***YOGA***

[kisalipa]

The meaning of the word Yoga is to attain something (like dhanayoga or attaining wealth) or to attain somebody (like getting wife or kalatrayoga and like getting an issue or putrayoga). Hence, the word Yoga has very broad sense since it means only to attain something or somebody as its root word ‘Yuj’ indicates the meaning of simple attainment. A word has its root meaning based on its root word, but, sometimes the word is fixed in a particular sense (Yogarudha) only. Today, the word Yoga is also used by medical experts in the sense of attainment of good physical and mental health. You cannot deny such usage based on the root word of Yoga. But, all these ancient Indian sages used this word Yoga in a specific sense only, which is attainment of God’s grace. Of course, you can show the physical and mental health also as a necessary preliminary step to attain the ultimate God’s grace by doing Divine service. Hanuman is the best example having perfect physical and mental health used in the Divine service. Hence, Yama (first stage) means controlling the activities of the external senses of actions (Karmendriya) in order to save the energy. Walking to an unnecessary place by legs, doing unnecessary work with hands, talking unnecessarily with mouth, seeing unnecessary scenes by eyes, hearing unnecessary gossips by ears etc., are to be controlled to save the limited energy. You cannot eat unlimited food to generate energy continuously due to limitation of the working capacity of the digestive system. Hence, control of wastage of energy by physical actions is presented here. The second step is Niyama, which is controlling the unnecessary work of mind by resisting unnecessary thoughts for the preservation of limited nervous energy. The third stage is Aasana, which means to arrive at stability of body and mind by resisting the above mentioned unnecessary works and thus becoming highly energetic. The fourth stage is Pranaayaama, which is retaining the inhaled air for long time as far as possible (Kumbhaka) so that maximum absorption of oxygen from the inhaled air takes place to completely purify the blood. By this several diseases can be avoided due to high resistance empowered by lot of preserved energy. The fifth stage is Pratyaahaara, which means to withdraw from 90% of worldly activities except the remaining 10% inevitable activities. This makes you to reach the climax of good physical and mental health and very intensive treasure of energy. This was the exact stage of Hanuman. The sixth stage is Dhaarana, which means to catch the human incarnation like Lord Rama. Hanuman met Rama in disguise as a saint and Rama called Him by His actual name. This shows the supernatural power of the unimaginable God present in Rama. This smallest miracle was sufficient for the highest level of Hanuman to recognize Rama as God. Hence, this stage is catching the human incarnation in which Lord Rama (merged with unimaginable God) is caught, which is the right goal through the right direction of the right knowledge. The seventh stage is Dhyaana, which means submission of all physical and mental activities to the human incarnation only because contemporary human incarnation alone is most relevant to the humanity from the point of direct service to the real God. The human incarnation is the product of the real unimaginable God merging with an external imaginable and visible human form. The energetic form is relevant to the souls in the upper world having the same energetic bodies. The unimaginable God is out of question since He is beyond even imagination. Hence, the energetic incarnation, Narayana, is relevant to the upper world (Vaikuntha) only. The relevant form of God for humanity is Lord Rama, the human incarnation only. The eighth last stage is Samaadhi, which means very strong (Sam) and complete (Aa) determination (Dhi) arrived after deep analysis. Determination is the characteristic of intelligence (nishchayaatmikaa buddhih).This eighth stage is tested by God to see the strength of your determination of faith. If your faith is not shaken at all, it is called as ‘unshakable determination’ (Nirvikalpa Samadhi). If the faith is shaken and regained back it is called as ‘shaken determination revoked back’ (Savikalpa Samadhi).

[awareness]

Why is this exact same message posted in six different forum categories?

[naturesflow]

Originally Posted by awareness

Why is this exact same message posted in six different forum categories?

So that you could write that and me write this to you about you saying that..

[awareness]

Originally Posted by naturesflow

So that you could write that and me write this to you about you saying that..

You're right! Huggies.

Originally Posted by naturesflow

So that you could write that and me write this to you about you saying that..

And here's me saying that you writing to say what you said about what's being said about what was said is really where it's at.



Doesn't Yoga mean "union"? The op was much circumlocution not to say that but... perhaps I've got it wrong.

♥

[RedEmbers]

Lol...
Intersting comments... they hurt my head a little haha!

I read that modern yoga is very new approx 200 years since it's official poses became well offcial.
It was mostly just a philosophy before that with no poses recorded other than a few seated meditative one's.


The article I read yesterday gave me the impression that the earlier forms of streatching and yoga were much more intuitive and guided to/by the flow of the individual???

I find swimming laps to be extremely meditative and connective.
I do a sort of tai chi style thing through the water to break up my laps when I am exhausted.
The water seemed to gently amplify the positive effects of moving around stagnant energy.
I don't enjoy yoga much... I mostly find it incredibly dull LOL.
swimming puts me into an awesome stream of awareness.

[Paige Ignited]

Maybe because he thought some of us were blind

[Shivani Devi]

The meaning of the word 'yoga' is to join up - to yoke together, not to 'attain' as there is nothing to be attained.

We are already that, but have lost/forgotten our awareness or association with it.

Hence Patanjali stepped in with his 'Eight Limbs of Yoga' (which you have kindly paraphrased) to help fill in the blanks.

I haven't posted much on here lately (within the past few months) as I felt I had said all that needed to be said about the whole subject of Yoga, in all it's forms, but especially in the form and process of Laya Yoga...the ultimate and final form - the Yoga of Absorption back into the once forgotten state of divine existence/ananda/bliss/Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

After which, there's no more which can be said.

Om Namah Shivaya

[naturesflow]

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

And here's me saying that you writing to say what you said about what's being said about what was said is really where it's at.



Doesn't Yoga mean "union"? The op was much circumlocution not to say that but... perhaps I've got it wrong.

♥

This could turn into the mind warp I had as a child sitting at the breakfast table, observing the " Uncle Toby's Oat box, where uncle toby was holding the uncle toby oat box as the creative art on the box and I would look at it and think, that really is an never ending creation that goes on and on and on and then my mind would go nuts thinking about it (as the mind can do)...I guess that was my first intro to the infinite nature of our creation all understood while eating breakfast and observing the artist creation on the breakfast cereal box..hehe


Perhaps it is that simple...Yoga means union..

[naturesflow]

Originally Posted by RedEmbers

Lol...
Intersting comments... they hurt my head a little haha!

I read that modern yoga is very new approx 200 years since it's official poses became well offcial.
It was mostly just a philosophy before that with no poses recorded other than a few seated meditative one's.


The article I read yesterday gave me the impression that the earlier forms of streatching and yoga were much more intuitive and guided to/by the flow of the individual???

I find swimming laps to be extremely meditative and connective.
I do a sort of tai chi style thing through the water to break up my laps when I am exhausted.
The water seemed to gently amplify the positive effects of moving around stagnant energy.
I don't enjoy yoga much... I mostly find it incredibly dull LOL.
swimming puts me into an awesome stream of awareness.

Swimming is great and I see it as a really good complete body workout. I love yoga. I try to do it four times a week, flow, yin and sometimes a general class,