Therefore, yoga is not a belief system. According to the experience of yogis, if our heart is purified and our mind has only one point, we will gain an intuitive understanding of God, which is infinitely clearer and more comprehensive than our intellectual understanding. This is why they place so much emphasis on techniques that lead to purification and unidetermination. Therefore, when Patanjali speaks of God, he does so within the narrow framework of how God can help us to free ourselves from those elements that disturb our minds and contaminate our hearts.
Of the myriad powers and characteristics that are intrinsic to God, Patanjali only mentions omniscience, eternal freedom from all karmas, and the fact that God is the primary spiritual master. According to yogis, God exists as the Absolute Truth and it is because of this existence that everything else can exist. But the entirety of God's consciousness cannot be grasped in words. God, in the context of the philosophy of yoga, is described in the Yoga Sutras as a special Being who is not touched by afflictions or karmas.
Because the ultimate goal of yoga is to free oneself from karma and from afflictions such as ignorance, ego and attachment, it is believed that God exists in the realm of perfect consciousness. In Yoga Sutra 1,23, Patañjali provides us with a sure way to achieve the state of yoga. It is a practice called ishvara pranidhana. Ishvara is a Sanskrit word that can be translated as supreme or personal God.
Pranidhana means to dedicate, dedicate, or surrender. Yoga can be considered in various ways as a science, a philosophy, a spiritual and physical practice. It's a science because its overall effects are predictable if you follow its methods. Therefore, deep breathing postures are linked to observation, acceptance and understanding.
The practitioner's intention is key to determining if a yoga practice is religious. By applying yogic philosophy, the practitioner has the freedom to interpret God as Vishnu, Allah, Jesus Christ or Mother Nature. They also have the freedom to completely ignore God if they are only practicing asanas. Yoga recommends ethics and the values of life as a path to bring calm and stability to the mind and well-being to the body.
The philosophy of yoga is an extension of its psychology and practices. Yoga does not consider any particular religious belief as a requirement for practice, and it is not necessary to give up any faith to benefit from yoga. The only requirement is to defend the values of ethics and inner peace. Ganesh Mohan, MBBS, C-IAYT, director of Svastha Yoga therapy and teacher training programs.
Although millions of yogis thank their mat every day, yoga is not, and has never been, a religion in its own right. Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, the main text of yoga, raises this topic in the context of working with the mind and its modifications. Yoga defines God as a special Purusha, a supreme soul, which was not, is not, and will never be affected by afflictions, the vehicles of afflictions, karma and the fruits of karma. The philosophy of yoga can be applied in a way that respects and even improves your beliefs and practices.
The purposes of yoga were to cultivate discernment, awareness, self-regulation and higher consciousness in the individual. There are many religions that believe in a god; but, in yoga, this higher being and higher purpose is sought as a way to leave behind the physical aspects of life and reconnect with nature and the Self. The original context of yoga was spiritual development practices to train the body and mind to observe themselves and become aware of their own nature. Another area of resonance with the classical tradition of yoga would be the yamas (the five moral restrictions or external disciplines that govern our interactions with others) and the niyamas (the five internal observances or restrictions that regulate our inner life).
The classical tradition of yoga represents a valuable gift from India to the world, and what makes it particularly valuable is that it can be selectively used with benefit by people of different religious and philosophical understandings. In addition to worrying that your warrior posture is correct, some people worry about whether or not they should do yoga. As a spiritual and physical practice, yoga is a positive and comprehensive approach to holistic health through the integration of body, mind and spirit; as such, it is a valuable tool for promoting spiritual well-being. There is also the Jewish yoga organization OM Shalom and the Muslim woman and yoga practitioner Amina Sanders.
Similarly, the Ignatian Yoga group was founded by a yoga teacher, Alan Haras, and a newly ordained Jesuit priest, Bobby Karle. She is a yoga advocate and writer with three yoga books to her name, including the beloved travel autobiography Yoga School Dropout. This should come as no big surprise because, as Andrea Jain, yoga academic and professor at Indiana University, has said, “yoga has never belonged to any religion. .
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