YOGA

ORIGIN AND HISTORY

Yoga refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India. The word is associated with
meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. In Jainism yoga is the sum total of all activities—
mental, verbal and physical. ‘Yoga’ -the very word radiates peace and tranquillity.
Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Yuj' which essentially means to join or unite.

Born in India, almost 26,000 years ago

Yoga is believed to have evolved during the period of the ‘Sat Yuga’, also called the Golden age.

Treatment with yoga

This is believed to calm the nervous system and balance the body, mind and spirit, as well as providing
exercise. It is thought by its practitioners to prevent specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy
meridians open and maintaining life energy.

CLASSIFICATON

Major branches of yoga in Hindu philosophy include:

Raja Yoga,
Karma Yoga,
Jnana Yoga,
Bhakti Yoga,
Hatha Yoga.

YOGA SUTRAS OF PATANJALI

Yoga is the name of one of the six orthodox philosophical schools

Patanjali is widely regarded as the founder of the formal Yoga philosophy
Patanjali's yoga is known as Raja yoga,

"Yoga is the inhibition (nirodhaḥ) of the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind (citta)".

Patanjali's writing also became the basis for a system referred to as "Ashtanga Yoga" ("Eight-Limbed
Yoga").
1. Yama (The five "abstentions"): non-violence, non-lying, non-covetousness, non-sensuality, and non-
possessiveness.
2. Niyama (The five "observances"): purity, contentment, austerity, study, and surrender to god.
3. Asana: Literally means "seat", and in Patanjali's Sutras refers to the seated position used for meditation.
4. Pranayama ("Suspending Breath"): Prāna, breath, "āyāma", to restrain or stop. It is also interpreted as
control of the life force.
5. Pratyahara ("Abstraction"): Withdrawal of the sense organs from external objects.
6. Dharana ("Concentration"): Fixing the attention on a single object.
7. Dhyana ("Meditation"): Intense contemplation of the nature of the object of meditation.
8. Samādhi ("Liberation"): merging consciousness with the object of meditation
BHAGAVAD GITA

The Bhagavad Gita uses the term yoga extensively in a variety of ways. In addition to an entire chapter
(chapter. 6) dedicated to traditional yoga practice, including meditation, it introduces three prominent types
of yoga

Karma yoga: The yoga of action,

Bhakti yoga: The yoga of devotion,
Gnana yoga: The yoga of knowledge
HATHA YOGA

Hatha Yoga is a particular system of Yoga described by Yogi Swatmarama, compiler of the Hatha Yoga
Pradipika in 15th century India.
Hatha Yoga differs substantially from the Raja Yoga of Patanjali in that it focuses on shatkarma, the
purification of the physical body as leading to the purification of the mind (ha), and prana, or vital energy
(tha).

Compared to the seated asana, or sitting meditation posture, of Patanjali's Raja yoga, it marks the
development of asanas (plural) into the full body 'postures‘

YOGA AND ANXIETY DISORDER

Indications
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Phobia
Panic Attack Disorder

Characteristically yoga is a slow paced, slow breathing exercising technique, which is in sharp contrast to
the symptoms and characters of the anxiety and our reaction to it. Yoga helps dampen the causes of anxiety
within one’s mind. The hormonal reactions in the blood are neutralized by determined and forceful self
restraint. The shortness of breath, rapid pulses and heartbeats get soothed by steady but gradual supply of
oxygen and reduction in circulation due to yoga.

BENEFITS OF YOGA

Increasing Flexibility – yoga has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints
that are never really on the ‘radar screen’ let alone exercised.
Increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons – likewise, the well-researched yoga positions
exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body.
Massaging of ALL Organs of the Body – Yoga is perhaps the only form of activity which massages all the
internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner, including those – such as the prostate - that
hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various
body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and
providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder.
Complete Detoxification – By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs,
yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins
from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits
such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.
Excellent toning of the muscles – Muscles that have become flaccid, weak or sloth is stimulated repeatedly
to shed excess flab and flaccidity.

ASANAS
Viparitakarani Ardha-Padmasana Akarna dhanurasana
Tadasana Supta-Vajrasana Svastikasana
Pascimottanasana Utkatasana Naukasana
Dhanurasana Gomukhasana Uttanapadasana
Konasana Ardha-Salabhasana Vajrasana
Mayurasana Shavasana Bhujangasana
Cakrasana Padhastasana Vakrasana