5D01 PHI - THE PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE OF YOGA

General Introduction
Most definitions of philosophy are fairly controversial, that is partly because what has been called
philosophy has changed radically in scope in the course of history, with many inquiries that were originally
part of it having detached themselves from it. . For instance, during the sixteenth century, physics became a
separate subject and in the nineteenth century psychology and sociology gradually developed a separate
identity. New subjects still continue to emerge from works in philosophy.

Different philosophers have given different interpretation of the term ‘philosophy’.

"Philosophy, being nothing but the study of wisdom and truth..."
-George Berkeley-
“The object of philosophy is the logical clarification of thoughts.”
-Ludwig Wittgenstein-
“Philosophy is a sacred disease”.
-Heraclitus-
" Philosophy is an interpretation of the world in order to change it."
-Karl Marx-
“ Philosophy is a way of life”
-S. Radhakrishnan-

The term ‘Philosophy’ is derived from two Greek words ‘philos’ and ‘sophia’. Philos means ‘love’
and sophia means ‘wisdom’. So etymologically philosophy means the love of wisdom. In Indian philosophy
is known as darshna, which means vision or point of view or perspective. The Indian Philosophy is
basically divided in to astika (orthodox) and nastika (heterodox) schools of philosophy. Heterodox
literally means ‘holding opinions different from those established’.
Carvaka, Jainism and Buddhism are the nastika schools. Nastika schools does not accept the
authority of the Vedas. The six systems of astika darsana; which are popularly known as sad-darsanas are:
Nyaya of Gautama, Vaisesika of Kanada, Samkhya of Kapila, Yoga of Patanjali, Purva-Mimamsa of
Jaimini and Uttra-Mimamsa or Vedanta of Badarayana. The Nyaya & Vaisesika; the Samkhya & Yoga;
Uttara-Mimamsa & Vedanta are usually regarded as allied systems of thought. Because while one school
develops the epistemological side (theory of knowledge), the other develops its metaphysical side (theory of
reality).
MODULE 1
Introduction
1.1. What is Yoga?
The world ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to unite or to join’. Yoga is
systematized concentration. Yoga aims at spirituo- psycho- somatic integration. In other words, it aims at
controlling the senses, mind and the soul. Katha Upanisad says that one who has not purified himself cannot
attain emancipation or Moksa: “one who has not desisted from evil conduct, who has not his senses under
control, whose mind is not concentrated and free from anxiety cannot attain this self through knowledge”.
Any yoga has three main components:
1) Practical discipline: which involves the practice of asana or bodily postures, pranayama or breath control
and meditation.
2) The regulation of diet and those of daily habits
3) Change in one’s attitude, behaviour and life style.
Most often people focus their attention on the first component ignoring the other two. But ethical discipline
and yogic diet are equally important as yogic asanas.
The country of origin of Yoga is undoubtedly India, but it is very difficult to give an exact period of
its origin. The seals found from the archaeological excavations made at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa
1
indicates that yogic exercises were known and played a substantial part in the religious or philosophical
outlook of the period. (2700 BC). Katha Upanisad and Sevetasvatara Upanisad have reference to yoga
practices. Chandogyo Upanisad has a whole section regarding dhyana. However these cannot be said to be
identical with the ‘Yoga’ of Patanjali.
The estimated period of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is somewhere between 200 BC and 300 AD. The
word ‘yoga’ is perhaps older than the system of philosophy, which goes by that name. To a large extent
philosophy aims to satisfy men’s intellectual curiosity. Yoga philosophy on the other hand; aims at a true
knowledge of reality. Yoga is not mere philosophy, but a practical discipline that makes an individual to
achieve the highest end. It is a system of training aiming at opening man’s experience of reality rather than
explaining it rationally. Nevertheless these two disciplines are interdependent. In short it may be said that
philosophy is theoretical while yoga is its practical application; one is incomplete without the other.

1.2. Etymological meaning of Yoga

The world ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to unite or to yoke or to
join’ or ‘a method or an effort’. Yoga is systematized concentration. It is the fixing of attention, whether
on God or Goddess, on a symbol or a diagram, on void or any material object, or on a mantra or any
particular part of the body. Yoga aims at ‘spirituo- psycho- somatic integration. In other words, it aims at
controlling the senses, mind and the soul. Yoga also stands for the union of the individual soul with the
universal.
In different texts/situations the term ‘yoga’ is used in different connotations. Patanjali defines yoga
as “citta vritti nirodha” or complete elimination of thoughts and modifications of the mind. In Tantras yoga
means union of the individual soul with the cosmic soul. In Buddhism it means meditation. In Devi Bagvata
it means exclusive love or prema for God. Yoga is freedom from the cycle of birth and death, steadiness of
mind is yoga, calmness is yoga, skill in action is yoga, control of the sense and mind is yoga, becoming one
with the Universal is yoga. In short anything by which the best and highest in life can be attained is yoga.
Thus yoga is all embracing, all-inclusive and universal.

1.3. Definitions of Yoga in Yogasūtra and Bhagavad Gīta

The country of origin of Yoga is undoubtedly India, but it is very difficult to give an exact period of
its origin. Patanjali is considered as the founder of yoga system. The estimated period of Patanjali’s Yoga
Sutra is somewhere between 200 BC and 300 AD. Patanjali gave the Yoga tradition its classical format, and
hence his school is often referred to as Classical Yoga. Sanskrit word sûtra meaning literally ‘thread’. A
Sûtra composition consists of a statement that furnishes the reader about the characteristics of that school of
thought.
Patanjali defines yoga as “citta vritti nirodha” or complete elimination of thoughts and
modifications of the mind. This  means withdrawing the extrovert tendencies of mind from mundane
objects, making them introvert and merging them with the basic background of mind. Yoga is the science
that teaches us to bring the Chitta under control from the state of change. The Chitta is the stuff from which
our minds are made and which is being constantly changing into waves by external and internal influences.
Yoga teaches us how to control the mind.
The Bhagavad-Gita occurs in the Bhishma-Parva of the Mahabharata and is believed to be a
dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. The Bhagavad Gita is also known as the 'Song of the Blessed
Lord'. The Bhagavad Gita is designated as Brahma-Vidya, or the science of the Absolute; Yoga-Sastra, or
the art of meditation; and Krishna-Arjuna Samvada, or the union of God and man. The theme of the
Bhagavad-Gita is the problem of life and its solution. It is the art of solving every conflict and a guideline in
every situation of life.
The Bhagavad Gita extols four major margas or paths of Yoga which help the aspirant to frame his
personal nature with the highest goal or universal consciousness. Although each path is different, the
destination is ultimately the same. One path is not higher than the other; rather the lessons of each contain its
own unique wisdom that provides an integrated and balanced view of one’s relationship to oneself and the
2
higher reality. These four paths are Karma Yoga: the path of Selfless Action; Bakthi Yoga: the path of
Devotion; Jnana Yoga: the path of Self Transcending Knowledge and Dhyana Yoga: the path of meditation.

1.4. The four Yogas (Bhakti, Karma, Jnana and Dhyana)

a) Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga is essentially Acting, or doing one’s duties in life as per his/her dharma, or
duty, without concern of results – a sort of constant sacrifice of action to the Supreme. It is action done
without thought of gain. One cannot live in the world without performing actions, and thus a proper mindset
should be established when doing these actions. Karma Yoga purifies the heart by teaching one to act
selflessly, without thought of gain or reward. By detaching oneself from the fruits of one’s actions and
offering them up to God, one learns to sublimate the ego. This is the difference between simply performing
actions for personal gains, and performing actions without attachment (nishkamakarma) as a spiritual
practice. This is the one of the most arduous of all paths as most of us are attached to the fruits of our
actions.
Nishkāmakarma: Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana : It means that you have the right to
perform your actions, but you are not entitled to the fruits of the actions. Thus it is self-less or desire-less
action performed without any expectation of fruits or results. To do Karma or action is basic human right.
Nishkama karma, or selfless service, is the fragrant flower of altruistic love. Nishkama Karma also means
doing Seva (selfless service), without the expectation of receiving acknowledgement, reward or a word of
thanks. In people like Mother Theresa we can see the embodiment of a nishkamakarmi.

b) Bhakti Yoga: Bhakti yoga is based on the doctrine “Love is God and God is Love”. The Deity is the
beloved and the devotee is the lover. In Bhakti yoga, everything is but a manifestation of the divine and all
else is meaningless, including the ego. When the Bhakta is blessed by divine grace he feels an undivided
union and non-dual consciousness prevails. Bhakti Yoga is regarded as the most direct method to merge in
cosmic consciousness.
This path appeals particularly to those of an emotional nature. Through prayer, worship, chanting
and ritual one surrenders himself to God or object of faith, channeling and transmuting his emotions into
unconditional love and devotion. Continuous meditation of God or object of faith gradually decreases the
ego of the practitioner. Suppressed emotions get released and the purification of the inner self takes place.
Slowly the practitioner looses the self identity and becomes one with the absolute; this is the state of self-
realization.

c) Jnana Yoga: Jnana Yoga is a process of learning to discriminate between what is real and what is not,
what is eternal and what is not. Through a steady advancement in realization of the distinction between Real
and the Unreal, the Eternal and the Temporal, one develops into a Jnani. Jnana Yoga is the process of
converting intellectual knowledge into practical wisdom. Jnana literally means ‘knowledge’, but in the
context of yoga it means the process of meditative awareness which leads to illuminative wisdom. It is not a
method by which we try to find rational answers to eternal questions; rather it is a part of meditation leading
to self-enquiry and self-realization. Before practicing Jnana Yoga, the aspirant needs to have integrated the
lessons of the other yogic paths.
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 the
nature. Jnana Yoga leads the one to experience his unity with the absolute or nature directly by breaking the
glass, dissolving the veils of ignorance (maya).

d) Dhyana Yoga: Dhyana in Yogasutra is defined as fixing of attention on an object or image. Dhyana is a
simple and easily practicable tool to know one’s inner world. But most of us hardly pay attention to our
thoughts and feelings. Since our minds are mostly focused on the external things; we are more concerned
about the feelings and reactions of others than our own. We value their approval more important than our
opinion of ourselves. Meditation gives us an opportunity to have self-reflection and thereby to have a proper
3
understanding of our true self. With the help of dhyana one can learn to control our thoughts, emotions and
behavior and thereby can even manage stressful situations.

MODULE 2
The Psychology of Yoga

2.1. Citta- Cittavrtti- Kleśas

Sat Chit Ananda, a combination of three Sanskrit words, Sat, Chit, and Ānanda which means
existence, consciousness, and bliss. It is the nature of ultimate reality according to Vedas. So it can be seen
that chitta means consciousness that is pure consciousness. In modern psychology it may correspond to
mind. Thus chitta also means unconscious storehouse or reservoir of all impressions, and the function or
ability of the mind to store.
Vrtti; comes from the root Vrt which means ‘to exist’. Vritti is also a Sanskrit word and here it
means modifications. The vritti arise from the chitta or mind. So chitta vritti means the modifications of
mind. It is a process. Just as waves and bubbles arise from the surface of the ocean, so also these Vrittis
arise from the surface of the mind-ocean. Patañjali defines yoga in Yoga-Sutra as chitta-vritti-nirodha.
Therefore citta-vritti-nirodha simply means the cessation of the modifications of mind.
The first five limbs of Yoga, i.e. yama, niyama, asana, pranayama and prathyahara, eliminate step by
step, the external causes of mental distraction. Yama and Niyama eliminate the disturbances which are
caused by uncontrolled emotions and desires. Asana and Pranayama : physical body helps one to eliminate
the distractions caused by the body. Pratyahara, by detaching the sense-organs from the mind, cuts off the
external world and the impressions which it produces on the mind. The mind is thus completely isolated
from the external world and the Sadhaka is thus in a position to grasp the highest reality without any
interference from outside. It is only under these conditions that the successful practice of Dharana, Dhyana
and Samadhi is possible.
According to Patañjali, mental fluctuations or modifications (vritti) are of five kinds, which includes:
1) valid cognition (pramana) which arise from: a) perception (pratyaksa), b) inference (anumana), and c)
verbal testimony (shabda)., 2) invalid cognition (viparayaya), 3) imagination or fantasy (vikalpa), 4)
dreamless sleep, or absent cognition (nidra), and 5) memory (smriti).
When one is free from the modifications of mind, that is, chitta-vrtti, through the cultivation of
vairagaya or detachment, one becomes qualified to realize the highest knowledge of self realization through
Samadhi.
Klesas: Klesa simply means pain, affliction or misery but gradually it came to acquire the meaning of what
causes pain, affliction or misery. The philosophy of Klesas is thus an analysis of the underlying and
fundamental cause of human misery and suffering and the way in which this cause can be removed
effectively.
Klesas are of five kinds. They are Ignorance (avidya), Ego (asmita), Attachment to pleasure (raga),
Aversion to pain (dvesa) and Fear of death (abhinivesah). These five afflictions are often depicted as a tree.
Avidya is the trunk of the tree, and the other four kleshas sprout from it. Destroy avidya and all the other
troubles go away.
1. Avidya or ‘ignorance’ is the base of all afflictions. When Patanjali speaks of ignorance, he doesn’t
mean the lack of worldly knowledge. Material knowledge can sometimes blind us to who we really
are; our essence, our true self or our spirit. We misperceive who we really are due to avidya, which is
closely related to the next klesha: asmita.
2. Asmita or Ego or The sense of ‘I’: When one asks ‘Who am I?’ What comes to mind? First we point
to our body and think: ‘I am Mary. I am a yoga student. I am a mother…a wife…’ etc. But in reality
you are none of those. None of us are truly the labels we or others give us. They are useful for
getting around and communicating in this world but we must cultivate a practice in order to lessen
the ties of avidya, asmita and the other kleshas. When one start to analyze these labels or judgments
4
 one will see that they are never permanently true. The only real truth is that truth which exists
beyond time and place: that which exists always and is changeless. This is the purusha or soul. No
matter the outer covering, the purusha exists in its pureness. So in order to realize our true self, we
must overcome asmita.
3. Raga or ‘attraction’ is one of the causes-of afflictions not only because we identify with the qualities
of our body or mind that we like, but because we tend to be attracted to sensual pleasures. Our eyes
are attracted to beautiful things, our taste buds to splendid foods, our nose to the scent of those foods,
our ears to stimulating sounds and our skin to stimulating touch. Happiness derived from attachment
is always temporary. True happiness can only come from within.
4. The opposite of raga is dvesha (aversion). We want to avoid things, people and situations that we
don’t like. We must not love things so much but we also must not hate them. They are two sides of
the same coin.
5. Abhinivesha (will to live) is the deepest and most universal klesha, remaining with us until our
deaths. We know that one day we will indeed die, yet our fear of death is a deeply buried in our
unconsciousness. Once we overcome these five kleshas, the mind becomes, free of modifications,
that is, citta-vritti and one becomes ready for the dawn of true knowledge.

2.2. Introduction to
a) Hatha Yoga: or Hatha Vidya is a kind of Yoga which focuses mainly on human body and health. The
aim of Hatha Yoga is to increase physical and mental strength and body immunity. According to the ancient
text Hathapradīpikạ (by Svātmārāma / 15th century ) Shiva is the founder of hatha yoga. The word hatha
means willful or forceful.
Hatha yoga refers to a set of physical exercises (known as asanas or postures), and sequences of
asanas, designed to align your skin, muscles, and bones.
The postures are also designed to open the many channels of the body—especially the main channel, the
spine—so that the kundalini energy can flow freely.
Hatha is also translated as ‘ha’ meaning ‘sun’ and ‘tha’ meaning ‘moon’. This refers to the balance
of masculine aspects i.e. active, hot, sun and feminine aspects i.e. receptive, cool, moon within all of us.
Hatha yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites. In our physical bodies we develop a
balance of strength and flexibility. We also learn to balance our effort and surrender in each pose.
Traditional Hatha Yoga consists of five limbs which are: 1. Asanas (postures); 2. Shat Karmas (six
cleansing techniques); 3. Pranayama (control of breathing with retention); 4. Bandhas (locks) and Mudras
(seals) for the regulation of Prana (life-force) and Kundalini 5. Samadhi (Union with God, realization
of the Self, ecstasy or nirvana).

b) Mantra-Yoga: Mantra Yoga is also known as manthra vidya or manthra sastra. According to this theory
of mantra-shâstra-the universe is in a state of vibration (spanda or spandana). The hymns of the Vedas are
traditionally referred to as mantras. There is no adequate English equivalent for the word mantra. It is
derived from the root man (“to think” or “be intent”). The suffix ‘tra’ in mantra means saving. Thus mantra
is that which saves the mind from itself, or which leads to salvation through the concentration of the mind.
So a mantra is sacred utterance, numinous sound, or sound that is charged with psycho spiritual
power. It is like a single waterwheel, turning endlessly under the power of the flowing river. The most
remarkable speculation about sound is found in the Rig-Veda, which speaks of Vâc a feminine deity, as the
“mother” of the Vedas.
There also are a number of scriptures that specifically expound Mantra-Yoga, of which the important
ones are Mantra-Mahodadhi (Ocean of Mantras) and Mantra-Yoga-Samhitâ. According Mantra Yoga
Samhitâ , Mantra- Yoga has 16 limbs, which are as follows:
1)Devotion (bhakti), 2)Purification (shuddhi), 3)Posture (âsana), 4) daily prayers (panca-anga- sevâna), 5)
Conduct (âcâra), 6) Concentration (dhâranâ), 7) Serving the divine space (divya-desha- sevâna), 8) Breath
ritual (prâna-kriyâ), 9) Gesture (mudrâ), 10) Satisfaction (tarpana), 11) Invocation (havana), or calling upon
5
the deity by means of mantras 12) Offering (bali), 13) Sacrifice (yâga), 14) Recitation (japâ), 15) Meditation
(dhyâna) and finally16) Ecstasy (samâdhi).

c) Laya Yoga: The word ‘laya’ comes from the root ‘lî’ which means ‘to become dissolved’. It is dissolving
oneself or one’s energy with the supreme energy. Laya yoga is an ancient form of meditation, with
concentration on energy centres or ‘chakaras’. It is believed that here are five main energy centres in the
spine and two in the head. Laya yoga attempts to locate these energy centres and channelize them through
meditation.
Laya yoga involves techniques of meditation that cause the energy or Prana to move in certain ways,
to awaken the Kundalini. ‘ Kundalini’ is the coiled up energy at the base of the spine. Laya yoga channelizes
the energy forces in the Kundalini. Kundalini is activated through performance of asanas, practice of
pranayama and making a conscious effort to guide this awakened energy in the spine and allowing it to
immerse in the crown chakra. The ultimate goal of laya yoga is to attain supreme consciousness through
pranayama and breathe control; it is a method to prevent fluctuations of the mind.

d) Integral Yoga: Aurobindo’s yoga is called integral or synthetic mainly because it comprehends all
forms of yoga. He feels that an all round and total development of the self is needed. The growth of
knowledge along (Jnana Yoga), or the perfection and control of the body (Hata Yoga) or the way of intense
devotion (Bhakthi Yoga) will not bring about the change. What is needed is a total transformation of all the
aspects of being, i.e. the mental, the vital and the physical. Therefore, only that process can be Purna Yoga
which aims at the complete transformation of every aspect of being. This is the aim of Aurobindo’s Yoga
and therefore, it is called integral.
According to Aurobindo behind the appearances of the universe there is the reality of a being and
consciousness. All beings are united in that one self and spirit but divided by an ignorance of their true self
and reality. It is possible by a certain psychological discipline to remove this veil of separate consciousness
and become aware of the true Self. This discipline is integral yoga.
Aurobindo’s yoga does not merely aims at discriminating knowledge between the self and the not-
self, but at the spiritualisation of even the non-self. According to him individual liberation is not the aim of
evolution, but the aim is the redemption of mankind and the emergence of Divine Life on earth. The aim of
yoga is to fasten this evolution and the attainment of Supermind or Gnostic being.

MODULE 3
Ashtanga Yoga

Structure of Yoga Sutra: The basic literature of Yoga, the Yoga-Sutras of Patanjali stand out as the most
authoritative and useful book. It consists of 196 Sutras and is divided in to four sections. The first Section
called Samadhi Pada deals with the general nature of Yoga and its technique. This session includes 51
sutras.
The second section is called Sadhana Pada. This session includes 55 sutras. The third Section
called Vibhuti Pada; which includes 56 sutras. The fourth and the last Section is called Kaivalya Pada. It
includes all those essential philosophical problems which are involved in the study and practice of Yoga.
This session includes 34 sutras.

Astanga Yoga or The eight limbs of Yoga

Astanga yoga is also called rajya yoga or royal road as it offers a comprehensive method for
controlling the waves of thought by turning our mental and physical energy into spiritual energy. Compiled
by Patanjali Maharishi in the Yoga Sutras, the Eight Limbs are a progressive series of steps or disciplines
which purify the body and mind, ultimately leading the yogi to enlightenment. Of the 8 limbs yama and
niyama comes under ethical preparations; asana, pranayama and prathyahara comes under physical and
mental preparations; dharana, dhayana and Samadhi under the spiritual preparation. There is also another
6
way of calassfying these 8 limbs in to external and internal aids. The first 5 limbs, that is, yama, niyama,
asana, pranayama and pratyahara are regarded as bahiranga or the external aids to yoga. The last three limbs,
that is, dharana, dhyana and Samadhi

1) Yama: Yama is social behavior, how you treat others and the world around you. These are moral
principles. Sometimes they are called the don'ts. There are five yamas:
a) Ahimsa or non-violence : Do no harm to any creature in thought or deed.
b) Satyam or truthfulness: Satya means to speak the truth, tell no lies.
c) Brahmacharya or celibacy : Brahmacharya does not necessarily imply celibacy. Practicing
brahmacharya means that we use our sexual energy to regenerate our connection to our spiritual self.
d) Asteya or non-stealing: Do not steal others property. To take nothing that does not belong to us. 
e) Aparigraha or non- possessiveness: Means to take only what is necessary, and not to take advantage
of a situation or act greedy.
2) Niyama: Niyama means rules or laws. These are sometimes called observances, the do's. There are five
niyamas:
a) Purity or shauca: The first niyama is sauca, meaning purity and cleanliness Keep yourself, your
clothing, and your surroundings clean. Eat fresh and healthy food. The next time you joke about
treating your body like a temple, think of this niyama.
b) Contentment  or santosha : Cultivate contentment and tranquility by finding happiness with what you
have and who you are.
c) Austerity or tapas: It stands for self discipline. Show discipline in body, speech, and mind. The
purpose of developing self-discipline is not to become ascetic, but to control and direct the mind and
body for higher spiritual aims or purposes.
d) Self Study or svadhyaya: Sva means "self' adhyaya means inquiry or Self-examination. Any activity
that cultivates self-reflective consciousness can be considered svadhyaya.
e) Surrender to God or Isvarapranidhana: Isvarapranidhana means to lay all your actions at the feet of
God. Self surrender before God.
3) Asana: In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defines "asana" as "to be seated in a position that is firm, but
relaxed". It helps a practitioner to become more aware and master their body, mind, and environment. Yoga
poses create strength and endurance, improving circulation and energy flow, cleansing organs and other
systems, and expanding muscles and joints, and it reduces ageing. It is not possible to say the exact number
of asanas, because different texts on yoga give us different number of asanas. However it is interesting to
note that Patanjali never mentioned any asana. By asana he simply meant ‘steady and comfort body posture’.
4) Pranayama: The word is composed of two Sanskrit words: prana which means life-force, and ayāma
which means to extend or lengthen. This means controlling the motion of inhalation and exhalation. Our
breathing in fact has three aspects, that is, inhalation (puraka), retension (kumbhaka) and exhalation (recaka)
of breath.
5) Pratyahara: Means control or withdrawal of the senses by the mind. The essential technique is really the
withdrawal of the mind into itself. It is a kind of abstraction so complete that the sense-organs cease to
function.
Our senses have a natural tendency to go to outward objects. They must be checked and directed towards the
internal goal or object of meditation. When the senses are controlled by the mind instead of following their
natural objects they follow the commands of the mind itself. The mind of a man who has attained this state
is not disturbed by sights, sounds, smell etc, coming through the eyes, ear and other senses.
6) Dharana: Dharana means "immovable concentration of the mind".  The essential idea is to hold the
concentration or focus of attention in one direction. Then object concentrated may be a part of one’s body
like the middle point of the eyebrows or it may be any object like, a flower, a lamp or an idol of some god or
goddess.
7) Dhayana: It is perfect contemplation. Uninterrupted flow of the mind towards the object chosen for
meditation is contemplation or dhayana. It is contemplation without any disturbance.
7
8) Samadhi: The final step in the eight-fold path of Yoga is the attainment of Samadhi. Samadhi means "to
bring together or to merge." This is pure contemplation, or super-consciousness, in which you and the
universe are one. There is no duality in Samadhi. All those dualities are transcended. Those who have
achieved samadhi are said to be enlightened or have attained kaivalya.

3.4. Kinds of Samādhi

Samādhi is the highest state of consciousness that a human can reach. It is the goal of yoga. Samadhi
has been divided into two parts: Samprajnata and Asamprajnata. ‘Prajna’ means higher state of
consciousness. In Samadhi or meditation there are two different states depending upon the consciousness of
the yogi. That samadhi where the consciousness of the yogi retains his sense of ‘I’ ness, that is, his nature,
personality, etc. remains is called as samprajnata samadhi. In it there remains analysis, deliberation, sense of
the outer world, along with feeling of happiness. When the yogi transcends this sense of ‘I’ ness he becomes
‘pure consciousness’; this stage is known as asampranjnata Samadhi. Thus asampranjnata does not mean
without ‘prajna’ or consciousness; but it is a stage which transcends all kinds of duality.

8
 Unit-IV: Yoga Therapy

i) The holistic health perspective of Yoga

Holistic health is a harmonious relationship between the body, energy, mind and spirit. These
functional levels are interconnected. Yoga an ancient philosophy and practice of health and well-being gives
us a holistic health perspective. Thousands of years ago when Yoga was first conceived and practiced,
people led physically active lives by necessity. There were no cars, no washing machines, microwave ovens,
plumbing systems, etc. The routine of daily life provided people with all of the exercise they needed. It was
in this physically demanding world that Yoga originated, not to give people more physical exercise, but as a
system of healing with special emphasis on the mind.
Health is discussed in different ways in the field of Yoga. The Yogasutra of Patanjali presents
optimum health as a state of mind that is alert and in peace at the same time. This state is termed as citta vrtti
nirodha, the very definition of Yoga. So from one perspective health may be defined to achieve and refrain
in a state of Yoga where the mind is able to achieve its full potential and at the same time be relaxed.
Patanjali also uses another term called as kaya-sampat, which literally translated means the wealth of
the body. He elaborates further that the wealth of the body is judged by four parameters: rupa or healthy
form, lavanya or radiance of the body, bala or healthy functioning of the body, vajrasamhanahananatva or
stamina. These could be considered also as a definition of health from the point of view of Yoga.
a) Application of yoga in stress management
Stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia are psychological problems and are related to one another.
A proper practice of yoga helps one get a relief from these problems.
Anxiety: Everyone suffers from mild anxiety from time to time, but chronic anxiety takes a tremendous toll
on the body, draining energy resources and keeping the body in a constant state of stress. The effects of
anxiety are magnified when the body is not exercised: tension in the muscles builds, breathing remains
constricted most of the time, and the mind has no rest from the whirling thoughts and feelings that feed the
anxiety. Yoga helps you to access an inner strength that allows you to face the overwhelming fears,
frustrations, and challenges of everyday life. Yoga reduce stress in the body, breath, and mind does so by
building coping skills with a small daily routine of exercise, breathing, and meditation. A few Yoga
exercises practiced daily help to regulate the breath and relax the body by gently releasing tension from the
large muscle groups, flushing all parts of the body and brain with fresh blood, oxygen, and other nutrients,
and increasing feelings of well-being. "Whole body" exercises such as the Sun Poses are particularly helpful
because they encourage you to breathe deeply and rhythmically.
9
Depression: Most people have felt sad or depressed at times. Feeling depressed can be a normal reaction to
loss, life's struggles, or an injured self-esteem. But when feelings of intense sadness -- including
feeling helpless, hopeless, and worthless -- last for many days to weeks and keep you from functioning
normally, your depression may be something more than sadness. It may very well be clinical depression -- a
treatable medical condition. Depression can be managed by various yoga practices and by following the
yogic way of life. According to scriptures, bliss is inherent nature of all beings. But in our day to day life,
we have lost this inner connection to our own source of joy and bliss. In Sanskrit, the word for health is
‘Swasthya’ which comes from two root words – ‘Swa’ which means Self and ‘Stha’ which means
centered. Swasthya essentially means established in one’s own Self. According to the spiritual texts, the
nature of the Self is Sat-Chit-Ananda or Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. So “Ananda’ or bliss is our inherent
nature. Yet, we tend to forget this and indulge in depressive thoughts.
Stress: Life can be stressful. Everyday issues can add emotional stress. There are many different ways to
cope with stress. Talking with friends, exercising, and seeing a school counselor is just a few. Yoga can help
reduce stress because it promotes relaxation, which is the natural opposite of stress.  Practicing yoga is not
only an effective stress reliever, but also a way to ease symptoms of anxiety. By transferring focus and
attention to the body and breath, yoga can help to temper anxiety while also releasing physical tension. Yoga
is a mind-body practice that combines stretching exercises, controlled breathing and relaxation. Yoga can
help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve heart function.
Insomnia: If one habitually does not get a good night's sleep, chances are that you may be aging faster than
you should be. When we sleep, our body repairs on a cellular level and removes toxins. It is therefore
necessary to get at least six to eight hours of sleep daily. If you can't seem to sleep enough, yoga can help.
Regular yoga practice is known to cure several ailments, including insomnia or abnormal sleeping habits.
Yoga helps unwind stress at the end of the day and get better sleep at night. The following yoga stretches
can help you to relax and enjoy a peaceful sleep.
Forward Bend (Hastapadasana): Helps stretch the back muscles, invigorates the nervous system by
increasing blood supply, and makes the spine supple.
Cat Stretch (Marjariasana): Excellent stretch for spine flexibility. Also helps massage the digestive organs
and improve digestion, thereby helping you to sleep well. Also improves blood circulation and relaxes the
mind.
Child Pose(Shishuasana): A deeply relaxing stretch for the back which also helps calm the nervous system
so that you can sleep at peace.

b) Cardiovascular therapy
Today millions of people in the world suffer from the disease of heart and the blood vessels, which
are called as cardiovascular diseases. The heart is the strongest muscle in the body. The contraction and
relaxation of the heart cause the circulation of blood to all parts of the body. The circulatory system plays a
vital role in the nourishment of tissues. Any irritation to the lining of arterial walls causes heart diseases.
This injury may also be caused due to high levels of fat in the blood. Therapeutic yoga should be practiced
when the individual concerned is not affected by emergency type of condition. The Vajra-asana is a versatile
posture well suited for meditation; rest in between other seated postures, or as an aid to digestion. This
strengthens thigh muscles and calf muscles.
Hypertension happens when the pressure in your system gets high enough leading to risks in your
system. It is also commonly known as high blood pressure, which refers to the amount of pressure in your
arteries. In diagnosing hypertension, several readings must be taken. If the rate of blood pressure reaches to
as high as 140/90, then hypertension is present. A regular practice of yoga helps to keep our blood pressure
normal.

c) Treatment of digestive disorders

Digestive system diseases may not be life threatening in most of the cases, but most of us have experienced
the burnt of some of these diseases. An upset stomach or digestive system can spoil your evening; prevent
10
you from enjoying your favourite food and a healthy life. Lethargy, loss of vitality and irritability is the
natural outcome. Yoga philosophy lays lot of stress on good digestive health. Type of food and how you eat
affects your health and digestion. Most of our health problems have their origins in our digestive system
problems. Our digestive system is the engine which provides energy to our body. Some of the most digestive
disorders, which can be regulated by the practice of yoga are:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS: IBS is one of the common digestive system diseases and disorders. IBS
can entail bouts of urgent diarrhoea followed by chronic constipation. It involves malfunction in how the
intestinal system work.
Hyperacidity In our body gastric juices help in digestion of food these are strong acidic juices are
continuously been produced in stomach. Too much secretion of gastric juice is hazards. If this gastric juice
of acid produced in extra proportions it harms internal wall of the stomach to a very great extent. When this
happens there are ulcers found in the walls of the stomach. Thus hyperacidity and formation of ulcers are
complementary to each other. Generally a person having disease of hyperacidity suffers from pain in the
stomach. The common signs of this pain are burning sensation in the heart, vomiting sensation, nausea,
feeling giddy and the actual vomits.

11