Yoga demystified

Spiritually speaking 

Dr satish 

k kapoor

Plans are afoot all over the country to observe the 3rd International Day of Yoga on June 21. What is Yoga, and its raison d’être? Is it physical exercise or something more? Is it one or many? Does it have a universal or sectarian character?  These and other questions require an explanation.

Yoga is a spiritual, philosophic, esoteric and scientific pathway to health, happiness and bliss as it harmonizes mind, body and soul. It is not a cult or a creed but a practical discipline to explore the infinite possibilities within a person, so that he may reach self perfection. Samatvam yoga uchayate - ‘Evenness of mind is called Yoga’, says Lord Krishna in the Bhagavadgita (II.48). And again: Yogah karmasu kaushalam -‘Work done to perfection is verily yoga’( II.50). Hence Yoga can be practiced by one and all without any distinction of caste, colour, religion or race.

Etymologically, yoga means yoke or union. It is one of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy systematized by the sage Patanjali around 200 BCE. Spiritually, it is the twinning of the finite self and the infinite self, of human consciousness and cosmic consciousness. In mystical terms, Yoga is the merging of prana vayu, the vital air which moves upwards, and apana vayu, the vital air which moves downwards, for gaining inner poise and peace. Sri Aurobindo described Yoga as the way to self perfection.

Patanjali’s yoga is called Ashtanga yoga as it has eight limbs, namely, yama (moral restraints), niyama (principles), asana (bodily postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses from objects), dharana ( attention), dhyana (right concentration) and samadhi (absorption).

The first five limbs are called, bahiranga, as these relate to external practices, and the last three are called antaranga, as these involve inner practices. Preliminary yoga (kriya yoga) is mortification, study and resignation to ishwara - god, as per  Yoga Sutra (II.1).

The yoga of making the body a fit instrument for inner transformation to attain siddhi-s, superhuman powers, is Hatha yoga; of gaining insight or direct self-perception (aparokshanubhuti) through understanding and conscious reasoning is Jnana yoga; of divine love, devotion or of total surrender to god is Bhakti Yoga; of righteous action free of egocentricity is karma yoga; of controlling the fluctuations of the mind and stabilizing it in god consciousness, is Raja yoga.

While the mind is made to follow breath through pranayama in Hatha yoga, breath naturally follows the mind in Raja yoga. One is oblivious of both the mind and the breath in Bhakti yoga, but is aware about the mind and its relation to breath in Jnana yoga. The mind and breath conjoin in Karma yoga. 

Mantra joins the rhythm of breath with the rhythm of words. Repetition or chanting of a holy syllable, word, or group of words, revealed to holy men, is Mantra yoga (also called Japa yoga). Mantra is the sound body of the Supreme Principle just as Yantra is His diagrammatical representation. 

Concentration on the self within or on an external object leading to absorption into the transcendental principle, is Laya yoga. When one is absorbed in listening to the unstruck sound (anahata nada) within, one reaches the substratum of sound. 

The technique to rouse latent powers, by way of physical exercises, breath control, repetition of mantras, meditation, and esoteric practices, like the opening up of psychic energy centres (chakras), or through the grace of guru,  is Kundalini Yoga. Another popular form, Surat shabda yoga, is the practice of joining soul consciousness (surat) with the Word (shabda) which epitomizes divine consciousness. 

Shiva yoga practiced by Lingayats (Virashaiva) stirs up ‘the higher astral sense’. The seeker places the ishtalinga, mark of personal god, worn round  the neck, on the palm  of left hand and fixes attention upon the light reflected in it. 

Yoga is a cleanser, purifier, and energizer. Hatha yoga detoxifies the body and the mind so that it becomes a suitable vehicle for the manifestation of the Supreme Being. Karma yoga purifies actions by making one develop an unselfish attitude towards work. Raja yoga stabilizes the mind and elevates consciousness by eight-fold means (ashtanga yoga). Bhakti yoga channelizes emotions so that one may have a direct vision of the personal god (ishta devata). Jnana yoga empowers the sense of discrimination between right and wrong (viveka) so that one can purify the inner environment, and know oneself. All these and other yoga-s, in their own way, increase concentration, awaken the powers of the mind, reduce stress, promote creativity and give joy. Yoga curbs the animal instincts of a sadhaka – one who is on the yogic path -  and kindles in him the higher values of life.

The yogi undergoes three stages: that of a mumukshu when he is inquisitive about the yogic discipline; that of a yoga-yukta when he gains theoretical perspective of the yogic path and initiates the journey and finally that of a vinishpanna when he attains bliss by becoming one with the One. Thereby, he attains  the state of turiya. 

Turiya is the fourth dimension of consciousness when the human soul after transcending the states of wakefulness (jagrata), dream, (svapna) and deep sleep (sushupti), feels one with the supreme spirit. Yoga brings infinity closer to a seeker, making him understand the fundamental unity in the cosmos between matter, mind and consciousness. 

Yogic practices, may bestow on the practitioner  such supernormal powers as clairvoyance, clairaudience or the ability to attain whatever one desires, but their use is prohibited by experts, as these deplete spiritual energy, and deviate one from the path of inner growth.

Dr Satish K Kapoor, former British Council Scholar and former Registrar, DAV University, is a noted author, educationist, historian and spiritualist based in Jalandhar City.