Raja Yoga

CHAPTER FOUR Raja Yoga R aja Yoga or Royal Yoga, is based on the history and philosophy of true yoga. That is, the yoga which rests on the thousands of years of Veda Knowledge, the Upanisads, and the Patanjali Sutras. Raja Yoga refers to training the mind so that we can experience direct contact with the inner self. Ashtanga Yoga is derived from the Patanjali system called Raja Yoga. Having studied some yoga history, the principles of Hatha, Ashtanga and Iyengar, I started thinking about how to approach the sequencing of postures. Since posture is important I decided to try and aim for feelings of well-being, joy and balance in everything. In the beginning, my movements and postures tended to be hasty and uncoordinated. After successive…

NIYAMA Niyama is the second stage in the raja yoga. The five rules of Niyama are in the form of Do’s. They are the attitudes we need to take toward ourselves. The rules are: 1. Cleanliness ( Sauca ) 2. Contentment ( Santosa ) 3. Austerity ( Tapas ) 4. Self-study or Introspection ( Svadhyaya ) 5. Devotion to the Supreme Lord ( Isvarapranidhana ) 1.4.1.3. ASANAS: (YOGIC POSTURES) In the Yoga sutras of Pathanjali, asana means "to be seated in a position that is firm, but relaxed".…

Tran, Anh - Assignment #2 Question: What is Yoga? Critically define the four yogas, intention, style, focus, and personality. Which one would you think most suited to your personality? Explain why. Simply put, yoga is a form of moksha (liberation). It is a spiritual exercise that brings peace, balance, and calmness to oneself. There are four types of yogas. The first one is jnana or knowledge yoga. This type of yoga is intended for spiritual aspirants who have a strong reflective bent; it is…

Benefits of Guided Yoga on the Physical Symptoms Presented in Men and Women in the Mild to Moderate Stages of Multiple Sclerosis in Canada Numerous studies have been conducted on the effects of various types of physical therapy on people diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis (MS) (Frank and Larimore, 2015). In recent studies, it was found that physical therapy has beneficial effects to people with MS. However, these studies mostly involve women. Therefore, the results of these studies can only be…

Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Azizi, H., Dobos, G., & Langhorst, J. (2014). Yoga for multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 9(11), e112414. The purpose of this study was to systematically analyze the effectiveness and safety of yoga on patients with multiple sclerosis. This study reviewed articles from various sources including but are not limited to those studies who have conducted randomized controlled trials (RCT). The trials the have been included on this study were…

Type 4 – A spirited soul If you are a spiritual person, take a look at the law of attraction principles. Commit yourself to exploring all the ways you can use it. Go to a yoga class and meditate. There’s nothing to lose, you can only feel better. Type 5 – A realist If on the other hand, you stand firmly on the ground, that doesn’t stop you from seeing things from a brighter angle. One of the dangers of being a realistic person is becoming a pessimist. Don’t let it be you. Maybe it’s one of your…

Chapter 1: Beginning With the Yogic Tree Yoga unlocks something deep within you. While fitness studios and gyms boast of the physical benefits of yoga, this ancient practice is far more than just another workout. Yoga has the power to unlock something deep within the human mind and allows us to access the true nature of ourselves. This practice was designed to work in harmony with the human body and utilizes anatomical principles that modern science has only recently started to understand.…

Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi together comprise meditation in Yoga. Dharana or concentration is the first step in yogic meditation. Dharana is focusing the mind on one object. Patanjali allows you to choose any object whatsoever. The only condition is that you must be favorably inclined towards the object. The entire effort in the dharana is to keep distractions at bay. Given the nature of the human mind, except for the object chosen everything comes in the mind or again and again the mind is…

Everyone has heard of posture these days, however maybe some are not so aware whether they have good posture or how to correct it. This is where yoga can help you to become more aware of your posture both in your daily life and in your yoga practice. I am going to share a few simple pointers that I hope will benefit you, your body and life. Through Yoga you learn how to hold yourself correctly. You will discover how standing properly can make you look taller and slimmer. Yoga postures like the…

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word meaning union. It is an ancient practice in the Indian tradition that brings the concepts of movement and breathing into a whole and it works together to bring physical and mental wellbeing. Yoga was attained by the teachings of gurus (teachers) where there were one-on-one sessions and the goal was to achieve the highest spiritual goals, self-realization, enlightenment, and liberations of the soul (Synovitz, 2013). Yoga therapy is a reworking aspect of yoga. It…