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A common assumption today is that Yoga
makes you feel good. For example, a recent poster that advertised a
health product showed a woman in a Yoga pose who was surrounded by a
slogan that read: “Feel good about yourself. Feel good about life”.
Yogis of the past would have had trouble with such images.
Traditionally Yoga has been conceptualized as a tool for purifying the
body and the mind in order to transcend both. For a Yogi to indulge in
a state in which he feels good and gives in to his likes and wants was
not considered to be Yoga . Rather, ancient Yogis argued that feeling
good about yourself kept you trapped in your current condition. For
them yoga was a tool for transcendence, not a means to make you feel
more comfortable in your body.
What then is the goal of Yoga? As
already mentioned, one goal is the purification of body and mind. This
is however not done in order to feel good or to relax but to become
more aware, more centered and in a sense “finer.” In the context of
Yoga anatomy a human being has 5 different levels or dimensions (mayas
or koshas). On the grossest level a person is conceptualized as a
physical being, on the finest level as pure consciousness. In classical
Yoga philosophy the centering and purification process is seen as a
process of transformation that leads the Yogi from the grossest to the
finest dimension.
Within this transformation feeling good
is clearly not an overriding concern. In fact, there are many times
when a Yogi can actually feel quite miserable. People who take their
practice seriously often become very sensitive to their surroundings.
They then experience the daily noise, hectic lifestyle and aggressive
context of our society in ways that are anything but happy and
blissful. Under such conditions some Yogis tend to become reclusive and
hide in their respective “caves.” (They would, in many ways, depict the
state of yoga better than the modern posters of a feel-good yogi). Yet
hiding in a cave is not the solution either. The true goal in Yoga is
to be in the world but not to be of it. When years of practice have
brought insights into the way the world truly is, a person’s feelings,
looks and state of health do not matter so much anymore. At that point
one does not have to hide any
longer, because one has learned to stay centered and compassionate, no
matter what the circumstances.
1) In
fact, raga (wanting or grasping) was considered to be one of the
hinderances (kleshas) on the path of yoga. (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
II.3)
2) The 5 mayas or koshas
are the annamaya kosha, pranamaya , manomaya, vijnanamaya and the
anandamaya kosha.
How then does Yoga lead to such a
state? In the beginning attention to the body is essential. A proper,
balanced diet that emphasizes “sattvic” (light) components is of great
importance. The regular practice of asana purifies the body and makes
it less prone to disease. In that way the physical aspect of one’s
being, the annamaya kosha, becomes stronger and more balanced. Next, a
careful and regular breathing practice (pranayama) directs the subtle
energies (prana) and prepares one for a deeper kind of yoga. Here the
second aspect of one’s being, the pranamaya kosha, is purified and
strengthened. In meditation one then focuses the mind (manomaya) and
enters into the deeper layers of knowledge (vijnanamaya). The purpose
of meditation in Yoga is often not clearly seen, because modern society
focuses predominantly on the physical and material aspects of the
world. However, in the more advanced practice of Yoga the disciplining
of the mind becomes central. Through the focusing of the mental
faculties the awareness becomes sensitive enough to appreciate the
underlying bliss of existence (anandamaya) and to connect with the
essential nature (purusha). At that point one realizes that whatever
happens in the world is not the ultimate. Following Krishna’s advice in
the Bhagavad Gita one then sees through the mystery of existence and
realizes that the self is never touched by what transpires in the
world. This understanding leads the Yogi to live in the world without
being of it.
All this has obviously little to do
with spas and feel-good yoga. Instead, it fosters a worldview that is
almost diametrically opposed to the mentality of a pampered body. Yogis
would ask : “What good is a healthy body if you know that one day you
will grow old and die?” Centuries of inner exploration have taught them
to look for more enduring dimensions of being. They know that the
hardships of daily life cannot be avoided but instead have learned to
face them one breath at a time, because they know that there are
dimensions within that cannot be touched by such hardship.
Understandings like these go a long way beyond stress-reduction and
relaxation techniques that result from a few Yoga classes and a couple
of breathing techniques. While the latter offer “bandages” to the
problems of daily life, Yoga is meant to grapple with the root problems
of existence. It guides people on the inner path of exploration and
teaches them to become aware of the subtle, inner layers. Practitioners
who gain an understanding of these subtle dimensions develop a more
compassionate way of being. They do not negate the world, yet they are
also not ruffled by it. Yoga for them is a means of transformation that
allows them to find a place within themselves from which they then can
appreciate and serve the world.
3)"Yoga
citta vrtti nirodha" is the definition of Yoga in Patanjali’s Yoga
Sutras (I.2.)
Oda
Lindner lives in Canmore, Ab. She has studied Yoga philosophy for over
two decades and increasingly studies and teaches in the lineage of
T.K.V. Desikachar. She can be reached at (403) 609 3882 or at lili1@telus.net
Oda is holding a retreat May 1st - 3rd in Canmore called Subtle
Yoga. The workshop is designed for experienced Yoga
practitioners. In this workshop she looks at the subtle aspects of Yoga
such as vayus, nadis and chakras. Participants will explore these
subtle aspects with poses, sound, breath-work and meditation.
Cost: $195 not including accommodation. Please email Oda for more
information.
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