About Yoga
Yoga means union.
The aim of yoga is to dispel the illusion of seperation, to realise that ultimately and in reality we are all One.
The huge achievements and advances of modern man mean that most of us live in a high-speed technology-dominated society. The relevence of yoga today is to regain the vital connection with our inner selves under these stressful and often alienating conditions.
The journey to rediscovering an inner awareness is not an impossible task, nor is it far removed from the activities and demands of daily life. Yoga embraces the individual as a unique being made up of body, mind, emotion and spirit. Yoga is not only a philosophy, it is a practical and scientific path for the expansion and liberation of energy and for the evolution of consciousness.
Satyanada Yoga (Bihar Yoga)
Swami Satyananda Saraswati, disciple of Swami Sivandanda Sarawati of Rishikesh, founded the Bihar School of Yoga in 1964 to impart the knowledge of yoga "from door to door and shore to shore." He combined the philosophy and knowledge of ancient practices contained in the Vedas and in the traditions of Tantra and formulated them into a comprehensive system adapted for contemporary life.
Satyananda Yoga can be described as Integral Yoga as it incorporates the many paths of yoga in order to integrate and harmonise the different aspects of the personality. For example karma yoga for dynamism, jnana yoga for the intellect, bhakti yoga for the emotions, raja yoga for the esoteric or mystical. The practice of Yoga is only a complete practice when all aspects of the personality are balanced.
Satyananda Yoga can be practiced by people of every age, ability and physicality. It has no religious component and can be practised alongside any religious beliefs or non beliefs.
It is non-competitive and there is no forcing of postures or techniques, this type of stress is in opposition to one of the central principles of yoga: to be in the present moment. Gradually as we become more comfortable being in the here and now and experience the joy of this way of living, we learn to let go of the expectations we have about ourselves and others and how things "should be" - the cause of so much unnecessary stress and dis-ease.
Satyananda Yoga is about creating harmony between the "Head, Heart and Hands" so that what we think, how we feel and how we act express the same thing.
The practice of asana (physical postures) leads to an increased overall physical awareness, for example, which parts of the anatomy are being stretched and the muscles that are activated as a result. Working with the breath, the resulting release of physical, mental and emotional tensions creates a lightness of body and mind.
A natural awareness of the breathing process and other internal systems brings with it a greater sense of connection to the body and an experiental understanding of the connection between body, breath and mind.
Gradually and with regular practice, the yoga student discovers it is possible to access an awareness of the workings of the deeper parts of the mind with increasingly subtle experiences and realisations.
The practice and benefits of yoga can develop further according to the level and aims of the aspirant.
Awareness, sincerity and practice at all levels is the key to success.
To learn more about Satyananda Yoga and the Saraswati lineage, please follow the link to Satyananda Yoga/Bihar Yoga.
