Yoga vs Meditation
 

What is the real difference between yoga and meditation. Do they compliment one another?

What do you mean by yoga? Are you just referring to physical postures? That is just a very small part of yoga. And traditionally the purpose of doing asanas is to prepare the physical body for meditation so it can sit comfortably for long periods.

Because there are many systems of yoga, and different people are drawn to different practices:
Hatha Yoga - physical asanas
Karma Yoga - the Yoga of action
Bhakti Yoga - the Yoga of devotion
Jnana Yoga - the Yoga of mental discrimination.

Then there are the more esoteric systems of Yoga - Kundalini Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Shabd Yoga to name a few. These may involve physical actions and pranayama techniques and meditation.

Raja Yoga is a very good practice which encompasses a wide range of development. Raja Yoga is also known as Ashtanga Yoga (Eight Steps of Yoga), because it is organised in eight parts:
1. Yama - Self-control
2. Niyama- Discipline
3. Asana - Physical exercises
4. Pranayama - Breath exercises
5. Pratyahara - Withdrawal of the senses from external objects
6. Dharana - Concentration
7. Dhyana - Meditation
8. Samadhi - Complete Realisation

This is a vast subject, but for me, meditation is the most important aspect of yoga.

Peace

What do you mean by yoga?
 

hii
this information is very usefull for me and everyone thanks for sharing this

Yoga is meditation in motion. A lifestyle where mindfulness plays a role in everything you do.

This is a very detailed analysis. In my opinion I think it's best to end your yoga practice with meditation. I practiced Integral yoga for many years and we were taught that the yoga postures prepare you for meditation. I end my practice with meditation.

Yes it is a broad subject. Yoga philosophy is thousands of years old and ancient sankirt scriptures bring the two together.

Both yoga and meditation are combined as we BREATH into the stretch, and so we relax the nervous system.

From my experience, I practice yin yoga and yang yoga, and I find that yin yoga is most meditative because it is a very slow elongated practice, where we return to the breath and activate the subconscious mind.

In meditation, we may be present and less emotionally active, however we can be present and emotionally active with yoga. The two come hand in hand and complement eachother in harmony.

Yes it is a broad subject. Yoga philosophy is thousands of years old and ancient sankirt scriptures bring the two together.

Both yoga and meditation are combined as we BREATH into the stretch, and so we relax the nervous system.

From my experience, I practice yin yoga and yang yoga, and I find that yin yoga is most meditative because it is a very slow elongated practice, where we return to the breath and activate the subconscious mind.

In meditation, we may be present and less emotionally active, however we can be present and emotionally active with yoga. The two come hand in hand and complement eachother in harmony.

Meditation and Yoga are related but one major difference is physical poses of yoga, which essentially is a form of mindfulness that supports connection with present moment experience while moving from one pose to the next or during long held poses.

The main difference from yoga is that meditation is performed after yoga when your body is filled with vibrations, and it is also part of it. Meditation helps to gain stable conditions on both mind and body. ... Overall, meditation focuses on the exercise of the mind and how we relate to experiences. *deleted*

Practice of hatha yoga or the martial arts can energize the body and get rid of its tendencies of laziness, inertia and indolence. Even aerobics, swimming , jogging and walking can do the same.

Practicing meditation after this enables more effective meditation. Without some physical work, meditation can lead one to sleep or carelessly thinking about this or that without focus.

Bodhidharma introduced the martial arts in the Shaolin temple, when he found the monks to be prone to indolence through inactivity and not meditating properly.

Meditation is meant to end compulsive thinking and emoting, and bring about thoughtless awareness . The reduction in mental chatter and increase in peace and joy within shows progress in meditation.