Om is its indication

A diverse group meditates together in a serene mountain pavilion. First try, then trust Maharishi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras has taken a very scintific appraoch to yoga. Normally matters of religion and spirituality are based on faith. Faith in God is the starting point of many religious and spiritual practices. But Patanjali seems to … Continue reading Om is its indication

Nada Yoga, Nritya Yoga, Nada & Nritya Yoga

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

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

Four Indian yogis representing happiness, compassion, friendliness, indifference

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

Sage in orange robes sitting on a blanket near a fire with mountains in the background

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

Defining Yoga

After going thorough my previous posts in this BlogChatterA2Z series, the reader by now must have got some idea about yoga. Now it is time to explore the formal definitions of yoga. According to Maharshi Patanjali: योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः - Yogaschittabritti Nirodhah If the reader is clear about the Sanskrit words chittah, britti and nirodhah, there is … Continue reading Defining Yoga