Understanding Yoga Through The Yoga Mat
Yoga is an interdisciplinary group of spiritual, mental, and physical practices or philosophies that originate from ancient India. The term derives from the Sanskrit words’ Yuj, which means unity and Vaitarani, which means self-inquiry. Yoga is one of twelve original schools of Indian spiritual traditions. It combines physical exercises with meditation and spiritual investigation, as well as a diet that are centered on food alone.
Yoga draws its roots from Taoism, through the Buddhist and Hindu faiths, and eventually to the Mahayana Buddhist faith. Yoga consists of a set of yoga postures or asanas, which are designed to unite the body, mind, and spirit. The postures are also thought to be part of a spiritual practice or quest, in which one hopes to acquire personal liberation from suffering, reach enlightenment, and eventually attain salvation. Although the initial yoga courses were designed primarily for the purpose of gaining inner comfort and self-empowerment, over time, these exercises have been developed into powerful tools for achieving physical as well as mental balance. In the United States, yoga has come to be viewed as a form of exercise, which can help promote a healthy body, as well as improve a person’s ability to deal with stress and improve their mental balance.
One of the most popular facets of yoga is the spiritual aspect, or the meaning of yoga. There is no one single meaning attributed to the word yoga, because yoga encompasses a wide variety of practices and beliefs. Many people will tell you that the word yoga means nothing more than getting in shape, while others will tell you that it speaks of ancient teachings that have withstood the test of time. Because yoga is considered to be a religious practice, you must be careful about how much information you share with your yoga class instructor.
Most mainstream yoga teachers, when explaining the meaning of yoga to new students, will usually bring up the word meditation. While meditation is important to achieving spiritual health, many yoga poses actually have strong ties to spiritual practice. For example, the yoga poses commonly known as the Chair pose and the Warrior pose both have deep religious roots. The concepts of these yoga poses, while not actually religious in nature, are deeply rooted in religious tradition and can be linked to some of the greatest spiritual teachers of all time.
A common misconception about the word yoga is that it means you have to do nothing but move your body in specific ways in order to achieve certain effects. This is completely untrue. Yoga, when practiced regularly, will not only improve your ability to manage your body in a balanced way, but it will also encourage you to develop a deep understanding of your body and how to treat it from a spiritual, psychological, emotional and physical level. The goal of your yoga class is to make you a true yoga practitioner, who has mastered the true essence of yoga.
In order to truly understand the meaning of yoga, it’s important to understand the history of it, both ancient India and modern America. When people in ancient India first began learning yoga, they were not trying to make fitness a part of their lifestyle. They were using yoga as a way to learn to control their bodies and souls, and in turn use those abilities for self-worship. While the modern version of yoga would have you believe differently, the fact is that regular practice of yoga will not only make you a healthier person, but more spiritually aware of your connection to the universe.
