also an internal science, which is made by ancient wisdom.
As stated above, yoga is ancient Indian wisdom with history spanning back over five or six thousand years. The etymology of the word ‘yoga’ is traceable back to the Sanskrit word 'yuj,' meaning to yoke the horse to the cart, unify, or make balance. Yoga becomes the metaphor for yoking the horse to the cart. And it means to integrate body (the cart),
mind (the driver), and the senses (the horse) to become the true owner of yourself (the
rider inside the cart) or to become one with existence.
Yoga is the oldest discipline, but in modern times it is becoming the newest healing system. It consists of standing, sitting, lying, folding, and inversion postures and several special breathing techniques, and meditation. It influences the physical body, muscles, bones, hormone system, organs, and makes the spine stand straight, makes the nervous system balanced, etc. It has the power to cure diseases and make a person more beautiful. Especially asana with balanced breathing makes the mind comfortable, changes one’s appearance, and has the power to do even more than this. More importantly, it unifies the
BodyMind and makes it possible to experience meditation with deep relaxation.
So... if you are ready, then come. Jump into the world of yoga, the great healing art, which
gives the gift of beautiful transformation to your life.
<<By: Master 1.3.2012>>