Most people are now familiar with the word "Yoga". But the exact meaning may be shrouded in visions of bearded sages lying on beds of nails or standing on their heads at the oddest times. That may be an extreme form of Yoga practiced by fanatics but it has nothing to do with the proper study of Yoga laid out in the Sanskrit text books. Neither is Yoga the way-out prerogative of the young.
More and more young people are, of course, discovering meditation as an alternative to going on a trip with the aid of drugs. But the beauty of Yoga lies in its great versatility, which can please and benefit anyone of any age, creed or sex. It is one of the few things in life where results are almost immediate. What then is it and what can it do?
Basically, there are two broad areas of Yoga: Hatha Yoga, consisting of the asanas or exercises, and Meditative Yoga, of which there exist five main forms. For instance, there is Jnana Yoga, a meditative technique (through knowledge) for the intellectual. A muscial person might choose Mantra Yoga in which a trance-like state is achieved through repetitious chanting. A Salvation Army officer is actually practising a form of Bhakti Yoga, which is the Yoga of love and service.
However, Hatha Yoga, with which we are concerned here, is the only physical discipline among the lot. True, it is only a small part of the whole but it is a most important part, because it represents the first step on the ladder to the ultimate goal of samadhi, or self-realization. It disciplines the body, so that the mind is free to expand. The Yoga Sara Sangraha, defines Yoga as: "the silencing of the mind's activities through physical and mental self-discipline which leads to the complete realization of the intrinsic nature of the "Supreme Person". The "Supreme Person" may be thought of as the ultimate best in all of us, the image of God in our hearts. Yoga, meaning yoke or union, shows us the path, and no matter what your religion, Yoga will enhance it for you.
In order to have the mind free, one must first be able to forget the body. That is only possible if everything is in perfect running order, if no aches and pains distract from meditation. Just as one cannot possibly enjoy the beauties of nature gliding by if the automobile in which one is sitting has developed a mysterious knock, or broken springs, so it is impossible to sit for any period in concentrated thought if a throbbing pain is to be felt in stiff muscles or if one's back is aching. Hatha Yoga is concerned with organic health, not the physical development of the muscles, although that is a very pleasant and certain side-effect.
The "art" of Yoga itself is 5,000 years old, and it was first put into written form 2,500 years ago. Hatha Yoga comprises breathing techniques, rituals of hygiene and physical exercises. The latter were refined from the observation of the stretching movements of jungle animals. After all, who is more lithe, relaxed and healthy than the cat family? What does a cat do immediately upon getting up or lying down? Stretch. STRETCHING is tranquilizing. Hatha Yoga is the best physical culture system in the world. It relaxes, rejuvenates, tones, firms, regulates body-functions, energizes and beautifies. Through regular, half-hour practices you can drastically change your life.
For instance, were you aware that right now, sitting there improperly in your chair, you are only using l/5th of your total lung-power? Can you imagine how much more energetic, vital and healthy you would feel with just 10 minutes of proper daily deep-breathing? If you are yawning right now, you are probably sitting in a stuffy room, the carbon-dioxide level in your blood stream has exceeded a safety-level and your yawn is an immediate demand of your body for OXYGEN NOW! As for diet, there is an isolated tribe living in the mountains near Pakistan whose members are incredibly long-lived and astoundingly disease-free. Why? Their diet is very low on carbohydrates. So it is in Yoga.
The secret lies in stretching muscles, not tensing them as you do in calisthenics; in moving slowly, so that one can stop immediately the warning-signal of pain appears. It is to be found in Personal Progress, in which you compare yourself to no-one else, only to yourself as you were yesterday, so that no matter what your age, flexibility or state of health, you can exercise safely and with success. You go as far as you can and hold it there until you're uncomfortable. By this action you are exercising over and over as it were, and therefore have to do an exercise only 2 or 3 times instead of 20. This loosens and strengthens the muscles in preparation for your ultimate goal.
Yoga renews energy where calisthenics deplete it. It relieves you of minor aches and pains, of constipation and of hemorrhoids. If your abdominal wall is in a pitiable state after several child-births, if you have arthritis, bursitis, sciatica, or disc-problems, Yoga can supply some helpful exercises. If your legs ache at the end of the day, if you suffer from insomnia or can't unwind even in sleep, if you are irritable or uncomfortable, Yoga can help you.
