“YOGA- MORE THAN WHAT IT IS POPULAR FOR”
YOGA is practical — YOGA is about ‘Karma’ and ‘kriya’ -a systematic disciplined routine – a sustained practice towards uniting with universe energies or in broader aspects uniting with ‘Moksha’ (moksha, vimoksha, vimukti, or mukti -various forms of one’s enlightenment, liberation, or release)—uniting with ‘Moksha’, means to be free from Saṃsāra or Saunsara (the world—the cycle of birth-life-matter-existence-death-and, again rebirth). In Sanskrit ’Yoga’ means uniting — well, Yoga also opens various dimensions which helps assist with life’s goals or other decided purposes of life.
To introduce Yoga to the world, Swami Vivekananda adopted Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and interpreted for the western world in his book ‘Raja Yoga’, -published in July 1896, ‘Raja’ in Sanskrit means ‘best of its kind’ – Raja Yoga means ‘best of yoga’ —— later on this Raja Yoga also has been referred as astanga yoga, royal yoga, royal union, sahaja marg and classical yoga. The astanga yoga is about the eight limbs of yoga sequenced from outer to inner, and these eight limbs are: yamas, niyamas, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi-meaning abstinence, observance, postures, breathing, withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and absorption respectively. The Yoga which people generally follow or practice across the world are: niyama, asana, pranayama, and dhyana.
Lord Krishna explains in Bhagavad Gita, that when the yogi (one who performs yoga) through disciplinary process of practising yoga attains a state of supremacy where every material desire is abolished or revoked— the yogi is known as well-established in yoga – who gets complete control over mind and remains steady while meditating. Such a difficult meditation level can be attained through self-detachment and strenuous practices of yoga.
So, what people generally know and practice, YOGA is far beyond that. “Yoga is more than what it is known for,” -UTTAMADITYA.