Several People Learn Yoga Meditation Technique To Understand The State Of Mind And Dabble In Spirituality

By Patricia | December 23, 2008

What Does Yoga Have To Do With Spiritualism And Mind State

Yoga is not just a physical exercise or some random breathing technique. It is so much more than this. As an exercise, yoga helps to train and calm the body as well as the mind. Yoga is also about preparing the mind and the body for meditation. In fact, yoga was formulated by sages in ancient India to prepare them for meditation. Meditation is again about the state of mind and attaining spirituality. If your mind is stressed or if you’re upset, yoga will help you calm down and then this calm state of mind will help you do your meditation practice. Yoga also has several philosophies, which speak about the state of mind and spirituality.

State Of The Mind: The Patanjali yoga philosophy, which is part of the Vedas or the holy texts of Hinduism, is the basis of Ashtanga yoga or the eight limbs of yoga. The yoga we do today has its roots in these philosophies. These philosophies, which are actually practical guidelines, help to understand the state of the mind.

The Philosophy Of Yoga Prescribes Five States Of Human Mind: Disturbed; stupefied; distracted; concentrated; and, balanced. The first three states of mind cause problems in the healthy growth of the mind, while the last two is what people should aim for.

Spirituality And Yoga: Yoga has been gaining popularity all across the world, with more and more people turning towards this form of exercise for developing their overall sense of wellbeing. Several people do yoga to learn meditation techniques and dabble in spirituality.

Yoga, in Sanskrit, means spiritual awareness or spiritual union. Yoga is also believed to be a complete science that revels in the physical, spiritual and metaphysical aspects. Yoga also means unity and harmony. Yoga is a discipline that teaches us to harmonize our personal consciousness with God. Meditation is a way to attain this wholesome harmony.

The spiritual as well as the practical aspects of yoga are described in Ashtanga yoga or the eight limbs of yoga:

  • Yama: This prescribes non-violence, honesty, fidelity to the absolute and trustworthiness.
  • Niyama: This prescribes five types of positive behavior, some of which include fulfillment, satisfaction and devotion to God.
  • Asana: These are the physical postures of yoga that make our bodies strong, supple and energetic. Asanas also prepare the body for meditation.
  • Pratyahara: This means that we should be detached from the ups and downs of life.
  • Dhyana: This prescribes meditation to calm the mind.
  • Dharana: This prescribes working on one’s concentration.
  • Samadhi: This means becoming one with God.