Through Hatha Yoga teachings, we learn that better health comes through purification of the body and caring for internal hygiene as well as external; that the body can only be built out of the nutritional ingredients which we eat; that occasional fasts help to eliminate toxins; that muscular strength is developed through both body building exercises as well as flexibility; and that full body movement should be encouraged to maintain youth and vitality.
We find that the practice of relaxation relieves stress both physical and psychological as the body and mind must work together to avoid inner conflicts; that breath is the primary nourishment for the body and links our body and soul; that breath provides the spiritual life link with universal life and energy outside; that quietude and meditation practices help to integrate our whole being and that self discipline is the only certain way to self improvement and happiness.
In Yoga classes we learn many physical techniques, postures and exercises for the purpose of improving physical health.
We hear of the importance of maintaining emotional equilibrium and the damage to our energy pattern when we give way to bad moods or violent behavior. We are taught more about our emotions in Bhakti Yoga.
Through Raja Yoga we are encouraged to understand our own personality and character make-up so that we can refresh our awareness and re-evaluate or re-create our own self-image, which potently determines so much of our life experiences.
Each layer of our nature is composed of energy of different grades and we begin to understand them all – firstly the physical energy layer, the emotional temperament, the two mental spheres related to rational thought and abstract thinking, in order to reach a more profound layer, the innermost harbor of our own soul.
It is the importance of the breath which convinces us that we are getting our energy from somewhere – it is the prime factor that makes our body, emotions, mind and soul function as they do. That the breath represents the spiritual or most subtle aspect of our selves is easy enough to comprehend. Although breath is invisible it is the most vital link with our Maker and the universal source of all life energy.
We practice stillness of the body. This is an elementary technique to help still the mind and allow all our petty thoughts and sometimes quite destructive ones, to melt away. Then the mind is left as a clear slate, ready to deliberately use our thought faculty for positive outcomes. It is when our bodies, minds and emotions are all still that we find it easy to become aware of our real self, our soul. It is only in silence that we can expect to become aware of this quiet part of our inner nature which is ‘heard’ through a whisper rather than voice and has been called ‘the still, small voice within’, our intuition. So far so good!
We are reminded that health is natural, if we fulfill the natural physical and psychological needs, so happiness is natural when we have disciplined our thoughts, emotions and body and have determined our own life satisfactions and aims.
Peace of mind is natural, when we are living in accordance with all the rules, social, moral, ethical and obeying the kindness of the heart.
Spiritual awareness is natural, when we quietly sit in natural surroundings, or peaceful beautiful sanctuaries.
It really is a matter of what we wish to foster in ourselves and there is no one to do it for us. That’s why it’s necessary to find a well-qualified Yoga teacher who can give you a bit of encouragement and motivation.
The Yoga philosophy seems only to espouse the same old simple values of truth, beauty, love, kindness, care, self-effort, creative enterprise, generosity and others. The teaching reminds us of enduring values and the need for vigilance in maintaining them in our character and our habits. There seem to be no ‘new’ values to supplant the fundamental ones, which all religions and philosophies teach. We just need to keep polishing up our personality and keep practicing what we know is good… and keep persevering!
We have to keep strong to resist or avoid all the factors, which would tempt us away from our purpose of gradually developing human excellence of all kinds.
We need to apply ourselves now, though, if it is true that we have another life after this one and that we will have to face conditions, which will present us again with any problem we failed to resolve this time. Better to face the challenges presented by life to us now so we don’t have to go through it all again!
Most of us hate to consider that we will have to repeat the painful lessons and experiences endured in this present life. This would seem to have been the main objection western people had to reincarnation. But the idea is becoming more popular now as we understand that once we are born human we are not reborn as an animal, or an ant!
Some of us may be dismayed to think of repeated experiences of the same frustrations and difficulties we presently endure. But what about a repeated opportunity to feel the sunshine, see the oceans, smell the roses, fall in love again and continue – or increase – our learning and our progress towards becoming a better human being? What a wonderful idea.
Yoga teachings seem to be just a matter of common sense.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga [http://yoga-guideto.com/]
