Health and Lifestyle

Health and Lifestyle

All you need to know about Yoga, Patanjali and Kundalini Yoga

“Yoga” When you hear this word, the first things that typically come to mind are asanas, meditation, wellness, and India. Yoga is thought of as one of the most efficient fitness regimens in general. This essay will present the entire image of yoga clearly and understandably. To comprehend yoga, we first will understand the person who gave yoga its meaning. Story of PatanjaliYoga MeaningKundalini Yoga Patanjali Let us understand the story of Patanjali as per Shiva Mahapuran and a couple of other scriptures. One day, Lord Shiva appeared as Nataraja and was engaged in a unique form of cosmic dance known as Ajapatandava while in a profound state of bliss. While this happens, Bhagavan Shri Maha Vishnu enters a deep meditation and witnesses Shiva’s cosmic dance. Aadi Sesha, Shri Mahavishnu’s vahanum, asks him if he would also like to see Nataraja’s joyful dance out of keen interest in this unfolding scenario. At that point, Bhagavan Shri Maha Vishnu directs Aadi Sesha to travel to Chidambaram, which is home to Mahadev in the guise of Nataraja and where you can witness Shiva Tandav, a celestial event. Shri Maha Vishnu instructs Aadi Sesha to travel to Chidambaram and serve Nataraja. One day, Gonika, a woman, was praying to Surya Bhagwan for her dream of becoming a mother. As she held her hands in the praying position known as Anjali, with both palms facing the sky, a tiny baby snake fell into her hands. That baby snake was none other than Adi Seisha. Sanskrit described his descent from the sky into her hands as Patan. Her folded hands are referred to as Anjali. Patan plus Anjali, or Patanjali, acquired his name as he dropped into the palms of the heavens, and he became the form of a snake-human hybrid. Therefore, Patanjali served Nataraja in Chidambaram, present-day Tamil Nadu, where Mahadev was worshipped as Nataraja after taking on that incarnation of Adi Seisha as Patanjali. Since the beginning, Naga worship has played a significant role in Indian culture. Even today, people still hold Patanjali in great regard and adore him for his role as an Adi Seisha. Whenever Mahadev is depicted as Nataraja, he is accompanied by two attendants: Vyagrapada, a humanoid half-tiger and half-man, and Patanjali. If one wants to understand Patanjali truly, one needs to know that he is mainly associated with Tamil culture in India. Tamil culture is one of the best and has a vibrant history and tradition. There are 18 Siddhas or Yogis related to Tamil culture, and Patanjali is one of them. Let’s now get to the point of why Patanjali is being discussed. He is the author of three extraordinarily full texts that have benefited humanity in its most crucial spheres. Let’s now examine what they are. Firstly, there is Ayurveda. One of the earliest texts on Ayurveda concerning health and medicine was written by Patanjali and is known as the Patanjali Tantra. This text, ascribed to Sushruta Samhita, focuses on various therapies for the many illnesses that people may experience. It is one of Ayurveda’s oldest sources. The second one is Mahabhasya. Patanjali gave a detailed commentary on Panini’s Ashtadhay. The third, last, and most significant reason we are talking about Patanjali is that he is the author of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, which serve as the foundation for yoga. What we currently know was revealed by Patanjali. Yoga is much more than just stretching your hands and legs on a mat; it has a much deeper historical background than most individuals who do it now. In this article, we’ll see more precisely how Patanjali is responsible for that. Moving further and summarising the three, Patanjali provided the Patanjali Tantra for physical health, Ayurveda, the Yoga Sutras for spiritual health, and the Mahabhashem for social health, or improved language and grammar in communication. Patanjali stands out among the many texts offered by Rishis or Yogis and in Indian scriptures for one distinct reason. He addressed the three areas of life that are most crucial for everyone: physical, mental, and social health. A higher quality of life is a result of all three. If you quickly reflect, you will see that the origin of yoga was a discussion between Mahadev and Bhagavan Shri Maha Vishnu. The three scriptures on Yoga, Ayurveda, and Mahabhasya that Patanjali provided were finally passed down to his pupil Adi Shankaracharya. Patanjali learned it from both Vishnu and Shiva. Adi Shankaracharya established four peethas—Dvaraka, Badari, Sringeri, and Puri—where his heritage is still carried on, and Patanjali is in his guru’s lineage. The knowledge that Bhagavan Shri Maha Vishnu and Bhagavan Shiva transmitted to Patanjali was shared by Patanjali to Adi Shankaracharya and was shared by Adi Shankaracharya to four pitas operating the magnificent legacy of Patanjali across India. Yoga Let’s now examine what yoga is in plain terms. While numerous scriptures describe what yoga is. The Bhagavad-Gita contains the most straightforward explanation of yoga, which everyone can comprehend. Lord Krishna uses these words to explain them to Arjuna. Yoga is a state of mind that corresponds to being steadfast in the performance of your duty and treating both success and failure equally, sounds easy, but in reality is incredibly difficult to put into practice. Although it’s easier said than done, yoga teaches us to be indifferent to success and failure. Yoga is described by Patanjali as Chittavruktini Rodha, which may appear straightforward but has a profound meaning. Chitta is restrained from any changes by the practice of yoga. The word Chitta can be roughly translated as “mind,” but it refers to a state of consciousness. Let’s move on to the human anatomy. As we all know, the brain is divided into four rather than five main components. The frontal lobe, which consists of four lobes and one cerebellum, is responsible for personality traits, decision-making, movement, and actions. On the other hand, the parietal lobe is more concerned with object identification and the interpretation of physical pain. These are the functions of this

Health and Lifestyle

All you need to know about Yoga, its history, benefits and risks

YOGA is the Union of 3 things The Sanskrit word “YUJ” is the source of the word “yoga.” The root word “Yuj” in Sanskrit means “to yoke,” “to connect,” or “to join.” Most Hindu writings mention Yoga as a method for training the senses and, ultimately, the intellect/ mind. Yoga’s fundamental goal is oneness with the Divine. Yoga promotes harmony in mind, words, and body. Yoga is a mind-body exercise. Yoga comes in various forms, each combining physical poses, breathing exercises, and relaxation or meditation. Yoga is an ancient practice that started in India. It incorporates breathing exercises, movement, and meditation to enhance physical and mental health. The main objective of Yoga History Vedas and its subdivisions One of the oldest and most revered scriptures in human history is the Rig Veda. It dates back 8000-10,000 years. The Rig Veda is a prehistoric book of Vedic Sanskrit hymns from India. Part of this Vedic literature is yoga. Yoga is under the authority of Maharishi Patanjali. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, dating from the second century B.C., became known in the West only in the twentieth century through Swami Vivekanand. He was the first Hindu teacher to actively promote the non-asana components of yoga and bring them to a Western audience. In medieval India, yoga was practised only by the royal and educated classes. After passing a demanding examination, students were allowed to learn it in gurukuls. Through the efforts of numerous spiritual and religious leaders in India, yoga became accessible to the average citizen and every individual worldwide. Bhagwat Geeta says –  “ Yogah Karmarv Kaushalam” Meaning: Yoga is a skill in action and expression. Yoga is more than just a workout; it teaches us how to interact and behave effectively in any scenario. Here, it is more commonly referred to as mental talent. For example, if you do something out of love and joy, whether you are sitting, enjoying a sunset, working, standing, or cooking food, you are a yogi and a karma yogi. Yoga is not the same action performed without love or attention. Yogi/Yogini follows the yoga philosophy with a substantial degree of dedication. Krishna says in Bhagwat Geeta –  “Samatvam Yog Vchitte” Meaning: Equanimity in mind is a sign of Yoga. Yoga is the ability to stay focused under difficult circumstances. Exercises like yoga and meditation help keep the body in good shape. Yoga combines several facets of existence. Everyone who is engaged in something is practicing yoga. The path is more peaceful, joyful and enjoyable when you are in harmony with yourself.  Meditation: Aspects of meditation include quieting the mind, paying attention to our thoughts and feelings, and focusing on one thing. Our mind generates on average about 60000 thoughts per day. During meditation, beta and theta brain waves are generated. These calming brain waves are active just before sleep when you are lying in the sun, or immediately after a hot bath. Maharishi Patanjali elucidated eight limbs of Yoga. Yoga is now mostly thought of in terms of physical postures. While keeping a calm state of mind is the core message of Yoga. Chakras Chakra is Sanskrit for “spinning wheel.”  According to yoga, the physical body, ideas, emotions and energy are all centred in the chakras. According to the yoga gurus, their chakras influence people’s emotional reactions, desires and aversions, levels of confidence and fear, and even physical symptoms and effects. When the energy in a chakra is blocked, it leads to physical, mental or emotional imbalances that manifest in symptoms such as worry, sluggishness or poor digestion. The numerous physical postures used in hatha yoga are called asanas. Yoga practitioners use asanas to release energy and balance a chakra. Benefits of Yoga Yoga has numerous positive effects on the body and mind: If at all feasible, seek advice from a doctor before beginning a yoga practice. Risks and Side Effects of Yoga Summary Yoga is a long tradition that has evolved over the years. Postures that promote inner peace and physical vitality are the focus of today’s yoga. In the past, yoga was less about physical fitness. Instead, it was about promoting spiritual life and developing mental clarity. Yoga comes in a multitude of variations. Depending on one’s expectations and physical flexibility, one chooses a particular style. Yoga should be practiced slowly and carefully by people with certain medical problems, such as sciatica. Yoga can promote an active, balanced lifestyle.

Scroll to Top