Why Practice Yoga?

Yoga is by all standards and definitions a universal science.
- Paramhansa Satyananda Saraswati

As yoga becomes more popular in our culture it also risks being misunderstood and misinterpreted. Many people seem to think that yoga is only a system of physical exercises. Others suspect that it is a religious system. Few realize the true scope of yoga. Yoga is an ancient science which teaches us how to harmonize body, mind and spirit. It is a means of promoting and maintaining optimal physical and psychological health and for developing the higher capacities inherent but dormant within us. I have had the good fortune of studying the system of yoga developed by Paramhansa Satyananda Saraswati, known as “Satyananda Yoga.” It is based in the broad tradition of yoga and incorporates elements of many different approaches to yoga, or “union.” These are known traditionally as hatha yoga, raja yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jñana yoga, laya yoga and kriya yoga. Each of these aspects of yoga work with a different dimension of the personality. We won’t go into detail here in describing each approach however; suffice to say that yoga offers a means of working with body, mind, daily activities, emotions, intellect and the deeper unconscious energies dormant within our beings.

Yoga tells us that we are much more than meets the eye and much more than we think. Our body-mind system is not the full extent of our identity. In fact it is a “vehicle” or instrument through which our higher dimensional consciousness interacts with this world of experience. We are eternal spiritual beings having a temporary human experience. Yoga has two purposes really. One is helping us to awaken to our true nature. The second is helping us to care for and manage this “vehicle” through the challenges of life. The path of awakening is a process of dehypnotizing; of undoing false conditioning. In this process we can understand ourselves and our lives more clearly, more truthfully and responsibly. We can live with greater sense of meaning, optimism and courage. Wherever you are in life, you can begin to practice a form of yoga which is appropriate for you. You can begin the process of recognizing and reconnecting with the source of your being.

Many people begin with the physical practices of hatha yoga. My classes typically involve postures, or asanas, breath practices, pranayama, and relaxation/meditation practices. We start with the outer being, the physical layer and work our way inward. When the effects of stress have been released from the body and the bio-energy, or prana, has been balanced through the breath, then we are more able to relax and turn inward to work with the mind in meditation. The asanas help to release built up nervous tension in the muscles, promote balance in the endocrine system and improve the circulation of blood and prana. They also serve to purify and rejuvenate the internal organs. Pranayama is a means to awaken, balance and harmonize the flow of “life-energy” through our systems. Called “prana” in Sanskrit, it is also known as qi or chi. The practices of hatha yoga were developed to work with this underlying energy. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a classic scripture of hatha yoga, states, “When prana is steady, the mind becomes steady.” Thus the practices of hatha yoga bring about psycho-somatic balance, integrity and well-being.

Meditation, or inner yoga, is best facilitated by hatha yoga, but this is not strictly necessary. Inner yoga begins with deep relaxation and inner awareness. Inner awareness, or pratyahara, means disconnecting from the outer world of the senses to explore the inner world of consciousness. This can greatly facilitate the resolution of psychological complexes related to depression, anxiety, poor self-esteem, anger, obsessions, etc. As a licensed therapist I often advocate yoga practice to my clients. On the other hand, yoga is not necessarily a complete substitute for psychotherapy and those suffering from these conditions will best benefit from a combination of both. One doesn’t have to have psychological “problems,” though to benefit from meditation. Meditation has numerous benefits including improved concentration, memory, learning retention, happiness and optimism, sense of meaning and purpose. It also has dramatic effects on physical health and well-being. It slows the aging process and helps rejuvenate our brains. It also helps us to develop and mature psychologically.

Relaxation is just the beginning of inner yoga. There are practices to develop the capacity for visualization, awakening the chakras or centers of psychic energy within the body, developing psychic or intuitive potentials, etc. The greatest benefit though is the experience of true inner peace, expanded awareness and connection with the universe at large. The benefits of yoga practice don’t necessarily come right away, though. People generally feel a sense of relaxed well-being from attending a single yoga class. However, the effects are cumulative over time, as well as lost quickly without continued practice. The Yoga Sutras state the importance of non-attachment to outcome (vairagya) and consistent practice (abhyasa). With these two disciplines added to our yoga practice it becomes a process of joyful unfolding of our inner nature. There will always be struggles and obstacles, of course, but if we are open and consistent in our practice we will overcome!

Here is a selection of books by Paramhansa Satyananda:
 
Kundalini Tantra/2009 Re-print
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha/2008 Fourth Revised EditionA Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and KriyaYoga Nidra/2009 Re-printFour Chapters on Freedom: Commentary on the Yoga Sutras of PatanjaliSurya Namaskara: A Technique of Solar Vitalization
Yoga Nidra and Meditation
Sure Ways to Self-Realization
Meditations from the Tantras
Yoga and Cardiovascular Management
Yoga Education For Children