Philosophy

1. Origin of Yoga, different paths of Yoga

a. Origin

It is believed to be started very close with the beginning of human civilization,
about at least 5000 years ago, with the Stone Age of Shamanism (History of
Yoga, 2005). There were found similar cultural similarities between the modern
Hinduism and Mehrgarh a neolithic settlement (now called Afghanistan). Not
only by a set of common practices, rituals, both concepts share together the
same primary goals and ideas.

e.g. When Herodot was writing about Shamans, he also described their
understanding of healing the body with plants together with healing the spirit
with songs.

The first archeological evidence (1920s) of yoga, asana, sets it also back aprox.
3000 B.C. when some excavated stones from the Indus valley were depicted
with figures performing yoga postures. Before that, scholars placed yoga more
to a 500 B.C. timing it with Gautama the Buddha (Feuerstein)

b. History of Yoga
Vedic Yoga
o Veda = knowledge / rig= praise
o Yogic teachings were found in songs of Rig-Veda
Preclassical Yoga
o Brhmanas and ranyakas
o Upanishads
o Bhagavad-Gt
Classical Yoga


o Ashtanga Yog Limbs Pantajali Yog Sutra
Postclassical Yoga
o Some particular attention to the body and its hidden potential
o Influence of alchemy, using the system to rejuvenate the body,
to prolong its life
o Body getting attention as the temple of the immortal spirit
o Time of Hatha-Yoga and Tantra-Yoga
Modern Yoga
o Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893 / Swami
Vivekananda




c. Noun Yoga
From the verbal root (yuj, to yoke), from Proto-Indo-European
*yewg- (to yoke, harness, join), whence also Proto-Indo-European noun
*yugm that gave Sanskrit (yug).
The act of yoking: Joining, attaching, harnessing
Yoke, team, vehicle
Putting on (of armour)
Remedy, cure

- Yoga as the union of the Microcosm (individuality) and the Macrocosm
(universality)
- Yoga as the union of the Atman (Center of consciousness, Self; Vedanta)
and Brahman (Absolute reality; Vedanta)
- Yoga as the union of the- Jivatman (Soul as consciousness plus traits;
Vedanta) and Paramatman: (Self/soul as only consciousness; Vedanta)
- Yoga as the union of Shiva (Static, latent, unchanging, masculine;
Tantra) and Shakti (Active, manifesting, changing, feminine; Tantra)
- Yoga as the dis-union of Purusha (Untainted consciousness; Sankyha-
Yoga) and Prakriti (Primordial, unmanifest matter; Sankyha-Yoga)
(Word Yoga Note)

d. Different Paths
The 4 paths of Yoga
i. Jnana Yoga
The yoga of knowledge, of wisdom
This is the most difficult path, requiring tremendous
strength of will and intellect. Taking the philosophy of Vedanta


the Jnana Yogi uses his mind to inquire into its own nature. We
perceive the space inside and outside a glass as different, just as
we see ourselves as separate from God. Jnana Yoga leads the
devotee to experience his unity with God directly by breaking
the glass, dissolving the veils of ignorance. (THE FOUR PATHS OF
YOGA)
ii. Karma Yoga - the Yoga of Action - union through action
Pointing the need of understanding by experiencing the union,
the action without expecting benefits, considerations or any
desires.

iii. Bhakti Yoga
Union through surrender or to accept, to realize the
relationship with the God or your super-Soul, higher-Self
This path appeals particularly to those of an emotional nature. The
Bhakti Yogi is motivated chiefly by the power of love and sees God as
the embodiment of love. (THE FOUR PATHS OF YOGA)
iv. Raja Yoga
Raja Royal seen as the union at the higher level, mind level
Because of the culmination practice which is meditation, its also
known as Ashtanga Yoga for the path, the 8 limbs to arrive
there. Directly connected also with Hatha Yoga (being a
principle of Ashtanga Yog + Kriyas)

Other Paths
v. Hatha Yoga
Sun Moon Union / Balance
Foundation of every type of Yoga, Hatha Yoga is more an
embodiment of Ashtanga Yog and Kriya practices.

ii. Kundalini Yoga / Laya Yoga / Tantra Yoga


Focuses on the awakening of kundalini energy, also known as the
yoga of awareness, aims to cultivate the creative spiritual
potential of a human to uphold values, speak truth, and focus on
the compassion and consciousness needed to serve and heal
others. (Swami Sivananda Radha, 2004)
Kundalini energy as the primordial energy represented as
spiral starting a little above the sacrum maybe to the root
place where spinal nerves meet
iii. Kriya Yoga
iv. Mantra Yoga
v. Ashtanga Yoga, Swara Yoga, Nada Yoga,
2. Brief Introduction of Shat-darshana
six views or insights
six philosophies

a. Nyaya
b. Vaisheshika
c. Soukhya
d. Yoga
e. Mimanisa
f. Vedanta
-
common goal - describe the truth and the path to it

-
by the freedom, from the three types of sorrows, Moksha (Salvation) is obtained



3. Xx
4. Patanjali Yog Sutra


a. 1
st
chapter
b. 2
nd
chapter
[2:1] Tapah: austerity
Svadhyasya: self study of the scriptures
Ishvara pranidhana: surrenrender (to God)

Kriya yog is:
tapas - self purification - needs to be clean from the roots so that will not grow again
- purification in a form of heat:
- ahimsa
- brahmacharya
- pranayama
- hatha yoga
- mudras
- bandhas
- concentration of the mind
=> it is not a only physical heat, its also praninc, mental or spiritual heat
svadhyaya - self-study
- own analysis, own study, e.g. BG or Bible
- sutra 32
- trying to perceive your own self in
different perspectives / mirror / on all levels:
- physical
' - mental
- emotional
- spiritual


the practices of kriya yoga lead to perception of the self / own
consciousness
different mean of the self-study

=> placing yourself completly in innermost awarness
=> placing your consciouness
=> ishwara is inner awarness = not a personal self anywhere outside

kriya yoga - yoga (of) practical (techniques)
-> self-purification
-> self-observation
-> self-awarness
-
a raja yoga method

KLESHA
[2:2] causes of aflictions
[2:3] causes of pain
-> ignorance
-> I - feeling
-> liking / disliking
-> fear of death
-
pain is not rooted in the present but far in the past

Klesha - kind of agony which is inside of our very being
(even animals have kleshas - a very deep in the subconscious fear)
AVIDYA
[2:4] the expressive of kleshas can be also in behaviours as ambition, an effort for success
the four states of kleshas


=> dormant - cannot percieve them
=> thin - mild expression
=> scattered - rise to oscilating state
=> fully expressed
is to confuse the non-eternal, impure, evil, countable for the eternal, pure, good, atman

ASMITA - I - Feeling
-
identifying with the vehicle of the body "the bus is coming? or the driver inside is running
it?"

-
identifying with body, mind, senses

-
the consciousness with the identify

[kenopanishad texts]
[2:7] Raya is the liking accompanying pleasure
[2:8] Dwesha is the repulsion accompanying pain
[2:9] Abhinivesha - clinging to life - the desire for life sustained by its own force which
dominates even the learned
[2:10] kleshas can be reduced by [2:11] meditation


...........

ASHTANGA YOG
=> BAHIRANGA
YAMA
NYAMA
ASANA
PRANAYAMA


PRATYAHARA
=> ANTARANGA
brief study of DHARMA, DHYANA, SAMADHI

Bibliography

Feuerstein, G. (n.d.). A Short History of Yoga. Retrieved 4 17, 2014, from
http://www.swamij.com/history-yoga.htm
History of Yoga. (2005, 7 4). Retrieved 4 17, 2014, from My Yoga:
http://www.myyogaonline.com/about-yoga/learn-about-yoga/history-of-yoga
THE FOUR PATHS OF YOGA. (n.d.). Retrieved 4 17, 2014, from
http://www.sivananda.org/teachings/fourpaths.html
Word Yoga Note. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.swamij.com/yoga-note.htm



http://www.swamij.com/index-yoga-meditation-yoga.htm
http://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras-10104.htm
http://www.traditionalyogastudies.com/articles/
http://www.hafsite.org/media/pr/yoga-hindu-origins
http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/fall05/levy/history.html