Yoga and Meditation for State of Enlightenment

By Patricia | April 27, 2009
Yoga Meditation & Enlightenment

What is enlightenment from meditation and yoga practice?

Throughout the ages, one of man’s most compelling quests has been the path to enlightenment. Questions of “who am I?” and “what is the meaning of life?” have plagued man since the start of history. Despite the vast variety of paths to enlightenment, yoga is perhaps one of the most well-known.

Yoga is an ancient discipline of the body and mind that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ can be translated as ‘union’, which often means the union of the mind and body. Practitioners of yoga believe that a healthy mind is essential for a healthy body.

This state of mind can be achieved through meditation. You need to make time everyday to concentrate your energies on yoga. Meditation is said to strengthen the connection with your spiritual centre, such that it leaves you feeling positive.

To achieve the state of enlightenment, it is often said that you need to be one with the Self or God. For this purpose, one needs to be devoid of all attachments to the temporal world of form. Yoga is a disciplined path of purification that will help detach from worldly bodies and objects.

You need to be seated in the proper position for meditation. Padmasana or the lotus pose is the most common one. Sit cross-legged on the floor and keep your back straight. Clear your mind of all thoughts. By training the body to be able to sit peacefully without pain, you can get your mind to remain inside or outside of the body.

Along with meditation, you should also follow certain rules. These include yama, or moral codes. The moral codes consist of non-violence, non-covetousness, celibacy, and truthfulness. Another rule is of niyama, or self-purification. To follow this, you need to practise mental exercises that help control your emotions.

Once you successfully complete the stages of yama and niyama, you should be in a stronger mental state to be able to concentrate and pursue meditation. You should try consuming a sattvic, or pure diet, which contains only fresh and healthy food types. This way your body will be physically fit too.

This whole process for enlightenment is a conviction of self-discipline to develop an awareness of oneself. When self-realisation is achieved, the six sins of kama or desire, krodha or anger, moha or delusion, lobha or greed, matsarya or sloth, and mada or envy will no longer exist.

It is always advisable to begin this process with a guru before you decide to follow it on your own.

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