Nada : Sound, Tone, Vibration, Resonant sound. Nritya : While Nritta represents pure, technical dance, Nritya is the interpretative, expressive dance that conveys Rasa (flavor/emotion) and Bhava (mood). Can one's music training itself be a kind of yoga? Can one's dance training itself be a kind of yoga? Yes. In fact Indian classical music and … Continue reading Nada Yoga, Nritya Yoga, Nada & Nritya Yoga
Mantra Yoga
The word mantra is now part of English Dictionary. According to Oxford Dictionary - a mantra is a word, sound, or phrase repeated frequently, particularly during meditation or prayer to aid concentration. It also refers to a frequently repeated statement or slogan that expresses a core belief or principle. Sanskrit scholars would define the word as … Continue reading Mantra Yoga
Learning under a Guru
In ancient times learning anything valuable was done by going to a Guru. It was the standard practice. It was such a a standard practice that the word Upanishad means sitting near a Guru and the highest spiritual knowledge is contained in the Upanishads. Yogic practices were handed down to generations though a master- disciple … Continue reading Learning under a Guru
Kriya Yoga vs Karma Yoga
तपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः (योगसूत्र 2.1)Tapaḥ svādhyāyeśvara-praṇidhānāni kriyā-yogaḥ (Patanjali Yoga Sutras 2:1)योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय।सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते।।yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjayasiddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga uchya (Bhagavad Gita 2:1) After describing Samadhi in the first section of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, in the second section titled Sadhana Pada Maharishi Patanjali … Continue reading Kriya Yoga vs Karma Yoga
Jnana Yoga vs Bhakti Yoga
Shradhavan labhate Jnanam - One who is curious gains knowledge Jnana yoga is translated as the yoga of the knowledge and knowledge is associated with lots of information. A person who has lots of information is considered to be knowledgeable. A person may have all the knowledge of the world, but the question may not … Continue reading Jnana Yoga vs Bhakti Yoga
Integral yoga
In Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna has elaborated upon many types of yoga with lots of emphasis on jnana yoga, bhakti yoga, and karma yoga. Those who are into jnana yoga or bhakti yoga usually don't use the word yoga. In stead they may use words like bhakti marg (way). There are good reasons for doing … Continue reading Integral yoga
Human body – the yogic anatomy
image credit : i stock photos Students of modern medical sciences study human body as comprising of various gross elements like bone, flesh, blood etc. Even the mind has corresponding gross particles. Ayurveda goes a little subtler. It recognises body as being consisting of gross as well as subtle elements like batta, pitta and kapha. … Continue reading Human body – the yogic anatomy
Golden attitudes towards people around us
मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम्॥३३॥Maitrī-karuṇā-mudita-upekṣāṇāṃ sukha-duḥkha-puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṃ bhāvanātaḥ citta-prasādanam. (Patanjali yoga sutras 1:33) People around us can be a source of help. They can be a source of distress. Sometimes they effect us by doing something to us. Sometimes, without doing anything directly to us, they can be a source of mental trouble. You must have experienced this. … Continue reading Golden attitudes towards people around us
Five sources of all our miseries
अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाःavidya-asmita-raga-dwesha-abhiniveshah kleshah A meditative sage sits thoughtfully against a stunning mountainous backdrop at dusk. These principles of Patanjali are not only applicable to yogic life, but also to worldly goals. Patanjali says that there are only five sources of all our miseries. There are five and only five sources. All our miseries can be … Continue reading Five sources of all our miseries
Eight Limbs of Yoga
यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि॥२९॥Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi - are the eight limbs (Yogasutras - 2:29) image credit : unsplash The first section of the Patanjali Yoga-sutras was Samadhi Pada . It describes the ultimate destination of Yoga. After 'where to go', logically speaking 'how to go there' should be told. The second section of … Continue reading Eight Limbs of Yoga
PEBBLES AND WAVES 