Raja Yoga, sometimes referred to as "Royal Yoga", is the sum total of all yoga styles. Today, the essence of raja yoga goes beyond many areas of yoga.
Raja Yoga highlights the importance of meditation for self-realization and purposeful progress in human consciousness. This direction focuses on awareness of one's state of mind, which is why raja yoga is also called " Psychic Yoga or Yoga of the Mind.
By practicing the state of concentration of the mind, a person learns to calm his mind and focus on one point. In a moment of deep concentration, we turn inward, revealing the true nature of the divine principle.
You can achieve this by following the eight year raja yoga path which includes observing the following:
- Yama (abstinence): Ahimsa (no injury), Satya (truth), Aseta (no stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity), Apragraha (no greed);
- Niyama (Moral observations): Dryness (purity) Santosha (satisfaction), Tapas (austerity), Svadhaya (study of scriptures), Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to God);
- Asana: steady posture, fixed posture;
- Pranayama: control of vital energy through breathing and breathing practices;
- Pratyahara: withdrawal, distraction of the senses;
- Dharana: concentration of the mind;
- Dhyana: meditation;
- Samadhi: full realization, enlightenment, union with the divine.
These 8 steps of yoga will help a person to comprehend the basics of yoga, achieve harmony and clearly see the picture of the inner world, realize himself. Any spiritual path of yoga begins with the first two steps - Yama-Niyama.
Pit - Self-control
Yama means self-control and abstinence. The first step, which preaches the principles and negative qualities that need to get rid of. Consists of 5 principles:
Ahimsa - the principle of non-violence
Ahimsa means that any living being has the right to life and it is not in our power to decide the fate of these living beings. In simple words - do not cause pain, suffering, do not kill at the level of thought, word or action.
This includes the consumption of animal meat, since eating requires killing. According to the principle of ahimsa, yogis become vegetarians. This happens naturally, during practice, purification of consciousness, you feel good and you want everyone to feel this state, even an animal that has grown to become food.
Animals are endowed with a strong instinct, a reflex, the process of which is launched at the moment of awareness of approaching death. Somehow they feel that their death is coming soon and a feeling of wild fear begins. At this point, fear and death hormones are released throughout the animal's body, which remain in the meat after the kill.
By consuming meat, people do not even suspect why they can suddenly feel uncontrollable fear, anxiety outbreaks, neuroses.
Satya - Truth
It is always good and right to tell the truth, but more important is how we convey the truth. We have the ability to “throw” truth at someone like a knife, but we also have the ability to dress that same truth in loving words.
Truth and truth are important, it is important not only to convey the truth, but also to convey the truth with your actions. Sometimes the truth can hurt like a knife, so you need to try to convey it delicately, tactfully and through your example. The teachings say not to violate the principle of non-violence in all available ways.
Heed the advice about the truth:
"Each of your words must fall like flowers from your mouth."
Mahaprabhuji
Truthfulness means openness of feelings, freedom from evasiveness, resourcefulness and excuses. Each person must know within himself his truth and true face. Of course, for some time you can hide who we are from others, but we are clear in front of ourselves. We are witnesses of true personality.
Asteya is not theft
Asteya says about the prohibition of theft. You have no right to take away what does not belong to you, whether it be material values or intellectual property. Asteya also concerns human feelings - one cannot take away joy, happiness or any opportunity from a person. This area also includes a disrespectful attitude towards nature, the destruction of the environment around them.
Brahmacharya - a pure way of life
Brahmacharya is one of the stages of spiritual development, which means sexual abstinence or celibacy. But it is rather not an end in itself. but a consequence of the practice of yoga in life. All our thoughts should be directed towards spiritual development, towards the divine principle. At the same time, it is important to observe harmony in reality, to fulfill duties consciously. Observing brahmacharya, a person also acquires virya (energy and heroism).
Aparigraha - non-attachment of possessions
Hoarding, buying and storing unnecessary things, excessive consumption - all this is not about aparigraha. The practice of aparigraha consists in not accepting gifts, not hoarding. The principle of aparigraha means that you should not have the feeling of longing for immediate gratification, even the simplest desires. A person should be satisfied with exactly what he has at the given moment of life. The more property, the more worries. Less possessions, more freedom.
Niyama - Discipline
Niyama is the second stage of yoga philosophy, which preaches the qualities that you need to include in your life. It also consists of five principles:
Shauka - Purity
Santosh - Satisfaction
Santosh is similar in meaning to aparigraha and means wonder at what we have. Adhering to the principle of satisfaction, a person is humble, satisfied with the circumstances and considers what he has to be the greatest wealth in his life. An inner sense of contentment gives happiness much more than material possessions. In our time of materialism and consumerism, it is necessary to strive for balance.
Tapa - Self-control, Self-discipline
In our opinion, the most difficult rule, since it requires great strength will and discipline. Tapa means keeping the direction of your development path through adversity and obstacles. You must practice with patience, diligently and perseveringly. Sticking to the chosen path, no matter the circumstances, is the path to success.
Svadhaya - Studying the Holy Scriptures
Svadhaya means training, spiritual enlightenment of the traditional scriptures of yoga philosophy: Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Patanjali Yoga Sutras, etc. These scriptures convey valuable knowledge and provide invaluable assistance on the path to yoga.
Ishvara Pranidhana - Devotion to God
Communicate everything you do with the Divine Self with pure devotion. God protects all who betray with trust and faith.
Asana - steady posture, still posture
Asana is traditionally defined as a "place". Most often it is a sitting posture used for meditation. Generally in yoga, the term is used to refer to any physical posture of hatha yoga. This is the third limb of Patanjali Ashtanga's Eightfold Path following Yama and Niyama.
The practice of asanas is considered important to yogis because it helps keep the physical body healthy, strong and resilient. Considering that the body is a vehicle for the spirit, taking care of the physical body is important for spiritual development. Asana practice can also bring a range of emotional and energetic benefits, increase discipline and concentration, and prepare the mind for meditation.
Pranayama - breathing exercises
This is the fourth stage of yoga, which is the control of the mind is achieved by learning to control the body and breath. Pranayama is performed to improve the movement of prana - living energy in the human subtle body. It is prana that gives a powerful impetus to working with energy and helps to achieve spiritual development.
Pratyahara - withdrawal of feelings
Pratyahara is the ability to abstract, control your feelings and consciousness through the practice of yoga. The teachings say that the constant craving for the satisfaction of momentary desires distracts us from our true goals. It prevents us from being happy and free.
In conditions of constant absorption of unnecessary information, the human mind processes it and becomes restless. All this noise fills the consciousness and prevents us from noticing the reality of what is happening around us.
Pratyahara teaches us to control the state of mind and feelings, to regulate the flow of any information.
Dharana - Concentration
Dharana helps to focus your thoughts and feelings on one object. We usually manage to a short time then other thoughts come and distract us. We become aware of our lack of concentration in just a few minutes. Until we are able to focus on a thought or an object for any length of time, in any situation, we still have not mastered Dharana.
Meditation with candles (Trataka), special Asanas and Pranayamas, as well as the repetition of the Mantra, are very helpful in improving the ability to concentrate.
Dhyana - meditation
Dhyana is realized through training through various meditation techniques. Through concentration, meditation and illumination in this sequence, we achieve spiritual perfection and pure consciousness.
What does the practice of meditation give us:
- peace of mind and humility;
- calm mind and concentration;
- knowledge of oneself, one's inner world;
- attaining pure consciousness.
We wrote more about meditation.
A person achieves a greater effect in meditation when his mind is calm. The yogi experiences pure being, the boundaries of gross and subtle are erased, and pure light remains that shines in the heart. This unity is capable of providing answers to many fundamental existential questions.
Samadhi - complete realization
The end point, the stop of the path of development and the complete unity of the inner and outer world. This is the place where a person connects with the Divine principle, the Higher consciousness. Samadhi gives the yogi silence, tranquility and eternal bliss.
In this state, all duality dissolves. There is no day, no night, no darkness, no light, no qualities, no color. All is one in the Higher Self. This union of the individual soul with the Cosmic soul is the goal of yoga.
Adhering to all the laws of yoga, a person understands his path of destiny in this world. And the most interesting thing about this is that the world will oppose yoga in every possible way on the way to finding oneself - illnesses, crowd opposition, depression, stress, doubts. Therefore, it is important to accept yourself and understand why all this is being done.
Raja yoga
5 out of 5 / 4 ratingsThe report examines the practice of Raja Yoga, which is taught at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKVDU), founded in 1936 in India.
This practice differs from the well-known classical Raja Yoga, so in the future we will call it Light Raja Yoga. This name can also be found in the literature on this practice (see the bibliography at the end of the article).
Origins of Easy Raja Yoga
Light Raja Yoga is taught at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKVDU), which was founded in 1936. BKVDU is an international public charitable organization providing spiritual and moral education.
Brahma Kumaris has over 9,000 centers in 130 countries. Light Raja Yoga is regularly practiced by over 900 thousand students of BKVDU on all continents. The university participates in international projects, actively cooperating with the UN and UNESCO.
Theory and Practice of Light Raja Yoga
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the miraculous properties of yoga and said that it can help solve world problems: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. It personifies the unity of spirit and body, thoughts and actions, the harmony of people with nature. It helps a person to feel unity with himself, others and with nature.
Light Raja Yoga taught at BKVDU includes a specific daily routine, a vegetarian diet, meditation practice and rules of conduct. This practice is essentially very similar to classical Raja Yoga, which includes eight steps: yama, niyama, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi. However, there are also very significant differences.
Practicality, efficiency and accessibility are the main criteria that are seen both in the presentation of the theory and in the very practice of Easy Raja Yoga. The motto of BKVDU students is: “If you want to change the world, start with yourself. If you want to change yourself, start with your thoughts.”
Throughout history, various forms of yoga have arisen and developed. Each focused on certain methods and practices to achieve the goals:
- personal liberation (from illusions and suffering);
- achievement of perfection of consciousness and improvement of character;
- restoration of communication between mind and body;
- a state of inner happiness, based on self-knowledge;
- Restoring an intimate relationship with God that has been lost.
Different types of Yoga in one way or another to some extent lead to these goals.
* Hatha Yoga - a system of physical postures (asanas), the purpose of which is to purify and strengthen the physical body. And also, thanks to the concentration of attention and control of the internal state, the preparation of consciousness for deep self-contemplation (thinking).
* Karma Yoga - selfless selfless service to others with the realization of God as the arbiter.
* Mantra Yoga - concentration of consciousness on sound by repeating certain universal sounds (mantras), which are a representation of a special aspect of the Spirit.
* Bhakti Yoga - a comprehensive devotion, the desire to see and love in every being and in the whole world the divine essence, thus maintaining a constant cult of worship.
* Jnana Yoga - the path of wisdom leading to the awakening of the intellect (opening the third eye) and its subsequent application in practice to achieve spiritual liberation.
* Raja Yoga - the highest, Royal path of Yoga, systematized in the second century BC. the Indian sage Patanjali, who unified the essence of all other paths.
The foundation of the practice of Raja Yoga is spiritual and moral values, and the main goals are self-awareness of one's spiritual essence and spiritual awakening, the development of personal relationships with God and the acquisition of inner harmony and integrity of the individual.
A strong person, free from all negative things, who shows virtues in his actions, becomes an inspiring example for others. The spiritual strength of a person is manifested in how stable and pure, free from negative emotions, we remain during the trials and problems of life, as well as in how much peace, strength, joy, love and support we give to others daily.
Easy Raja Yoga, taught at BKVDU, links the process of spiritual self-improvement with four main subjects (instead of eight steps in classical Raja Yoga):
* Gyan - the study of spiritual knowledge, understanding of spiritual laws;
* Yoga - the practice of meditation;
* Dharna - the assimilation of spirituality in one's practical life, the development of a strong exalted character based on virtues;
* Seva - spiritual service society.
The spiritual knowledge (Gyan) that must be mastered for the successful practice of Raja Yoga meditation includes four basic lessons. The main ideas of these lessons are as follows.
1. Who am I? Soul Consciousness
What we commonly refer to and recognize as "I" is the conscious energy, the life force that governs the body. In Raja Yoga, "I" is designated as the soul - a conscious being, different from the body. The soul in its qualities and nature is fundamentally different from the physical body and any object of the material world. Each soul is eternal, unique (as a person), a source of pure spiritual energy. It is absolutely positive in its original nature. The shape of the soul is a point, a source of spiritual light, and lives in the body in the center of the forehead between the eyebrows (the area of the third eye).
If the soul forgets itself, then it seems to fall asleep and forget its original spiritual qualities: peace, happiness, love, strength, purity, wisdom. Then weaknesses, shortcomings and sinful inclinations develop in the soul, which, in turn, sooner or later leads to losses and sorrow.
The purpose of this lesson is to develop pure spiritual self-awareness: “I am the soul. I am a source of positive energy. I control my thoughts”, in contrast to the prevailing “consciousness of the body”, when a person considers himself a limited and mortal being.
The soul has three abilities:
* Mind - is responsible for the creation of thoughts and feelings;
* Intelligence - the ability to distinguish, choose and make decisions;
* Samskara - the ability to capture (remember, save) all the experience gained. Habits and qualities of character are formed on the basis of sanskaras.
When a person begins to realize himself exclusively as a soul, then there is the power to control the mind, his thoughts, make accurate decisions with the help of the intellect and form a strong positive character. In the body consciousness, the mind and intellect often come under the influence of acquired alien and harmful samskaras. This creates problems and anxiety.
2. Supreme Soul
All souls have one Father - the Supreme Soul, God. God is one for all: all belong to Him, and He belongs to all. We, souls, inherit all our best qualities from the Highest Father, so it is very important to know Him accurately and establish a relationship with Him.
The Supreme Father is always Incorporeal - in the form of the Soul, the Source of light and power. He is a personality, a Supreme Conscious Energy. God is eternally Pure and Perfect. The powers and virtues of God are limitless. God is the Truth, He never loses his original qualities, as happens with people. God - Eliminating sorrow and Bringing happiness, Cleansing and Giving salvation, Eternal source all strength and blessings.
3. Yoga and Meditation States
The literal meaning of the word "yoga" is union, union. In spiritual terms, it is the connection of the soul with the Higher Soul with the help of thoughts, communication with God, a loving relationship with the Higher Father.
When such a connection (yoga) is established between the soul and the Higher Soul, the soul is colored with the qualities of God, filled with spiritual powers from the Father. The high and strong energy of God, like fire, cleanses the soul of impurities. Negative qualities, weaknesses and vices are burned in this "fire of Yoga".
The gross material consciousness, the feeling of being a body prevents the soul from feeling the subtle vibrations of God. Therefore, it is important to accurately learn the first lesson: the soul needs to free itself from the bodily consciousness, which blocks yoga with God, and realize itself as a soul, a child of God.
In order to establish a deep and stable connection with God, to achieve unity with Him, the soul goes through four stages:
a) mood - preparation for meditation. You need to relax and calm your mind.
b) meditation - reflection in silence. We create thoughts about the soul, about its original qualities, about the Higher Soul, about the qualities of God. It is important here not only to think (create thoughts), but also to visualize, feel and experience every thought.
c) concentration - comes when the mind stops wandering. There is no longer any need to create thoughts on purpose, the soul becomes the personification, the embodiment of these thoughts: about oneself, about God... Thoughts and feelings merge together.
d) awareness is full realization. Feelings replace thoughts. The soul experiences lightness and freedom, it is belittled by the rays of light, peace, love, purity coming from the Higher Soul.
Beginners have to pay more attention to the first two steps, however, with practice and development, the first steps are passed faster and the practitioner of Yoga gains more and more experience of concentration and awareness.
4. Philosophy of Karma (actions)
The Spiritual Law of Karma is universal: "What you sow, so shall you reap." Like the law of conservation of energy, it always works. There is a clear relationship between action and result. This is the law of cause and effect.
The law of Karma is the law of supreme justice. If you give happiness to others, you will get happiness. Every action creates a karmic score. And sooner or later, we will have to pay off all such bills. Everything good or bad in our life comes to us precisely on the basis of karmic accounts. That is, we earned it ourselves by our own actions. Everything is fair.
At the same time, the philosophy of karma is very deep. In every birth a soul takes, it interacts with many people and creates a huge karmic web. Some actions influence others: they either inspire the best, or provoke mistakes, and then the fruits of such actions are multiplied.
The seeds of our actions are thoughts. The quality of our thoughts determines the quality of our actions and, as a result, the quality of our lives. Therefore, it is very important to monitor your thoughts: stop negative thoughts and purposefully create strong positive thoughts.
The practice of meditation helps you manage your thoughts and create the right thoughts based on understanding. Thanks to this, we have more ideas and reasons for positive actions that lead to success and give joy to ourselves and those around us. Thus, we strengthen our positive sanskaras and create a positive karmic account.
The theory of Light Raja Yoga creates a holistic worldview that promotes the development of positive thinking and the creation of a strong stable state. The concepts presented here are simple, at first glance, the concepts are deep in their content. Full awareness of spiritual laws and concepts requires practical development. This practical part is contained in the remaining subjects: Yoga, Dharna and Seva.
The practice of meditation (Yoga) helps to deeply understand and assimilate the theory, that is, to gain a state of calmness of mind and inner purity, to practically develop self-awareness by the soul. Dharna is manifested in the fact that we adhere to spiritual principles and follow spiritual laws in our lives. Thanks to this, a person understands more deeply the importance and value of spiritual knowledge.
Service to society (Seva) on the one hand is an exam, as it shows how much we have advanced in our spiritual development. After all, only the one who is filled himself can really help others. But on the other hand, Service is also a powerful tool for further development helping to assimilate many virtues and spiritual powers.
The results of the practice of Light Raja Yoga
People who regularly practice Light Raja Yoga notice many positive changes in their lives. These changes are manifested in almost all areas: health and internal state, self-development and relationships, business activity and material well-being, creativity and self-realization.
The first thing that those who begin to systematically engage in Raja Yoga notice and feel in themselves is the achievement of inner peace and relief from stress. Peace of mind is the first condition necessary for the successful practice of meditation, and the first achievement from practice. Thanks to the strong and pure thoughts about ourselves and others that we assimilate into consciousness during morning meditation, it becomes easy to remain calm throughout the day. Thanks to this, we perceive events clearly, without distortion, free ourselves from internal tension (stress) and make accurate decisions at the right time.
Modern medical statistics show that about 95% of diseases develop precisely because of internal (mental) tension and stress. Therefore, the systematic and long-term practice of meditation has a pronounced positive effect on physical health person. There are several unique examples of the use of Raja Yoga for the healing of serious illnesses.
The medical wing of the BKVDU, based on the definition of Perfect Health proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), developed the concept of four-dimensional health, in which, in addition to physical, social and mental (mental) health, a spiritual dimension was added. Spiritual health is based on the realization of the true nature of man, his spiritual essence and the practice of positive thinking. As the experience of many Raja Yogis shows, it is spiritual health that becomes a reliable foundation for both good mental and social and physical health.
In 1998-2000, a study began in India on the effect of meditation (positive thinking) on the treatment of moderate and severe coronary atherosclerosis. In addition to moderate exercise and a special vegetarian diet, the treatment program was also proposed to include stress management based on Raja Yoga meditation. The research results showed the high efficiency of the proposed program. In the future, this project was successfully developed under the name "Healthy Heart". For several years, about 2,500 people suffering from coronary heart disease took part in it. They were able to noticeably improve their well-being without surgery. After reviewing the results of these studies, the Government of India in January 2008 gave this project the status of a national program for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, in studies conducted by the Medical Wing of the BKVDU in 1985, it was found that the vast majority of Raja Yoga practitioners quickly and easily get rid of bad habits (smoking and alcohol). After a month of practicing Raja Yoga, out of the studied group of 183 smokers - 135 gave up this unhealthy habit (74%). After one year of doing Raja Yoga, only 5 people out of 183 smokers (2.7%) could not get rid of this addiction. And in a similar study on alcohol addiction, out of a group of 80 people - 78 completely got rid of alcohol addiction by the end of the month. It took 6 months for one person and 1 year for another.
Also, thanks to the positive inner attitude learned in meditation and the release from inner tension, relationships in the family with loved ones and with work colleagues are noticeably improved. These are the main components of social health and well-being.
Business people and heads of organizations practicing Raja Yoga note that the working capacity and efficiency of business activity are noticeably increased. All things generally go easier, there are fewer conflicts and difficulties, but even those problems are now solved faster and easier. Life becomes more harmonious - there is enough time for everything: for business, for communication with family and loved ones, for professional and personal self-development, and for spiritual service to society.
In addition, many noted the following achievements from the practice of Raja Yoga:
- an increase in the power of concentration, which is clearly felt during training: the perception and understanding of new information improves, memorization improves;
- the character improves, the habit of noticing good qualities and features in others develops;
- develop creative abilities and talents;
- spiritual forces develop (acceptance, patience, discrimination, cooperation, decision-making, etc.)
Summing up, in general, it can be noted that the practice of Light Raja Yoga, despite its apparent ease and simplicity, shows high efficiency. The methodological approach to teaching harmoniously combines both the "Western approach" to learning: detailing, rational analysis and understanding of information, and the "Eastern (contemplative) approach", based on inner feelings, introspection and self-observation. Thanks to this, the very theory of Raja Yoga is understandable and accessible to most ordinary people.
References
1. Raja Yoga. Method and Purpose, BK Jagdish Chander. BKVDU, Moscow, 1994
2. New Knowledge for the New World. CDR, Moscow, 2011
3. Life without stress. BKVDU, Moscow, 2004
4. Healthy heart. BKVDU, St. Petersburg, 2010
5. Moral values. CDR, Moscow, 2011
6. Business and Yoga. BKVDU, Moscow, 2006
7. How to achieve the goal with the help of eight forces. CDR, Moscow, 2014
Kurganov Sergey Yurievich,
coordinator of the branch of the Interregional public organization
Raja Yoga is based on the works of the great yogi Patanjali "Yoga Sutras". Raja yoga is translated as "queen among yogas", "royal yoga". The practitioner gains control over his thoughts, as well as over his animal and divine nature.
Raja yoga is practiced to release one's negative thinking through positive ideas.
Raja yoga says that there is suffering in a person's life. She tells where they come from, how to overcome them and what methods exist. Strict fulfillment of all prescriptions leads to liberation from all worldly suffering and to inexhaustible inner peace and happiness.
Methods
The path of Raja Yoga is based on working with your inner Self. Practicing it, a person begins to realize what seemed impossible for him to realize and understand. She does not deny any facts on the grounds that they are difficult to explain. She shows that the presence of "a certain entity above the clouds" cannot be an explanation for power and belief in miracles.
The teaching of Raja Yoga says that a person has everything necessary to fully satisfy his endless thirst, which he is just a drop of water in the endless ocean of knowledge and bliss. This ocean is inside the human consciousness, it remains only to get to it. She also tells that there are gross and subtle manifestations in the world. Subtle manifestations are the cause of gross manifestations, they are not captured by our five senses. Rough ones are the result that we feel. Raja Yoga improves and expands human perception.
To be successful along this path, the practitioner must accept the mentorship of an experienced teacher, as he will be able to identify the specific effective method for him individually. In Raja Yoga, each case is unique, what suits one person may not suit another.
Raja yoga gives a person appropriate practices, depending on his level of development. For affirmed practitioners, this is meditation on one's Higher Self. For affirmative ones, different ways pacification of the ego (kriya, penance, scriptures and surrender to God). For beginners only, there is an eight step sadhana.
eight steps
Raja yoga includes 8 steps (): , pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.
Pit
This is a set of moral rules that help a person protect himself from negative manifestations of the mind, the result of which is always the same - suffering and misfortune. Yama consists of 5 principles:
- (not harming yourself and all living things).
- satya(honesty, truthfulness).
- Asteya(not theft and not appropriation of someone else's).
- Aparigraha(limiting oneself in material objects, not acquiring what is not needed).
- (the vision of God in everything).
Niyama
The practice of Niyama promotes the development of the brightest virtues human soul. It also consists of five principles:
- Shaocha(purity at the level of the body, mind and spirit).
- Santosha(satisfaction with existing).
- tapah(discipline and intentional asceticism, service to the world).
- Swadhyaya(study of spiritual literature).
- Ishvara Pranidhana(reliance on God and serving him).
Asana
The third step is asanas. These are physical exercises that make the body healthy and unite it with the mind, making it calm. Translated asana means "comfortable position".
Pranayama
The fourth stage of Raja Yoga is breathing exercises, the purpose of which is to gain control over one's internal energy (prana).
Pratyahara
Fifth step. The essence of this step is to withdraw your senses from the outside world. Practicing this stage, a person acquires mental strength and will through concentration, which help to achieve control over emotions.
Dharana
The sixth step of yoga. Its basis is the ability to concentrate on the idea as much as possible.
Dhyana
In the seventh stage, the practitioner merges with the object of his concentration, i.e. with God. This is the highest form of meditation. One who has mastered the ability to think of nothing passes over to Dhyana.
Samadhi
And finally, the last phase is Samadhi. She is the end result. Samadhi is enlightenment, absolute liberation, complete loss of one's individuality. A person realizes his real "I" and begins to truly serve this world.
Raja and Hatha
The meaning is to overcome your limited body, make it perfect and thereby achieve enlightenment. In Raja Yoga the goal is to transcend the limited mind full of illusions. They are united by one principle - overcoming. But the advantage of Raja Yoga is that it helps a person to know the fundamental philosophy of himself and the whole world. But here what a person is looking for plays an important role.
Target
You need to understand that the goal of Raja Yoga is not to control your thoughts, it is just an important additional tool for self-realization. The main goal is to free yourself from illusions, destroy the limitations within the mind and merge with infinity.
The path of Raja Yoga is introverted, i.e. redirecting one's attention from outside to inside oneself to know one's true nature. Experienced teachers and mentors talk and prove about the existence of the Higher Consciousness (God), talk about enlightened people who were able to achieve liberation and became infinite.
Also, Raja Yoga shows us in practice that the gross manifestations of our nature distort and interfere with the full vast perception of the world. The practitioner can achieve four states of consciousness: deep sleep, dreaming, the waking state, and turiya (enlightenment).
The main challenge for a person who has started practicing Raja Yoga is acquiring the skill of “not thinking about anything” and overcoming his negative thinking, all this is a stage of struggle. Only after mastering this skill, in absolute calm within the mind, can the practitioner realize his true nature, which, in fact, is love.
Raja Yoga as the Path of freedom from karmic bondage.
The highest authority in Raja Yoga was the author of the Yoga Sutra, the sage Patanjali. He based his teachings of Raja Yoga on the ancient Indian philosophy Samkhya. The main difference between Patanjali yoga and Samkhya is the religious aspect - Patanjali's recognition of the existence of the god Ishvara, free from karmic bondage, while Samkhya considers nature through the interaction of material essence (prakriti) and spiritual (purusha).
In this context, raja yoga is a path to understanding Ishvara, recognizing his existence. And the very word "raja" (translated from Sanskrit "king") refers to Ishvara.
However, raja yoga can also be a path for people who are not inclined to religious consciousness and the search for a god outside of their Self.
In this case, the goal of Raja Yoga is to cleanse the purusha (soul, our true Self) from avidya (everyday delusion, false knowledge that prevents a person from seeing the world as it really is). The Yoga Sutras say that the purusha can only see through the mind.
Therefore, for correct perception it is necessary to purify the mind. "Since the purusha sees through the mind, the quality of the observation depends entirely on the state of the mind." “The mind must become subtle and clear like a crystal so that it reflects paramatma and not vrittis or vasanas.” The goal of raja yoga is the gradual purification and clarification of the mind, as a result of which the purusha gets the opportunity to see the world undistorted and bring this vision to us. In this case, the purusha himself, our inner king, can be called a raja. “Whoever the king is, Purusha or Ishvara, in any case, Raja Yoga is a yoga in which the king takes his rightful place.” That is the place of the one who controls us.
Patanjali pointed out the eight-step path to achieve the goal of raja yoga - the purification of the mind and the achievement of samadhi, the state of superconsciousness. The first four steps are the same as in hatha yoga: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama.
The purpose of the first two steps (yama and niyama) is to achieve purity of spirit, high morality, which are necessary for further study of raja yoga. This is necessary in order not to waste empty energy on correcting the mistakes made in life. The purpose of the third stage is to acquire a healthy body, since diseases of the body prevent a person from making his mind sufficiently firm and do not allow him to focus on the spiritual.
A healthy body is necessary as a tool for the implementation of the tasks of the next degrees - concentration and meditation, which are associated with a long stay in one posture with a straight back.
All steps are interconnected and complement each other. For example, the principle of satya must be adhered to during the practice of asanas - to honestly admit to ourselves what our body is capable of and to what extent we are in this moment able to enter the asana, otherwise you can harm your body, and it will no longer be yoga.
And even if we are aware that the body is not yet able to go deeper into the asana, but try to break through the stiffness in our body, despite the sharp pain, we are violating the principle of ahimsa, which should be applied not only to other beings, but and in relation to himself. And this also does not contribute to progress in yoga in any way, but often on the contrary - it leads to injuries and the need to suspend practice for an indefinite period in order to restore damaged body tissues.
The fourth stage - (the method of controlling prana) gives energy and removes many physical obstacles to the study of yoga, such as weakness of the body and laziness. Breathing exercises help to gain control over emotions and calm the mind. Body, breath and consciousness are very interconnected. Learning to control the body and breath, we directly affect the mind and come to the ability to control it. In most people, the mind is so weak that it is constantly under the control of the body - its desires and manifestations.
The goal of Raja Yoga is to learn to control your mind, to control it, thus mastering the ability to concentrate its power.
The Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda points out that a person who has achieved perfection in the control of prana is able to control the universe. “Just as the Vedas generalize all the diversity of the universe into a Single Absolute Existence and the one who knows this Unity knows the whole universe, so all manifestations of energy are generalized in prana, and the one who knows prana knows all the forces of the universe, spiritual and physical. A person who is able to control prana controls his mind, and therefore the mind as such. A person who is able to control prana controls his body, and therefore every body in general, since prana is a generalized manifestation of energy.
The next stage of raja yoga, pratyahara, teaches to turn the mind inward, to be able to separate the mind from sensory perceptions and control it. To do this, you must first stop trying to control thoughts, let them go and just observe them. “Let go of the reins: monstrous thoughts can come to mind, you will be amazed that you are capable of such thoughts. But soon you will see that every day the tossing of the mind subsides...
In the first months you will be surprised at the number of thoughts rushing through your head, gradually there will be less of them, then even less, until the mind is under control, but for this you need to work day by day. The purpose of pratyahara is to learn to see objects only with the mind, without resorting to the help of the senses. Consciousness becomes a pure mirror of contemplated objects. Consciousness directly receives information about objects, not distorted by the perception of the senses. Pratyahara is also a state in which the senses are used for concentration and meditation - for example, contemplation. The main principle of pratyahara is the subordination of sensory perceptions to the mind.
Concentration, or dharana, the next stage of raja yoga, will be much easier for those who have learned pratyahara. Otherwise, uncontrolled thoughts and feelings will constantly distract from the object of concentration. The purpose of dharana is to learn to concentrate on one object, not allowing extraneous thoughts and feelings to disturb this flow of attention.
The power of concentration opens (dhyana). If during the onset of dharana the mind moves in one direction, then in dhyana it plunges into a certain object and establishes a connection between its Self and the object.
Despite the fact that the sequence of the steps of Raja Yoga is indicated by the sage Patanjali in this order, it should be emphasized again that these steps complement and influence each other. A person who seriously practices asanas and pranayama learns to experience the state of dharana already at these stages, since his mind should be focused on the sensations of the body.
“When performing any practice, whether it be asanas, pranayama or meditation techniques, the most important thing is awareness. This means that attention is directed to a certain activity, such as breathing, and at the same time you understand what the attention is directed to. This is the first step to higher awareness. You become an observer in relation to the processes in your own body, then you learn to observe the activities of the mind, and then - and for the deeper aspects of the mind.
At the last stage in the mind of the practitioner there is a complete merging of the object of meditation and one's own Self. The self dissolves in the object of meditation and feels one with it. "Samadhi is a progressive, progressive transcendence (transcendence) of the realms of object, movement, thought and instinct." In the state of samadhi, which is the goal of raja yoga, the mind is absolutely free from avidya and sees all objects, patterns and causal relationships in their true light.
If dharana, dhyana and samadhi are directed to one object, the last three steps of raja yoga are combined into one state - sanyama. Sanyama is the complete mental control over the awareness of an object. “Through samyama all other states of consciousness disappear, but the seed remains.” Seeds are mental constructs, "the foundation for consciousness."
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe the six stages of samadhi: savitarka, nirvitarka, savichara, nirvichara, ananda and asmita.
These are the names of very subtle fluctuations that occur before the highest samadhi - nirvikalpa. In a more general sense, the state of samadhi is divided into two types - savikalpa and nirvikalpa samadhi. In the state of savikalpa samadhi (“seed samadhi”), the objects of meditation (purusha, Shiva, Aum, etc.) are present in the mind - these are seeds that tend to grow. In the state of supreme samadhi or nirvikalpa, the last traces of samskara and vikalpa are removed. In samadhi there is consciousness but no object.
“Individual consciousness disappears…. There is not even a desire to be liberated. This state of timelessness and changelessness is the highest samadhi." This state is the goal of Raja Yoga, the true realization of a person in this world, which gives liberation from the circle of rebirths and suffering experienced by ordinary people in each new physical incarnation.
Yoga(dev. योग) - (by definition from Wikipedia) is a concept in Indian culture, in a broad sense meaning a combination of various spiritual, mental and physical practices developed in different directions of Hinduism and Buddhism and aimed at managing the mental and physiological functions of the body in order to achieve an elevated spiritual and mental state by the individual.
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What is "Yoga"?
In the systematic treatise “Yoga Sutras” written by the sage Patanjali about 2,500 years ago, yoga is defined as “Chitta Vritti Nirodhi”.
The Indian philosopher Vivekananda at the end of the 19th century translated this definition as
Yoga is the retention of the matter of thought (Chitta) from being clothed in various images (Vritti).
Our contemporaries Ostrovskaya and Rudoy translate this definition as
"Yoga - turning off the active programs of consciousness."
Where did the name yoga come from?
The word "Yoga" comes from the Sanskrit "yoj" or "yuj". Over its 9000-year history, this word has acquired many meanings: harness, exercise, curbing, devotion, tension, conjugation, addition, connection, unity, connection, harmony, union, service, combination, etc. But the following meanings most fully reflect the essence: unity, harmony, union. It can be said that yoga is the path to harmony.
Purely technically, yoga is a meditation technique. That is why the yoga sutras say that yoga is CVN ("Cessation of mental activity").
But how to come to this CHVN? There were many ways. And new ones keep appearing. Ancient practitioners invented them regularly. And therefore, there were a lot of ways to this state, as well as the abilities of each. Maybe that's why so many currents and varieties were formed, which for some specific practitioners could lead to the state of "silence of the mind", but for the majority - they might not be methods to achieve this goal. And, often, they brought quite the opposite effect.
But one way or another, Yoga is an indispensable component of all the spiritual traditions of India. Outside of India, the term "yoga" is often associated only with hatha yoga and asanas - exercise, which does not reflect the spiritual and mental aspects of yoga.
One who studies and practices yoga is called a yogi or yogi.
For a better understanding, we have divided conditionally ancient yoga into two types: pre-tantric yoga and tantric yoga:
Pre-tantric yoga was relatively simple, mostly practiced by ascetics and using a number of few techniques (without any admixtures).
When such a direction of Indian culture as Tantra began to develop, it began to absorb all kinds of techniques from various cultures, including yoga.
Pre-tantric yoga
Before the advent of Tantra, yoga could (conditionally) be divided into two types:
- meditative
Where psychological (philosophical) practices were included - without the physical aspect (ie without work with the body). One of the directions is asceticism. - including physical study of the body
(this type was later transformed into Hatha yoga)
The ancient scriptures "Bhagavad-gita" describe four forms of yoga, in which the considered type of yoga is considered the highest:
- karma yoga,
- bhakti yoga,
- jnana yoga and
- raja yoga.
Yogatattva (an ancient Sanskrit text describing the practice of yoga and the obstacles that arise on the way to it) lists for the first time four main varieties of yoga:
- laya yoga
- raja yoga
- hatha yoga, which includes the first two steps of classical raja yoga (asana and pranayama)
This classification has survived to this day.
Consider the first group of yoga practices: MEDITATIVE
mantra yoga
(mentioned in the Upanishads)
Mantra - "true word", "spell", the collective name of verbal formulas or sayings that should be pondered.
Thus, mantra yoga is the systematic use of sound vibration to provoke psychophysiological changes.
Mantra yoga can be compared to the prayer of Christians.
The word mantra comes from the root " mann"- think, believe + tool suffix -" tra", i.e. " tool for the implementation of a mental act»
A mantra is an extraordinary text, the utterance of which, and often the regular utterance in an undertone or almost silent muttering, many thousands of times, is considered to produce special results, magical or spiritual.
In Vedic culture and early Brahminism, the poetic parts of the Vedas and passages from them were called mantras; the use was mainly ritual so, the most important of the Vedic mantras ( t naz gayatri) chanted daily by righteous Hindus at dawn, contains a self-call to succeed through the good power of the sun. This mantra consists of three eight-syllable verse lines.
In later Hinduism, especially in the tantras, a great variety of mantras of different lengths, purposes, devices, etc. appeared. Very often, mantras, generally understood as Sanskrit texts, contain deviations to varying degrees from the usual commonly understood language; in the limit, this leads to mantras as a sequence of sounds that have no meaning.
There are two main classes of mantras:
- The first class includes a mantra that requires a transmission-initiation from a person who has realized the power of the mantra in his practice and experienced its results. Without this, the recitation of the mantra is useless.
- The second is considered to produce results regardless of such transmission. In this case, it is important to carefully reproduce the sound. The most important short Hindu mantra is OM
One way or another, through the constant repetition of mantras, there is a slowdown of consciousness, and hence an altered state, which can lead to CVI.
Laya - yoga
(dissolution of consciousness)
The essence of the teachings of Laya Yoga is to maintain a special state of round-the-clock vigilant presence (awareness). Laya yoga is a path beyond method, beyond concepts and efforts, a path of spontaneous self-recognition. In this case, a person ceases to live in the categories of a fixed past and a motivated future. He begins to act not as a result of the commands of his ego, but becomes a conductor of the Higher Divine forces.
The term "Laya" in Sanskrit literally translates as " rhythm" - "dissolution", i.e., a return to the state of undifferentiated existence (non-duality), when the individual consciousness of the yogi unites with the transcendent Being (Brahman).
Thus, Laya - dissolution of "I"- is a universal state and the pinnacle of any sadhana (practice), regardless of the spiritual school in which it is practiced. The state of laya and the path of laya are immanent in any spiritual path and are its secret core. The essence of the teachings of Laya Yoga is to create and constantly maintain a state of awareness, vigilant presence. The yogi practicing this technique follows the path of spontaneous self-recognition, he ceases to live in the categories of a fixed past and a motivated future.
The fundamental difference between Laya Yoga and other practices is the achievement of the state of samadhi not through the method, but through natural contemplation without effort.
Karma yoga
(mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita)
(Skt. कर्म योग "yoga of activity") is also known as buddhi yoga - one of the four main types of yoga, including in the philosophy of Hinduism.
Karma yoga is based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita - the sacred Hindu scripture in Sanskrit, and its main meaning is the performance of prescribed duties (dharma) without attachment to the fruits of labor. As a result of such activities, moksha (salvation) becomes possible. The Bhagavad Gita contains a concise description of the process of karma yoga. The Bhagavad Gita is an excerpt from another literary work, the Mahabharata. This is a conversation between Prince Arjuna and the incarnation of God - Krishna, who plays the role of a charioteer, driving Arjuna's war chariot. The conversation takes place on the battlefield, shortly before the start of the bloody Battle of Kurukshetra between the armies of two warring dynasties - the Pandava and Kauravas.
Karma yoga is described as a path of action, thinking and desire in accordance with the duty (dharma) of each person without taking into account personal egoistic desires and tastes, as action without any attachment to the results of one's actions, to the fruits of one's labor. In the Bhagavad Gita, although out of compassion for his relatives and friends who were in the ranks of the enemy, Arjuna did not want to fight, he took part in the battle for the sake of fulfilling his duty as a warrior and fulfilling the divine plan of Krishna. Krishna then explains that Arjuna must dedicate the fruits of his (both bad and good) actions to Him, the Supreme.
In simple words, karma yoga can be described as performance of one's duties (strive for impeccability) without expecting results and fruits. Action for the sake of action.
jnana yoga
Jnana yoga or gyana yoga (Skt. ज्ञान योग, jñānayoga IAST "the path of knowledge") is one of the types of yoga and philosophy of Hinduism.
An example of the practice of jnana yoga: find internal contradictions in your thinking.
Jnana yoga ("yoga of knowledge") is one of the four main types of yoga in Hindu philosophy. A type of yoga that leads a person to the truth by changing his knowledge of himself and the world around him. (reprogramming) This is the yoga of the people of the intellectual path. It frees the human mind from the shackles of the illusory concept of the world, directs it to true knowledge, and demonstrates the basic laws of the universe. Jnana yoga begins with the education of the mind. A person who wants to know the truth must clear his mind of everything that he previously considered his own. From any stereotypes, habitual judgments, truths heard from others, even holy people, all ideas about God, the universe and similar things. Everything that you just heard, read, absorbed from childhood from your parents, everything should be left as useless.
Now you can’t believe anything just like that, you need to be convinced from your own experience, to feel it. Then it will be really Knowledge capable of producing profound changes in the mind and in the whole being. All other people's conclusions must be discarded, the search begins with a clean slate.
One of the key questions: Who am I?» And this is not your name, profession, nationality, etc. The principle of negation is used here: neti-neti. I am not my body, I am not my mind, I am not my emotions, and so on. Also, the student may be given some saying from the scriptures or some symbol, and he meditates on it. for a long time trying to get to the bottom of it. This can go on for quite a long time, sometimes a year or more. Everything that comes during meditation is confided to the teacher, and he decides whether the student is ready to go further.
THREE STAGES OF MASTERING JNANA YOGA
- Shravana (hearing)
- Manana (contemplation),
- Nidhidhyasana (affirmation in true knowledge).
Bhakti - yoga
Bhakti yoga is one of the four main types of yoga in Hindu philosophy. The practice of bhakti yoga is aimed at cultivating love for God through bhakti - serving God with love and devotion. The practice of bhakti yoga is recommended in a number of sacred texts of Hinduism as the easiest and most effective type of yoga (for ordinary people, like us, those who go to church). Thus, the Bhagavad Gita proclaims its superiority over the other three main types of yoga - karma yoga, jnana yoga and raja yoga.
The bhakta begins to realize all his deeds expressed outside, as something done for the sake of God, as a sacrifice to him, which, in turn, contributes to the development of the habit of selfless action, to a distant view of the world.
Raja yoga
Raja yoga ("royal yoga") - also known as classical yoga - one of the six orthodox schools in the philosophy of Hinduism, which is based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Raja yoga is aimed at establishing control over the mind. For the Raja Yoga practitioner, sadhana (practice) begins with learning to control the mind, although certain minimal asana and pranayama practices also take place as part of the preparatory process for meditation and concentration. In the practice of Raja Yoga, there are eight steps or levels, which is why it is also called Ashtanga Yoga (from the Sanskrit Ashta - eight):
- Pit- norms of behavior - self-restraint
- Niyama- adherence to religious rules and regulations - full dedication to spiritual practices
- Asana- unification of mind and body through physical activity
- Pranayama- breath control leading to unification of body and mind
- Pratyahara- distraction of the senses from contact with their objects
- Dharana- Purposeful concentration of the mind
- Dhyana- meditation (internal activity that gradually leads to samadhi)
- Samadhi- a peaceful superconscious state of blissful awareness of one's true nature
Sometimes these eight levels are divided into four lower and four higher. Wherein, lower levels are associated with hatha yoga (subsequently separated from the yoga sutras), and the higher ones belong to raja yoga. The simultaneous practice of the three higher stages is called samyama.
The second group is yoga, which works with the body.
Hat ha yoga
Initially, Hatha yoga (which was not originally called that) was aimed at achieving higher states of consciousness through the study of the body by performing asanas and pranayamas. She was a preparation for the Raja Yoga meditations.
After a while, Hatha yoga merged with Tantrism and the tantric direction of Hatha yoga appeared, formed in the 10th-11th centuries by Matsyendranath and, to a greater extent, by his student Gorakshanath.
Gorakshanath systematized the practices of working with the body and consciousness that existed in his time, and also supplemented them with tantric elements. He is considered the author of many texts on hatha yoga (Goraksha-paddhati, Goraksha-staka, Jnana-amrita, Aman yoga, Yoga-martanda, Siddha-siddhanta paddhati, etc.
The classic text, which systematizes many practices of hatha yoga, was the work of Swami Swatmarama " Hatha yoga pradipika"(XIV-XV centuries).
Also very important works describing hatha yoga are "Gheranda Samhita" (XVII-XVIII c) and "Shiva Samhita" (XVIII c) - a text that, along with practices, sets out the philosophy of hatha yoga (i.e., the principles of yama and niyama)
In parallel with yoga, Tantra developed, a tradition that absorbed all sorts of techniques and techniques from various cults, religions and superstitions. It included yoga, Vedanta, Buddhism, Sufism, Islam and other technologies.
Tantra can be called a continuously renewing system. Therefore, the emergence of Tantra is not associated with the name of one person, it was formed by many masters. Tantra can be called an experimental system. Many of its methods and methods have lost their original meaning and sometimes carry adverse consequences for the experimenter. And it was Tantra that reshaped Patanjali's yoga system in the most radical way.
According to the most common version, Tantra originated on the Hindustan Peninsula (modern India) among the indigenous population during matriarchy. There are no definite facts about the time of its occurrence. It is believed that Tantra has existed for at least three thousand years. At the same time, the most ancient written sources of Tantra that have survived to this day date from the middle of the first millennium BC. e.
Tantra believes that perfection can only be achieved in the "divine body", and therefore it is necessary to maintain pristine health as long as possible, which will ensure longevity for the individual. So for this purpose two steps or two techniques from Raja Yoga (Patanjali) were taken: asana and pranayama. Over time, these combined two techniques were given the name Hatha Yoga. After Hatha Yoga was filled with additional techniques obtained by Tantra, and this was also collectively called Hatha Yoga.
The popularity of Tantra (as it is now) was due to the fact that the medieval Tantric texts on Hatha Yoga were written plain language understandable to the people - that's why it began to spread rapidly.
Moreover, in these treatises, Tantra promises an easy and quick mastery of various miraculous abilities, and at all times, simple-hearted, narrow-minded people and striving for the unusual to compensate for their feelings of inferiority fall into the bait of these promises.
So, Tantra has expanded the previously existing yoga practices by adding hundreds of new techniques:
- more complex pranayama, n
- detailed visualization practices and
- auku mantras as well
- many bodily practices, mainly yoga postures (asanas),
- ritual arrangement of the hands (mudras),
- activation of energy centers (chakras) in the body.
In addition to yoga, various shamanistic rituals are practiced in Tantrism, releasing the sexual energy of a person. Due to the interest in the body as a vessel of the eternal, the followers of Tantrism are fond of alchemy and different ways life extension. The mystical physiology of the chakras plays a large role in Tantrism.
About Kundalini Yoga
The most popular texts on Hatha Yoga: Gheranda, Shiva Samhita, and Hatha Yoga Pradipika describe ways to raise the so-called Kundalini force, which can give a person quick enlightenment.
According to the research and observations of Carl Gustav Jung, the essence of this process is the deliberate unbalancing of the system and its shift to transcendent modes of operation. The life-support automatics begin to fail, psycho-emotional convulsions arise in it, accompanied by unusual experiences and effects, which Tantra announced as signs of higher transmutation, however, without guaranteeing the safety of the mind.
classical tantra
"Classical" tantra exists within the framework of various schools, among which the main ones are: Shaivas (Shaivites), Shaktas, Vaishnavas, Ganapatya, Kaumars (Skandas), Saurites.
The most famous among them are Shaivas, Shaktas and Vaishnavas.
Traditionally, Tantra is divided into two major areas. Left Hand Tantra and Tantra right hand.
According to one version, the difference between left-handed and right-handed Tantra is the sexual contact of a man and a woman and the use of power plants. In the left hand Tantra they are used naturally, as they are, on the physical and energetic level. In the Tantra of the right hand, interaction is possible only on the mental and energy levels. According to another version, the left-handed Tantra is a preference or worship of the universal feminine and the deification of a woman. Right-handed Tantra favors the masculine principle and the deification of the male. The left hand tantra is the path of rapture and ecstasy. The Tantra of the right hand is the path of silence.
The Buddhist tantra also stands out.
An integral part of the Vajrayana schools (one of the branches of Buddhism), associated with the practice of borderline states, enlightened states, death and intermediate states between death and the next birth (see bardo).
Tantra is understood as the practice of achieving the final result ("fruit") - the state of the Buddha. Tantra actively uses complex symbolism, yidams (bodhisattva images), meditations, mudras (special combinations of fingers that affect the physical and emotional state.), yantras (a magic diagram symbolizing the secret nature of a deity), rituals.
The most important prerequisite for practicing tantra is taking the Bodhisattva vows, striving to save all living beings without exception from the suffering of samsara, and becoming a Buddha in order to help sentient beings. Tantra is considered the shortest and at the same time the most dangerous path.
Buddhist yoga (Tibet)
The next line of transformation in yoga is Buddhism.
Buddha, according to legend, rejected the experience of his three yogic mentors (hatha yoga Bharagva, who expelled the future savior for too quick successes, as well as Vaishala and Arad Kalama, who taught him contemplation), only because he surpassed them in this art. Buddhism never denied yoga as a practice, it assimilated it, resulting in a very specific product.
The ways of salvation taught by the Buddha are based on a purely yogic approach, and to such an extent that famous scholars, for example, E Senar or F and Shcherbatskaya, generally defined early Buddhism as yoga. Buddhism includes the principle of Patanjale meditations and contemplations (described as higher stages of yoga)
Tibetan yoga
This type of yoga came to us - as the name suggests - from Tibet. In Tibetan yoga, elements of Indian Hatha yoga and some elements of qigong were combined, which is understandable: Tibet is located between India and China, and the mutual influence of various schools and directions is affecting. One of the dominant moments is concentration, concentration of attention.
yoga tummo
Tummo (Tib. གཏུམ་མོ་, Wiley gtum-mo; Skt.: चण्ड, caṇḍālī IAST) is the yoga of inner Fire or illusory warmth. It is believed that as a result of concentrated work with powerful internal energies, Buddhists practicing yoga of internal heat are able to “radiate” heat, to be absolutely immune to cold. In Tibet, yogis practicing tummo are called "repa" (literally - "cotton robe"), because even in the most severe cold they are dressed only in thin cotton clothes, they do without warm woolen clothes.
Tummo involves the concentration of the meditator on the image of fire (drops and bindu) and sensations of warmth, which are associated with the direct feeling of a living flame. Those who have achieved certain results in this direction are tested in several ways: in a cold, a person must dry wet shreds of fabric with the heat of his body, and during meditation on the snow, melt as much snow around him as possible. The main goal of tummo is the conquest of spiritual heights and the rapid achievement of enlightenment,
There have been repeated attempts to explain the effects of tummo with scientific point vision. For example, in the studies of Harvard University professor Herbert Benson in 1981 and 2000. it has been found that monks can raise the temperature of their fingers and toes by more than eight degrees Celsius.
In Soviet times, Aleksey Katkov studied the limits of the human body. Shortly before his tragic death, he conducted an experiment on volunteers who were able to withstand almost naked for an hour a temperature of -60 ° C in rarefied air, corresponding to an altitude of 7500 m above sea level, blown by an air stream every ten minutes from a two-meter fan.
We have covered the main directions of ancient yoga. For a better understanding of how yoga originated, you can read and listen to its history in various
