YOGA AND YOU
What do you think of when someone mentions Yoga? People twisting and turning their bodies into strange knotted shapes? Deep relaxation and mind control? Chanting and meditating and staring into candle flames? If so, then you are right on all counts - but you are only seeing part of the whole.
There is an ancient Indian proverb which provides a perfect analogy: three blind men were touching an elephant. The one who was stroking its flank said, 'This animal is very smooth all over, with tough skin and a warm, leathery feel.' Another, standing at the animal's tail, reported: 'It is primarily long and sinuous, constantly thrashing from side to side.' The man who happened to be standing next to the ears of the elephant had a completely different idea. He said, 'This animal consists of thin, fine flaps of skin, velvety soft and highly sensitive.'
All the men were right but none could know the whole picture, which embraced everything they were experiencing from their limited positions, yet was far more. In applying this analogy to our own understanding of yoga, we gain insight into its Core principle. We each see the world in very specific ways, defined by our background, education and individual psychology. While having a personal world view might be important in giving us a sense of our own identity, it does not necessarily mean that we are in touch with the whole Picture.
Many people today feel that there must be 'something else' to life; another dimension. People call it many different things: a spiritual sense, a connection with a greater power, a higher consciousness, experience of the transcendental, or that somewhat contentious presence — God. That indefinable 'something' may have been lost with the decline of traditional religious practice, or rediscovered through the many alternative systems used by modern seekers; whatever form it takes, it seems to be vital to human satisfaction.
Yoga supplies a complete system of steps by which human beings may work gradually towards this rather elusive level of consciousness. It does this by allowing us to experience, as it were, more and more of the 'elephant hide' of life. Once we feel, know and understand it in all its aspects, we can start to obtain a unified picture of the whole. And it is precisely when we attain that wholeness, that full view of all levels and aspects of life, that we see a chance to leap beyond it. The 'something' that yoga offers could compare to a view of the elephant from a detached. vantage point -many faceted, yet entire; in the context of its surroundings and complete. Unified with something more far-reaching than just one small part of the total picture, we become much, much more than just our limited, everyday selves.
This book attempts to show how yoga can work for you. It is a practical guide, because yoga is a practical, life enhancing science. But it is not just for the person who wants to become fit and supple through doing the well-known physical Posture. Primarily, this book seeks to give you a world view of yoga, with an understanding of its history and philosophy, may be applied. well as introducing you to the multitude of ways in which it may be applied.
Yoga can affect your whole life and there are many different ways of applying it. It is not supposed to be only for the young and fit, and - most importantly - you can start at any time. Yoga has something for a truly wide range of people, whatever the state of their mind and body. Through using yoga to the full the intellectual concepts and mental disciplines as much as the physical exercises - you can start to apply it immediately and in a way which works specifically for you. So if you are one of those people who has picked up a yoga book in the past, admired the slim and perfect bodies in the pictures and put it back on the shelf with a sigh, now yoga may be for you after all. This is yoga you can use: a practical way of working physically, mentally and spiritually, so that you get in touch with that which is inside, outside, and in all the spaces in between.
THE SOURCE OF PSYCOLOGICAL FREEDOM
Yoga, then, is primarily a spiritual discipline, evolving from the age old desire to free ourselves from the mundane human consciousness, designed to help us transcend our limitations and mentally align ourselves with something beyond our own being. For the adept classical practitioner, yoga ultimately provides a way through the complexity of Indian philosophical teachings to a state where one can remain unaffected by life or death.
But what value can all this have for the average Westerner, attracted to yoga because they have heard it can help them relax and give up a few bad habits? How does this grand concept of a unified consciousness relate to the desire to give up smoking or become less stiff in the back? The word 'yoga' is most commonly translated as 'union', so first we should look at the whole idea of what this can mean in modern life. One basic precept here is the formation of a unity within ourselves. Much of the time we go around at war with ourselves, some aspects of ourselves persuading us to go one way, while other parts contradict them in all directions. These conflicting elements may have many origins. They may be instinctive forces of some primitive nature, such as the desire to kill or to defend one's territory. They may have become bred into us, injunctions drip-fed when we were children, part of our basic psychology yet not of our innermost being. Conflicts may be set up, too, of our own making, perhaps as a result of early reactions to events that happened long ago. These could have forced us into defensive attitudes which no longer fit current realities.
Often our activities are not, as we imagine, prompted by free choice, but result from false inner perceptions — the consequence of losing clarity and becoming disconnected without real, deeper self. Psychology has much to say on this subject and offers many helpful solution Spiritual disciplines such as yoga, however, aim to circumvent process and shift our basic awareness in order that we cart reach unity with our real self without necessarily going through the whys and wherefores of how the 'false' state became so important in the first place.
Therefore, when we talk about unity, we can understand one area of it very simply. Forget for a moment about the wider, cos-mic implications. Yoga provides us with a way of transcending our own inner state of imperfection. One of the most simple effects of yoga is to create a sense of balance; once we are connected with our internal centre, what we really need will be revealed. Other qualities people can develop through yoga are a growing awareness and sensitivity. Part of the process of becoming out of touch with ourselves is a deadening of feeling. We become conditioned to a kind of numbness, not wanting to know how 'off centre' we really are. Only when we become aware of this distress, this disharmony, can we seek to put our-selves back to rights. By slowing down our normal reactivity, yoga can put us back in touch with our real essence. Although it may feel initially shocking to be shaken out of the comfort zone which has become our 'normality', only then is it possible for us to uncover a deeper reality.
Once this inner harmony starts to grow, detrimental habits become more easily sloughed off. Suddenly in touch with a more real part of yourself, you no longer have the desire to smoke, drink so much alcohol, or eat the things you know are bad for you. So the process of 'giving up' does not become yet are another conflict, many yoga practitioners report that the conflict itself disappeared as a deepening o their truer self was created. When it comes to the aches and pains of the physical body and finding ways to alleviate them, this process of finding balance and achieving unity is relevant too. Our usual way of coping with physical discomfort is to become accustomed to it and gradually adapt. Such strictures, though, often only accentuate our discomfort. However, creating an awareness of the source of the problem gives us the ability to do something positive about it. Effectively, it gives us control over ourselves and our reactions — and that is the first stage in giving a higher consciousness the upper hand. If the goal of yoga is to transcend normal reality, then a good place to start is precisely with those irritating realities that plague the physical self. Unity with one's own self has a way of spreading to other relationships. It is often said that what is going on inside a per-son is reflected in what happens outside them. When we feel bad about ourselves, our relationships with others all seem to be flawed and difficult too. Finding an internal sense of unity is often accompanied by a decrease in family tension and greater harmony with friends. At the same time, yoga's effect of removing you from overpowerful attachment to petty concerns will mean the ups and downs of relationships seem to lose their reactive hold.
YOGA IN CONTEXT
YOGA’S HISTORY AND CULTURE
As I explained in the previous chapter, the practices , which we term 'yoga' today are just one small, condensed part of what is, in fact, a multifaceted approach to spiritual enlightenment. Forms of these practices can be traced back to 2,500 years ago, while others are said to be medieval. Yoga is also rapidly developing in the modern world. The manner in which it has spread from India over the last one hundred years, especially during the last three or four decades, has meant that it is now, in turn, becoming influenced by West-ern concepts, which are being incorporated into the tradition in much the same way that yoga has always adapted to the needs of the time.
The fact that yoga is so multifaceted makes it very hard to define. One possible definition is that yoga is a philosophical approach very much connected with fundamental Indian philosophy, consisting of concepts and systems explaining the meaning of life and death, the creation of the universe and -the liberation of the soul. It can be - and has been at various times in history - anything from a complete lifestyle to an esoteric cult. At the same time, yoga is a and spiritual pathway, offering powerful rituals and meditation techniques which, since time immemorial, have been used to enter other states
Of Consciousness Additionally, yoga is a system of practical -techniques for living life healthily and holistically, from following the correct diet to deep breathing and body strengthening. Which of these paths are we to follow? Actually, we don't necessarily have to make a choice. The yoga techniques available to most readers of this book are the relatively limited ones, consisting of body postures, or asanas, with possibly, depending on which teacher you go to, some breath control and an intro-duction to the types of mental concentration which can lead into meditation. Some systems of direct meditational teaching are also offered. These are not generally referred to as yoga even though they originate from the same school of thought. However, the yoga which most people expect today is body-oriented, with postural exercises forming a central part. This yoga is a concentrated adaptation of millennia of thought, and will provide what most people want it to — a healthy lifestyle, whether on a physical, mental or spiritual level.
We will take a look now at the diverse process of evolution which has brought us to the yoga we know today. Doing this is not just an academic exercise. In understanding where yoga comes from and how it fits into society, it is possible to gain a sense of its whole nature and purpose.
ANCIENT CULTS, PRIESTS AND SHAMANS THE YOGIS OF OLD
The people who lived around three thousand years ago in the Indus valley, which spans a huge area from the Arabian Sea to the base of the Himalayas, belonged to one of the earliest known civilizations. The Indus Valley peoples were a peaceful agricultural society, probably with their own priests and ritual magic workers. Terracotta seals have been found dating from this time, which show figures, presumed to be gods, sitting in recognizably yogic postures. The famous lotus pose, with legs folded, hands on the knees and the feet crossed one on top of the other is classically depicted. These are of great interest to, the yoga historian.
In time, the Indus Valley peoples were conquered by Sanskrit-speaking Indo-European tribes from the north, known as the Vedic people, who inhabited the Valley from roughly 1,800 BC to 1,000 BC. It is the Vedic age which really gives us our first firm links with anything specifically yogic. The concept of altering one's consciousness was a strong component of their world, and hymns dating from that time are full of references to practices which we would recognize as powerful meditations. The use of breath control, of quietening the normal thought process-es by concentration and contemplation, of intense devotion; all are features of the activities of the Vedic seers. The hymns speak of overcoming the ego, abandoning the self, and being free to experience cosmic levels with the goal of complete enlightenment. Infect the origins of all the ideas which we think of as intrinsically `yogic' are here. The Vedic hymns also contain specific ideas about the creation of the universe. The most important collections of hymns from the yogic point of view are the Rig Veda and the Atharva- Veda.
The people most concerned with these practices were the Vedic priests involved in ceremonial ritual and sacrifice. Also part of this society were less orthodox shaman figures, who were a throwback to more primitive times. By taking part in meditative practices, these shamans put themselves into ecstatic, trancelike states, Which they associated with the spiritual world. Other groups on the religious fringes, which existed then, as now Would also have had their own forms of culture worship. One such group, a mysterious all male brotherhood called the Vratyas, roamed the countryside rather like spiritual outlaws. They had a connection with yoga through their precise knowledge of breath control and its effect on mental and physical function.
KINGS AND BRAHMINS MYSTICAL USERS OF TRANSCENDENTAL POWER
Vedic society used formal rituals in order to attain spiritual transformation. From about eight hundred BC, however, a rather more mystical trend came into being with the people responsible for some of yoga's most important literary works, the Upanishads. These people represented a kind of breakaway group, many of them from the ruling classes but some already living in isolation, and their concept of life and spirituality was fundamentally different to all that had gone before. They were seekers after a more internalized form of spiritual knowledge, perhaps more akin to self-realization as we know it today than to religious sanctity. While contemplation and meditation were still fundamental practices, these were used to bring about a connection with an indwelling, unchanging self at the centre of man's being, rather than with an external, universal one. The Upanishads themselves comprise around two hundred mystical writings. The earliest of these were written in the eighth century BC; they have been added to throughout time, right up to the present century. Like similar texts, they simply note what had formally been a secret, oral tradition, very care-fully guarded, passed on from inspired teacher to deserving disciple. Practical ways and means of achieving enlightenment were not a major feature of the first stages of this literature. Instead, they deal more with the nature of the universe, its deities - including its feminine aspect - and the concept of renunciation. They speak of the immortality of the soul, of transcendence of the mortal self, of separation from the finite world. They tell of divine revelation and the power of spiritual practice, of the sacrifice of mortal pleasure to ultimate bliss. It was the later texts that became much more specific regarding actual practice. The Upanishads contain what is known as Vedanta philosophy; Vedanta meaning Veda's end — the conclusion of the Vedic world.
BUDDHISTS AND JAINS PART OF THE YOGA FOLD
The movements and developments described so far were all embraced within the wide-ranging Hindu culture, which was beginning at this time to form its own religious identity. Bud-dhism and Jainism were also emerging. Although to a large extent rival religions, their emergence from the umbrella of Hinduism gave them a natural affinity with yogic thought. Jainism originated in the sixth century BC and is marked by extreme moral and ethical rules. The idea of karma (which has become almost a cliché today) has always been central to the Jain religion. The aim of Jain spiritual practice is to go beyond a subservience to karmic activity -- that is, to reach a state where one's actions do not cause repeated effects; that is, to go beyond being continually at the mercy of karmic activity. Strict adherence to ethical behaviour is the chief way of achieving this freedom. These ethical practices have been incorporated into yoga in the form of a system of disciplined restraints and observances (See Chapter 5). Jainism is a comparatively practical path, suitable for those who do not ultimately wish to renounce normal life, and thus it also fits current specifications for yoga practitioners. Nevertheless, it does emphasize
THE RISE OF MODERN YOGA
As we have seen, hatha yoga is just a small part of yoga as a whole. However, this is the form we concentrate on today. While yoga's many streams of philosophy and ideology are dis-tilled within hatha yoga, the practices controlling the body's energy system are those taught to most modern yoga practitioners. Hot& yoga is said to have developed from a man called Goraksha, who lived in the tenth century AD. A legendary figure, he was known as a charismatic healer and a celibate. He is said to have written a work called Hatha-Yoga and various other works are attributed to him, however none of these are extant. We only know that from this time the specific practices of &Elia yoga were set out. Interestingly, in his Yoga Sutras Patanjali glosses over the technicalities of practice. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is the best known work of classical yoga practice. Dating from the mid-fourteenth century AD, it describes the basic cleansing methods of the body, breath con-trol methods, mudras or energy-controlling hand positions, and ways of holding specific areas of the body in order to intensify the life energy. It also goes through in detail the postures as we know them today. Another classic text is called the Gheranda-Santhita, which Was written in the seventeenth century. This lists various forms of physical purification, including that of the internal passages and organs. This text states that there are around 840,000 yoga postures, but that (perhaps thankfully) only 84 of these are important. The Gheranda-Samhita is at variance to Patanjali in stating that there are only seven, rather than eight limbs. The Correct diet and environment are considered by its author, Sage Gheranda, to be very important for yoga practitioners, and he also gives clear instructions for very distinctive breath controlpractices. Correct use of the complete body is the focus of the ha/ha yoga that derives from these works, but, again, the ultimate goal is liberation.