Many years ago Ed lived at the renowned Bihar School of Yoga in India where he became a Swami, a yogic monk. He spent time in silence and trained in many various aspects of yoga. He soon realized that yoga is far more than just a series of postures or mental exercises, but is a system that guides every aspect of life, from the way we walk and talk to a state of inner freedom.
In other words, yoga is not just learning how to stand on our head but is, as Swami Satchidananda taught, actually learning how to stand on our feet. What was most profound was seeing how, without love, yoga is dry; that unless we have an open heart and compassion then there is no true yoga. We can know and read all the teachings, the sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, but that is not enough to fully awaken.
When we complete the journey to our own heart, we will find ourselves in the hearts of everyone else.
-- Father Thomas Keating, from our book, "Be The Change."
Last year we considered writing a book called "Can Yoga Save The World?" But when we discussed it with other people many were quite puzzled and asked: how can physical postures save the world? Which made us realize that modern-day yoga has, to a large extent, lost touch with the magnificence and breadth of its original teachings. As a fellow Yogi said, "Unfortunately in the West it does seem that yoga is forgetting its roots and becoming just another cool new exercise."
Isaac, the manager at our local 24 Hour Fitness, told us that people think yoga is just sitting in a room and humming and, more importantly, that men won't go to a class as they think it is a woman's thing. This reminded Deb of when we were teaching in India and the participants were all men. They were very surprised to find a woman teaching the class, as in India there are far more men who practice.
There are various forms of yoga, just as there are different aspects to our nature, with a wealth of teachings for each form. Here we describe the five main branches of yoga, as well as Tantra yoga, which little is known about and is the most misunderstood. The purpose of all the forms is to enable the practitioner to develop a balanced life through a healthy body and mind, deep inner peace and, ultimately, to realize their true nature. For instance, through Bhakti yoga we awaken universal love and compassion; Karma yoga is the path of selfless action, where we surrender our own needs to the joy of service; and Jnana yoga is the path of philosophy and reflection, where we use the intellect in order to transcend the intellect.
Raja yoga, also known as the King of Yoga, is the most comprehensive and experiential path, and the one that can be most proven scientifically. Founded by the legendary Indian master Patanjali, he outlined eight steps. In the first two steps are clear instructions on how to live an ethical and caring life through practicing harmlessness (ahimsa), being truthful, not being greedy nor indulging in addictions. It outlines the importance of having a healthy lifestyle, and the need for self-reflection so that we become more aware of our own habits and mental tendencies.
The third step is the practice of physical postures or asanas, which literally means seat. The idea is to practice different postures so that our body is able to sit comfortably without tension in meditation. In ancient times Hatha yoga was a separate science, with strenuous and challenging postures and austere purification through cleansing techniques or hatha kriyas, as well as the purification of the mind. Within the last 30 years many different types of Hatha have appeared that mostly focus on asanas, with pranayama and relaxation, which are steps three, four and five of Raja yoga.
The fourth step is pranayama, working with the life force or prana, with a variety of different breathing techniques that calm the mind and body while increasing the inner energy. The fifth step is the withdrawal of the mind from the senses, as practiced in deep inner conscious relaxation (see Ed's CD, Yoga Nidra). Here we turn the mind within and do not identify with the objects of the world, our desires or senses, but develop inner clarity.
Having gained some control over the body, released tension and developed calmness, the sixth step teaches concentration, bringing our attention to the fluctuating mind with its constant chatter, dramas and daydreams. By focusing on just one thing, such as a candle flame (tratak), the mind is able to rest and become one-pointed. Next we can enter meditation, where the mind becomes quiet and still. As the attachment to the ego lessons, so our understanding of truth deepens.
Samadhi, or the highest happiness, is the final step of Raja yoga. This is a state of consciousness where the individual self merges with the universal self, like a drop of water merges with the ocean. The ultimate purpose of yoga is in order to awaken to this state. Samadhi is the unconditional, omnipresent, omnipotent reality. It is our true, authentic nature.
Tantra yoga is a systematic way to make every aspect of life sacred, yet it is mistakenly thought of as being primarily about sex. Sexuality is only a small part of tantric teachings, as tantra also deals with very powerful and often negative emotions, such as fear and anger, that are used to awaken the practitioner's dormant potential. What is being taught nowadays is not traditional tantra. The original purpose, as with other forms of yoga, is to transcend the individual ego to attain Self Realization.
We hope this has given a taste of the vastness and magnitude of this ancient teaching. Hatha is certainly a fundamental part of yoga, but so also is meditation, doing good and being good! May you enjoy this most wonderful gift handed down to us from the Yogi's and Yogini's of ancient times.
What does yoga mean to you? Do comment below. You can receive notice of our blogs every Tuesday by checking Become a Fan at the top.
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See our award-winning book: BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World, forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, with contributors Marianne Williamson, Jane Fonda, Ram Dass, Byron Katie, Michael Beckwith, Seane Corn, Jon Kabat-Zinn and others.
Our 3 meditation CD's: Metta--Loving kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi-Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra-Inner Conscious Relaxation, are available at: www.EdandDebShapiro.com
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Karen Brody: Memo to Moms: It's Eat, Pray, Sleep
Ashrams in India or Tibet sends their most promising students out to the streets with a begging bowl after only two years. In Theosophy (AABailey), this is between initiations 3 and 4. The goal is to let ‘life’ teach and test the ‘wannabe’. They are sent, symbolically, to the 'south' of India, where lives a very primitive race. The goal is 1) to be subjected, along the road, to the various sexual, alcoholic, or food temptation-energies and to 'survive' them by integration and balance. Also, 2) they are expected to do the ultimate tantric act, which is to form the equivalent of an Aristotelian Mean with a partner, who can be male or female, not necessarily located on the same continent. This union is psychological and results in a neutrality of 'mind' which nullifies the equivalent of the 'angel with the crossed, fiery swords’, allowing entrance to the 'next' plane, which interpenetrates this one. Interaction of a husband and wife will 'teach' each other about the psychological energies of their respective sexes, so that both 'attain'.
Shiva stands on his left foot to symbolize that the path of synthesis comes up the left side of the body. In Tantra, the yogi is taught to send energies, of 'destruction' down the right side of the body. If Shiva and Kali are taken literally, instead of as psychological states, the yogi can destroy himself or those around them.
If I am born in Scandinavia ('cold') and my dad is controlling, then as an adult I will either seek to be controlled by my wife or I will try to control her as my dad did me—it becomes a tantric problem. Accordingly, I will marry a ('warm') woman from Italy who has a lot of unrepressed energy. The marriage fails if I steal her energy by destroying her spontaneity, or she might ‘use’ my energy and I will be depleted as she grows more outgoing. Husband and wife must exchange male and female energies with each other.
Yoga has become much more widespread. As owner of a children's yoga company (YogaBuddies) I've found an increase of kids awareness of yoga. Their image is often of a person sitting and meditating. Seven years ago when I started the company I would ask a room of 100 kids how many have done yoga and 1/4 or less of the room would raise their hands. Now it's 3/4 or more. I feel grateful to be able to give kids access to the beginnings of such an amazing and mindful practice. I created our company with many of the aspects of yoga in mind, so not only do children in our classes learn the poses, but also breathing techniques and mindful practices. Our hope is to create healthy, positive and aware adults-to-be.
Hmmm. Bed of Nails doesn't sound that relaxing, but my girlfriend swears by it.
http://www.bedofnails.org.
Have you ever used one?
Eli
physical container (body) and energies that whirl around in that incredible container (mind and emotions).
Yoga gives us an path to discover the sacred in each moment, each step, each breath. It was beautiful to have the beautiful description of the various flowers in the yoga garden!
Thank you so much for yet another amazing post!
Love Bug,
Eli
Hello and thank you for this understandable and non-disparaging article. I often hear tones of anger, resentment, and mocking from those who are more developed in their meditation and Yoga practice/understanding than “Western society”, and I am refreshed to not feel this from you! Yes, it is true that much of Western yoga is as you described as fitness and exercise. But this form of yoga is truly meeting people where they are. “Westerners” can relate to this, and this is where the Yoga starts for so many. The seed is planted! How that seed may or may not grow in someone’s lifetime is up to their life’s path, but encouraging growth, like the information you present in your article rather than attaching snobbish or mysterious feelings to Yoga and meditative applications are the avenues to cultivate the seed in our society. Thank you!
Thank you for your comment-
when Deb & I were in India we visited the Dalai Lama at his residence. When he greeted us we went to bow as is proper - he hurriedly lifted us up and said we are all equal here.
I had never met a more ordinary man. Just simple and friendly as he held our handss as we spoke with him in his room. We even have pictures of us with him on our website
www.EdandDebShapiro.com
may you have good days
may all things go well with you
may you be happy
may you be peaceful
Life is an adventure
Enjoy the journey
treasure yourself
be kind to others
when you point to others & find fault in others there are 4 fingers pointing back to you
so see the good in others & realize we are all doing our best so
do your best and leave the rest!
Life is a gift
when you point your finger at others there are 3 FINGERS pointing back to you
Oh, I did not know screen name Ken sounds feminine. May be this is language barrier. Sorry, Ms. Yogi!
it is not a screen named Ken it is a woman called Jacqui
JacquiDB 11:40 AM on 9/30/2010
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
JacquiDB 11:40 AM on 9/30/2010
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
The purpose of a good life is to & of yoga is to :
Be Good and Do Good
no one is perfect
perfection is your ability to see your imperfections
we come to this life with things that we need to resolve.
Along the way we may be a scoundrel but we can change- grow and clean our karma
hold good thoughts of others. Only someone who is ignorant can do harm.
A person of peace cannot harm anyone.
Enjoy the mystery
Life is an adventure! A precious gift!
When I was in India for the first time (I have been there 6x) you can see contortionist on train tracks doing all sorts of weird positions - they were known to be a bit freaky & not taken seriously by the Indian people- they would even beg for money! People would throw them rupees and coins.
Yoga is not about about any one thing - there are many ways one can deepen their experience of yoga.
Only when you do it can you know what it is
What is most needed is a keen desire to wake up - to want to know more about the many facets of yoga. Then slowly find out what is best for you.
In India, there are countless ashrams, temples and sacred shrines and these yogis would continually move around from one of these places to the next, for decades. In the West, such a network of places to support this way of life simply does not exist, so persons who are naturally inclined to the depths generally have to make do with only spending part of their time and energy towards the big questions.
I have on two occasions travelled through India visiting these ashrams, sacred sites, for several months each time. You meet fascinating people with diverse outer and inner experiences who have much to share and teach. Along with living virtuously, gaining worldly prosperity and sensory enjoyment, there is another aim of life... enlightenment. These sadhus/yogis were focused on the latter, unlike most persons who generally feel compelled towards the outer aims along with (or not) the inner aim of gaining a self-knowledge and knowledge of existence which might be called gnostic or mystical. The mystical path being that which takes one's search for identity towards the mystery itself.
He even has said that he would be very happy to give up the political role and have the Tibetan people chose someone - similar to other political systems.
He is probably the most respected and genuine Spiritual beings I have met and has won the Nobel Peace Prize -
He has captured the hearts of spiritual and non Spiritual people - as he is so ordinary and says he is just a simple monk.
he says his religion is kindness- I/we are happy to say he is our teacher!
may all beings be happy and free from suffering!
On Dalai Lama.....I avoid the threads these days, sadly it is the troll`s favoite one, they make fool of themselves by attacking the posters. I think Dalai Lama is the only living spiritual leader who practices what he preaches. LOL, once I adressed him as His Highness...he is the after all, the exiled leader of Tibet...and I never heard the end of it...
BB
The posture are beneficial without a doubt but I personally are a bhakti - A bhakti according to tradition knows their true self but becomes the lover
when love & compassion are awakened then yoga becoems alive!
Yes - after meeting with the Dalai Lama (His Holiness by tradition) - on our honeymoon 24 years ago I knew that he was genuine - a humble kind man.
you have to ask the person who wrote this comment -
"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. "
it sounds like a woman (at least that is the name the comment is from.
It doesn't sound like a Mr. Yogi?
good to see you lovely two some shedding light on this profound tradition.
comin' from one of the finest yogis - that is a compliment
Jai Jai