What is “Yoga”?

                Yoga is an ancient system of knowledge based on the Vedas and Yoga scriptures. It is not subject to the creativity of an Individual.

According to Wikipedia:

Yoga (Sanskrit: ) is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. According to Gavin Flood, Academic Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies it has been defined as referring to "technologies or disciplines of asceticism and meditation which are thought to lead to spiritual experience and profound understanding or insight into the nature of existence."Yoga is also intimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of the other Indian religions. Outside India, Yoga is mostly associated with the practice of asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga or as a form of exercise, although it has influenced the entire Indian religions family and other spiritual practices throughout the world. Hindu texts discussing different aspects of yoga include the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Shiva Samhita, and many others. Major branches of Yoga include: Hatha Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Raja Yoga. Raja Yoga, established by the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and known simply as Yoga in the context of Hindu philosophy, is one of the six orthodox (astika) schools of thought.

The "4 Paths of Yoga" are as follows:

Raja Yoga

              The "Raja Yoga" is the royal yoga - This path of yoga deals with the body. The path of Raja Yoga is the path tuning the mind to achieve a higher state of consciousness. A branch of Raja Yoga which is Hatha Yoga which prepares the Yogi for the higher stages of Raja Yoga.

Bhakti Yoga

              The "Bhakti Yoga" is the yoga path through which one develops the devotion towards god. This path of yoga is developped when one starts to develop the feeling that everything task peformed by him / her is performed for God and one should start to become detached the outcome of the activity.

Karma Yoga

              The "Karma Yoga" is the path where action is perfomed without any expectation of results. This yoga path is developped by performing Self-less acts of kindness towards others.

Jnana Yoga

              The "Jnana Yoga" or the Jnana Marga relates to the Knowledge or Wisdom Yoga. In this form of yoga, One improves his knowledge and wisdom by developping the intellect as well as the will of the person. This yoga path is developped by reading scriptures.

The "5 Points of Yoga" are as follows:

1. Proper Exercise
2. Proper Breathing
3. Proper Relaxation
4. Proper Diet
5. Positive Thinking & Mediation

Proper Exercise

                Yoga is basically consists of 12 Basic Asanas and the Surya Namaskaram. 

Proper Breathing

                Pranayama is the yogic exercise to improve the level of prana in the body. If you have lots of prana or vital energy, you are more positive, you fall less in negativity. Even if a negative situation presents itself, you will be able to look at it in a positive way.

Proper Relaxation

                Often times we are negative just because of stress, because we do not have enough clarity of mind or energy to deal with stressful situations, or making decisions, etc. physical relaxation, mental and emotional relaxation are needed so that we can maintain our cheerfulness and positive outlook.

Proper Diet

                Proper Diet is Vegetarian Diet. An aggressive and tamasic diet will create aggressive feelings, anger, hatred, depression while a natural vegetarian diet will create a peaceful, happy, conciliatory nature. It is important to eat right to be positive.

Positive Thinking & Mediation

                Positive thinking alone can not replace meditation. One needs to be positive to succeed in meditation. Meditation is the most powerful and direct way to supreme positivity, when all limiting thoughts are being transcended and one merges with the source of infinite happiness and tranquility.

For Surya Salutation - Click here

For History of Swamy Sivananda - Click here

For History of Swamy Vishu-Devananda - Click here