Yoga is a group of physical , mental , and spiritual practices from ancient India , forming one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophical traditions.
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Every Kriya consists of a set of techniques not just one technique. Share :. To fully understand the science behind my recovery, I mastered the studies of the human body at university.
I continued to pursue my Yoga training, and after years of guidance under senior teachers, I received my certificate from the Iyengar Institute in Pune, India. However, I only truly felt I was ready to be a teacher myself thanks to my first students, and the positive feedback they gifted me with.
The terrible setback I suffered all those years ago, led me to devote my time to forwarding the many lessons of Iyengar yoga, both on a physical and mental level, and to help others feel stronger and more fulfilled than ever. We can all be the best versions of ourselves. I am now qualified in Qi Gong and Aromatherapy, as well as Iyengar yoga.
I prescribe personalized treatments for my students, as I work with them and get to know their needs. Then the mind cannot become one-pointed ekagra and is robbed of its peace.
There is contentment and tranquillity 38 Light on Yoga when the flame of the spirit does not waver in the wind of desire. The sadhaka does not seek the empty peace of the dead, but the peace of one whose reason is firmly established in God. Tapas is derived from the root 'tap' meaning to blaze, bum, shine, suffer pain or consume by heat.
It therefore means a burning effort under all circumstances to achieve a definite goal in life. It involves purification, self-discipline and austerity. Tapas is the conscious effort to achieve ultimate union with the Divine and to burn up all desires which stand in the way of this goal.
A worthy aim makes life illumined, pure and divine. Without such an aim, action and prayer have no value. Life without tapas, is like a heart without love. Without tapas, the mind cannot reach up to the Lord. Tapas is of three types. It may relate to the body kayika , to speech vachika or to mind manasika. Using words which do not offend, reciting the glory of God, speaking the truth without regard for the consequences to oneself and not speaking ill of others are tapas of speech.
Developing a mental attitude whereby one remains tranquil and balanced in joy and sorrow and retains self-control are tapas of the mind. It is tapas when one works without any selfish motive or hope of reward and with an unshakable faith that not even a blade of grass can move without His will.
By tapas the yogi develops strength in body, mind and character. He gains courage and wisdom, integrity, straightforwardness and simplicity. Sva means self and adhyaya means study or education. Education is the drawing out of the best that is within a person. Svadhyaya, therefore, is the education of the self. Svadhyaya is different from mere instruction like attending a lecture where the lecturer parades his own learning before the ignorance of his audience.
When people meet for svadhyaya, the speaker and listener are of one mind and have mutual love and respect.
The ennobling thoughts that arise from svadhyaya are, so to speak, taken into one's bloodstream so that they become a part of one's life and being.
The person practising svadhyaya reads his own book of life, at the same time that he writes and revises it. He starts to realise that all creation is meant for bhakti Introduction 39 rdoration rather than for bhoga enjoyment , that all creation is divine, that there is divinity within himself and that the energy which moves him is the same that moves the entire universe.
To make life healthy, happy and peaceful, it is essential to study regularly divine literature in a pure place. This study of the sacred books of the world will enable the sadhaka to concentrate upon and solve the difficult problems of life when they arise. It will put an end to ignorance and bring knowledge.
Ignorance has no beginning, but it has an end. There is a beginning but no end to knowledge. By svadhyaya the sadhaka understands the nature of his soul and gains communion with the divine.
The sacred books of the world are for all to read. They are not meant for the members of one particular faith alone. As bees savour the nectar in various flowers, so the sadhaka absorbs things in other faiths which will enable him to appreciate his own faith better.
Philology is not a language but the science of languages, the study of which will enable the student to learn his own language better. Similarly, Yoga is not a religion by itself. It is the science of religions, the study of which will enable a sadhaka the better to appreciate his own faith. Dedication to the Lord of one's actions and will is -. ISvara praJ?. He who has faith in God does not despair. He has illumination tejas. He who knows that all creation belongs to the Lord will not be puffed up with pride or drunk with power.
He will not stoop for selfish purposes; his head will bow only in worship. Addiction to pleasures destroys both power and glory.
From the gratification of the senses as they run after pleasures arise moha attachment and lobha greed for their repetition. If the senses are not gratified, then, there is soka sorrow.
After one has exhausted one's own resources and still not succeeded, one turns to the Lord for help for He is the source of all power. It is at this stage that bhakti begins. In bhakti, the mind, the intellect and the will are surrendered to the Lord and the sadhaka prays : 'I do not know what is good for 40 Light on Yoga me.
Thy will be done. In bhakti or true love there is no place for ' I ' and 'mine'. When the feeling of 'I' and 'mine' disappears, the individual soul has reached full growth. In a mind filled with thoughts of personal gratification, there is danger of the senses dragging the mind after the objects of desire. Attempts to practise bhakti without emptying the mind of desires is like building a fire with wet fuel.
It makes a lot of smoke and brings tears to the eyes of the person who builds it and of those around him. The name of the Lord is like the Sun, dispelling all darkness. The moon is full when it faces the sun. If the shadow of the earth comes between the full moon and the sun there is an eclipse. Actions mirror a man's personality better than his words. The yogi has learnt the art of dedicating all his actions to the Lord and so they reflect the divinity within him.
Asana The third limb of yoga is asana or posture. Asana brings steadiness, health and lightness of limb. Asanas are not merely gymnastic exercises; they are postures.
To perform them one needs a clean airy place, a blanket and determination, while for other systems of physical training one needs large playing fields and costly equipment. Asanas have been evolved over the centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in the body. They secure a fine physique, which is strong and elastic without being muscle-bound and they keep the body free from disease. They reduce fatigue and soothe the nerves. But their real importance lies in the way they train and discipline the mind.
Hence they are in disharmony with themselves and one rarely comes Introduction 41 across a balanced personality among them. They often put the body above all else. Though the yogi does not underrate his body, he does not think merely of its perfection but of his senses, mind, intellect and soul. The yogi conquers the body by the practice of asanas and makes it a fit vehicle for the spirit.
He knows that it is a necessary vehicle for the spirit. A soul without a body is like a bird deprived of its power to fly. The yogi does not fear death, for time must take its toll of all flesh. He knows that the body is constantly changing and is affected by childhood, youth and old age.
Birth and death are natural phenomena but the soul is not subject to birth and death. As a man casting off worn-out garments takes on new ones, so the dweller within the body casting aside worn-out bodies enters into others that are new. The yogi believes that his body has been given to him by the Lord not for enjoyment alone, but also for the service of his fellow men during every wakeful moment of his life. He does not consider it his property. He knows that the Lord who has given him his body will one day take it away.
By performing asanas, the sadhaka first gains health, which is not mere existence. I t is not a commodity which can be purchased with money. It is an asset to be gained by sheer hard work. It is a state of complete equilibrium of body, mind and spirit. Forgetfulness of physical and mental consciousness is health.
The yogi frees himself from physical disabilities and mental distractions by practising asanas. He surrenders his actions and their fruits to the Lord in the service of the world. The yogi realises that his life and all its activities are part of the divine action in nature, manifesting and operating in the form of man. In the beating of his pulse and the rhythm of his respiration, he recognises the flow of the seasons and the throbbing of universal life.
His body is a temple which houses the Divine Spark. The needs of the body are the needs of the divine spirit which lives through the body. The yogi does not look heaven-ward to find God for he knows that He is within, being known as the Antaratma the Inner Self.
He feels the kingdom of God within and without and finds that heaven lies in himself. Where does the body end and the mind begin? Where does the mind end and the spirit begin? They cannot be divided as they are inter-related and but different aspects of the same all-pervading divine consciousness. He seeks a body strong as a thunderbolt, healthy and free from suffering so as to dedicate it in the service of the Lord for which it is intended.
Just as an unbaked earthen pot dissolves in water the body soon decays. So bake it hard in the fire of yogic discipline in order to strengthen and purify it. The names of the asanas are significant and illustrate the principle of evolution. Creatures that crawl like the serpent bhujailga are not forgotten, nor is the human embryonic state garbha-pinda overlooked.
Asanas are named after legendary heroes like Vfrabhadra and Hanuman, son of the Wind. Whilst performing asanas the yogi's body assum..! S many forms resembling a variety of creatures. He knows that the highest form is that of the Formless. He finds unity in universality. True asana is that in which the thought of Brahman flows effortlessly and incessantly through the mind of the sadhaka. Therefore, do p. By its improper practice respiratory diseases will arise and the nervous Introduction 43 system will be shattered.
By its proper practice one is freed from most diseases. For it is essential to have the personal supervision of a Guru who knows the physical limitations of his pupil. PrarJayama Just as the word yoga is one of wide import, so also is praJ. I t also connotes the soul as opposed to the body. The word is generally used in the plural to indicate vital breaths. Ayama means length, expansion, stretching or restraint.
This control is over all the functions of breathing, namely, I inhalation or inspiration, which is termed piiraka filling up ; 2 exhalation or expiration, which is called rechaka emptying the lungs , and 3 retention or holding the breath, a state where there is no inhalation or exhalation, which is termed kumbhaka.
A kumbha is a pitcher, water pot, jar or chalice. A water pot may be emptied of all air and filled completely with water, or it may be emptied of all water and filled completely with air. The second, where breath is held after a full exhalation, but before inhalation begins is known as bahya kumbhaka.
Antara means inner or interior, while bahya means outer or exterior. In both these types breathing is suspended and restrained. It is the hub round which the wheel of life revolves. The yogi's life is not measured by the number of his days but by the number of his breaths.
Therefore, he follows the proper rhythmic patterns of slow deep breathing. These rhythmic patterns strengthen 44 Light on Yoga the respiratory system, soothe the nervous system and reduce craving.
As desires and cravings diminish, the mind is set free and becomes a fit vehicle for concentration. By improper practice of pra:r:tayama the pupil introduces several disorders into his system like hiccough, wind, asthma, cough, catarrh, pains in the head, eyes and ears and nervous irritation. I t takes a long time to learn slow, deep, steady and proper inhalations and exhalations. Master this before attempting kumbhaka.
As a fire blazes brightly when the covering of ash over it is scattered by the wind, the divine fire within the body shines in all its majesty when the ashes of desire are scattered by the practice of prat;tayama. The realisation that " I am Atma spirit , is the true piiraka inhalation. And the steady sustenance of the mind on this conviction is the true kumbhaka retention.
This is true pranayama,' says. So also with each outgoing breath each creature prays 'HarilsaJ:l' I am He. This ajapa-mantra unconscious repetitive prayer goes on for ever within each living creature throughout life.
The yogi fully realises the significance of this ajapa-mantra and so is released from all the fetters that bind his soul. He offers up the very breath of his being to the Lord as a sacrifice and receives the breath of life from the Lord as his blessing. Pra:r:ta in the body of the individual j1vatma is part of the cosmic breath of the Universal Spirit Paramatma.
An attempt is made to harmonise the individual breath pi:t:J. I t has been said by Kariba Ekken, a seventeenth-century mystic ; 'If you would foster a calm spirit, first regulate your breathing; for when that is under control, the heart will be at peace; but when breathing is spasmodic, then it will be troubled.
One of them is pra:r:ta breath , the other is vasana desire. The chariot moves in the direction of the more powerful animal. If breath prevails, the desires are controlled, the senses are held in check and the mind is stilled. If desire prevails, breath is in disarray and the mind is agitated and troubled. Therefore, the yogi masters the science of breath and by the regulation and control of breath, he controls the mind and stills its constant movement.
In the practice of pra:r:tayama the eyes are kept shut to prevent the mind from wandering. Emotional excitement affects the rate of breathing; equally, deliberate regulation of breathing checks emotional excitement. As the very object of Yoga is to control and still the mind, the yogi first learns pranayama to master the breath.
This will enable him to control the senses and so reach the stage of pratyahara. Only then will the mind be ready for concentration dhyana. The mind is said to be twofold -pure and impure. It is pure when it is completely free from desires and impure when it is in union with desires. By making the mind motionless and freeing it from sloth and distractions, one reaches the state of mindlessness amanaska , which is the supreme state of samadhi.
This state of mindlessness is not lunacy or idiocy but the conscious state of the mind when it is free from thoughts and desires. The former is careless ; the latter attempts to be carefree. It is the oneness of the breath and mind and so also of the senses and the abandonment of all conditions of existence and thought that is designated Yoga.
PriirJa Viiyu. One of the most subtle forms of energy is air. There are also five subsidiary vayiis. Pracyahara If a man's reason succumbs to the pull of his senses he is lost. On the 46 Light on Yoga other hand, if there is rhythmic control of breath, the senses instead of running after external objects of desire turn inwards, and man is set free from their tyranny.
This is the fifth stage of Yoga, namely, pratyahara, where the senses are brought under control. To overcome the deadly but attractive spell of sensual objects, he needs the insulation of adoration bhakti by recalling to his mind the Creator who made the objects of his desire. He also needs the lamp of knowledge of his divine heritage. The mind, in truth, is for mankind the cause of bondage and liberation; it brings bondage if it is bound to the objects of desire and liberation when it is free from objects.
There is bondage when the mind craves, grieves or is unhappy over something. The mind becomes pure when all desires and fears are annihilated. Both the good and the pleasant present themselves to men and prompt them to action.
The yogi prefers the good to the pleasant. Others driven by their desires, prefer the pleasant to the good and miss the very purpose of life. The yogi feels joy in what he is. He knows how to stop and, therefore, lives in peace. At first he prefers that which is bitter as poison, but he perseveres in his practice knowing well that in the end it will become as sweet as nectar.
Others hankering for the union of their senses with the objects of their desires, prefer that which at first seems sweet as nectar, but do not know that in the end it will be as bitter as pOison. The yogi knows that the path towards satisfaction of the senses by sensual desires is broad, but that it leads to destruction and that there are many who follow it. The path of Yoga is like the sharp edge of a razor, narrow and difficult to tread, and there are few who find it.
The yogi knows that the paths of ruin or of salvation lie within himself. According to Hindu philosophy, consciousness manifests in three different qualities. For man, his life and his consciousness, together with the entire cosmos are the emanations of one and the same prakrti cosmic matter or substance - emanations that differ in designation through the predominance of one of the gu! These gu! Sattva the illuminating, pure or good quality , which leads to clarity and mental serenity.
Tamas is a quality of delusion, obscurity, inertia and ignorance. A person in whom it predominates is inert and plunged in a state of torpor. Introduction- 47 The quality of sattva leads towards the divine and tamas towards the demonic, while in between these two stands rajas. He that is born with tendencies towards the divine is fearless and pure.
He is generous and self-controlled. He pursues the study of the Self. He is non-violent, truthful and free from anger. He renounces the fruits of his labour, working only for the sake of work. He has a tranquil mind, with malice towards none and charity towards all, for he is free from craving.
He is gentle, modest and steady. He is illumined, clement and resolute, being free from perfidy and pride. A man in whom raj6-gur:ta predominates has inner thirst and is affectionate. As he is passionate and covetous, he hurts others.
Being full of lust and hatred, envy and deceit, his desires are insatiable. He seeks the patronage of friends and has family pride.
He shrinks from unpleasant things and clings to pleasant ones. His speech is sour and his stomach greedy. He that is born with demonic tendencies is deceitful, insolent and conceited. He is full of wrath, cruelty and ignorance. In such people there is neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth.
They gratify their passions. Bewildered by numerous desires, caught in the web of delusion, these addicts of sensual pleasures fall into hell. The working of the mind of persons with different predominating gunas may be illustrated by their different ways of approach towards a universal commandment like 'Thou shalt not covet. If they do, I shall destroy them. A person of sattvika temperament will follow both the letter and the spirit of the precept as a matter of principle and not of policy, as a matter of eternal value.
He will be righteous for the sake of righteousness alone, and not because there is a human law imposing punishment to keep him honest. The yogi who is also human is affected by these three gur:tas. By his constant and disciplined study abhyasa of himself and of the objects which his senses tend to pursue, he learns which thoughts, words and actions are prompted by tamas and which by rajas.
With unceasing effort he weeds out and eradicates such thoughts as are prompted by 48 Light on Yoga tamas and he works to achieve a sattvika frame of mind. When the sattva-gu! Like unto the pull of gravity is the pull of the gunas. As intensive research and rigorous discipline are needed to experience the wonder of weightlessness in space, so also a searching self-examination and the discipline fur'lished by Yoga is needed by a sadhaka to experience union with the Creator of space when he is freed from the pull of the gu!
Features a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin. Illustrations throughout. A must-have for anyone who practises yoga or is interested in the teachings of the East. Iyengar, whose teachings on yoga are followed throughout the world, reflects upon his lifetime's experience on the yoga path. But unlike his previous writings, this new book is full of autobiographical anecdotes' - The New York Times 'Mr Iyengar reveals in Light on Life the 'heart of yoga' that he personally discovered through more than 70 years of disciplined, daily practice The definitive work by B.
Iyengar has devoted his life to the practice and study of yoga. It was B. It is the classic text for all serious students of yoga. Week-by-week development plan — with a total of weeks to allow gradual progression from novice to advanced technique. Yoga sequences and asanas to help heal a range of specific illnesses and conditions. Note that due to the limitations of some ereading devices not all diacritical marks can be shown.
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