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| What is Yoga? |
Yoga meant “Union” in ancient Sanskrit. Union can be interpreted in several ways. Examples are:
Each of these explanations tells us something. On the lighter side, there are definitions of union
that tell us little or nothing about Yoga. Yoga has nothing to do with the enemies of the
Confederacy. Neither is it a group that gathers to improve the wages and working conditions of a
particular trade or firm. It is not a place for students to gather between classes, nor is it a device
to link sections of pipe.
The dictionary defines Yoga as “a mystic and ascetic Hindu discipline by which one seeks to
achieve liberation of the self and union with the supreme spirit or universal soul through intense
concentration, deep meditation, and practices involving prescribed postures, controlled breathing,
etc.”
or
“a system of exercising involving the postures, breathing, etc. practiced in this discipline .”
The latter definition is what most people think of when they hear the word yoga. Contortions
might be the acceptable synonym.
For my purposes, I find the practical definition of Yoga as a union of various physical, mental
and spiritual disciplines to be most appropriate. These include eating, sleeping, bending,
stretching, twisting, balancing, breathing, resting, sitting, walking, thinking, writing, working,
singing, laughing, dancing and loving.
All of these bits of behavior have one thing in common: use it or lose it.
- union of body, mind and spirit,
union of the many philosophies and religious beliefs,
union of the human and the divine,
union of various physical, mental and spiritual disciplines.
Each of these explanations tells us something. On the lighter side, there are definitions of union
that tell us little or nothing about Yoga. Yoga has nothing to do with the enemies of the
Confederacy. Neither is it a group that gathers to improve the wages and working conditions of a
particular trade or firm. It is not a place for students to gather between classes, nor is it a device
to link sections of pipe.
The dictionary defines Yoga as “a mystic and ascetic Hindu discipline by which one seeks to
achieve liberation of the self and union with the supreme spirit or universal soul through intense
concentration, deep meditation, and practices involving prescribed postures, controlled breathing,
etc.”
or
“a system of exercising involving the postures, breathing, etc. practiced in this discipline .”
The latter definition is what most people think of when they hear the word yoga. Contortions
might be the acceptable synonym.
For my purposes, I find the practical definition of Yoga as a union of various physical, mental
and spiritual disciplines to be most appropriate. These include eating, sleeping, bending,
stretching, twisting, balancing, breathing, resting, sitting, walking, thinking, writing, working,
singing, laughing, dancing and loving.
All of these bits of behavior have one thing in common: use it or lose it.
It seems like a simple question. What is Yoga? I have heard of folks who were under the
impression that it had something to do with eating yogurt. I have heard of its being suppressed
in totalitarian regimes, as if it were a forbidden religion or an outlawed political party.
So, what is Yoga? My own answers to that question continue to grow. After more than forty
years studying and practicing the disciplines of Hatha, Raja, Jnana and Bhakti, I still suspect that
there is much more about it that I still do not know.
impression that it had something to do with eating yogurt. I have heard of its being suppressed
in totalitarian regimes, as if it were a forbidden religion or an outlawed political party.
So, what is Yoga? My own answers to that question continue to grow. After more than forty
years studying and practicing the disciplines of Hatha, Raja, Jnana and Bhakti, I still suspect that
there is much more about it that I still do not know.
| Yoga for Carnivores by Jay Dyck |