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What is Yoga?
YogaLondon on 30 September, 2010 |

“A school of Hindu philosophy advocating and prescribing a course of physical and mental disciplines for attaining liberation from the material world and union of the self with the Supreme Being or ultimate principle.”
Dictionary.com

“A set of physical and mental exercises...which is intended to give control over the body and mind.”
Cambridge Dictionary

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root Yuj meaning "to yoke" or "to unite". It is often considered to be the union of body, mind and spirit/soul. While this is a true understanding of the word, it is more importantly the union of the True Self with the Supreme (in the form of a God or Universal Consciousness).

The True Self (Atman)

Yoga is the challenge of finding your True Self, known as Atman. What is the truth that underlies and pervades everything about you? What is real and unchanging? We can begin by looking at what you are not:

You are not the body.
According to yogic philosophy we are all in a state of delusion (maya). We wrongly identify our bodies as being part of our True Self. When we look at our bodies we think of ‘my’ hair or ‘my’ hand. But if you were to chop off your hair, or even your hand, would you be any less of a person? Yoga teaches us to break through this delusion; to see the body like an item of clothing that we are wearing, and to search out who that entity saying ‘my’ is.

You are not the mind.
The thoughts and emotions that you feel are constantly changing. They are the product of situations that you experience and the environment that surrounds you. Both emotions and thoughts are phenomenon that you experience. Who then is feeling them?

So who/what are you?
By identifying with the body, emotions and thoughts we create a concept of ourselves as separate from anyone/anything else. Ideas such as my hand, my strength/weakness, my house/car, and my freedom/happiness can develop. From this concept of ‘my’ comes suffering.

As you start peeling away these layers of ownership, who/what is left. Can you define yourself without clinging to notions of the body and the mind? That ‘True Self’ is what you are trying to discover through your yoga practice.

Supreme/Universal Consciousness (Brahman)

According to Vedantic philosophy Brahman is the ‘Absolute Truth’ or ‘Universal Consciousness’ that is the basis of everything. It is eternal, infinite and unchanging. Brahman is not a material reality, but rather a spiritual reality.

“We all arise from Brahman, abide in it, and must eventually return to it. All the endless and innumerable universes are nothing but waves on the sea of this infinite being.”
(David Frawley, Yoga & Ayurveda)

In different Hindu religions and philosophical schools this Cosmic Consciousness is given different names. In Samkya philosophy it is known as Purusha, Shaivites call it Shiva, Vaishnavites call it Vishnu, and the Nath sect calls it Adinath.

As Brahman exists in everything it must also exist within us. When referring to the Brahman that is within an individual it is known as Atman (note: this does not mean that it is separate from Brahman). Brahman and Atman are essentially two ways of looking at the same thing, either universally or within an individual.

The way to discover or become aware of the Atman that resides in each individual is to simply still the body and mind. This is extremely simple as a theoretical concept, but in reality a big challenge. This is the goal behind Yoga.

Chitta Vriti Nhirodha

“The restraint of the modifications of the mind stuff is yoga.”
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Book 1 Sutra 2

Chitta means Mind Stuff
Vritti means Modifications or Thought Forms
Nirodha means Restraint

According to the sage Patanjali, “The restraint of the modifications of the mind stuff is yoga.” If we can bring both the body and the mind to stillness then we have the possibility to see the True Self. When we realise this True Self we have reached enlightenment (Samadhi).

This yogic theory is actually very simple, but in practice it takes great discipline to achieve. Through all your endeavours in yoga it is important to remember that there is nothing to be overwhelmed by and nothing to fail at. You can’t loose your Atman. That ultimate reality is always inside of you and it is perfect just as it is. You just need to realise it.

Yoga as a Science

"Just like science says experiment, yoga says experience. Experiment and experience are the same; just their directions are different. Experiment is something you can do outside; experience is something you can do inside. Experience is an inside experiment."
OSHO, Yoga

Yoga is not a philosophy. It is not a theoretical concept to think about. Instead it is something you need to do and to be. Yoga is 99% practice, 1% theory.

Yoga is not a religion. No blind faith is needed in order to follow the yogic path (you can simply experience the results yourself), and there is no requirement to believe in a particular deity.

Yoga is a science. The scientific process of yoga is one of systematically stripping away layers. It is choosing to de-clutter your life. The process of de-cluttering should take place in your home, in your body, your actions and your mind. Even your physical yoga practice (asana) should slowly be de-cluttered, removing all of the superfluous poses in a journey towards stillness. So the process of yoga is not about building and collecting, but about stripping away. You already have all that you need.

Yoga is a method for being here now. It is a way to encounter the reality of the present just as it is. You’ll notice that the mind is always dreaming about the future. It cannot enjoy today as it is constantly seeing the faults of the present and dreams about a better tomorrow. But when tomorrow comes it is no longer tomorrow, it becomes 'today', and the whole cycle begins again. Yoga teaches us to live in the present.

Yoga as a Health Management System

Yoga in the Western world is largely viewed as a health management system. The hatha yoga techniques that have been developed offer real benefits to everyone, regardless of whether the student has any spiritual aspirations. On the physical and mental levels yoga is about balance - balancing the left and right side of the body; balancing the work of the internal organs and glands; balancing the emotions and thoughts. It is through the yoga techniques that we can develop harmony in the body.

Physical yoga poses (asana) keep an overall mobility in the body that would otherwise stiffen up with age. A simple, daily yoga practice will keep all of the joints supple and the muscles long. It will also ward of degenerative conditions such as arthritis. Asana works on the internal body too. As the body is bent and stretched it exerts an influence the organs, cardiovascular and nervous system. Organs are massaged, the cardiovascular system oxygenated and nervous system stretched and stimulated, to name only a few actions. In this way, yoga is a health management system.

The use of breathing exercises and mental focus acts to calm and soothe the mind. In an age of constant stimulation and action, these practices offer a welcome break. For many people these will also be the most difficult techniques to master.