Yoga » Jnana Yoga

Yoga Ancient Spiritual Practices In India

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:07:53 +0000

By: Kevin Pederson

VYoga. Just the sound of it mystifies our spirit! An ancient Hindu practice, Yoga today has stormed the West with its positive effects on those who practice it. No longer is yoga looked upon as just a quite activity of meditation done in a silent and serene atmosphere.

Yoga is more than just an exercise to get your physical body in shape, proper practice of yoga is aimed at bringing mind, body and soul in perfect alignment with the Creator. And in doing so one is able to reap the benefits of inner-peace, clear thought process, lower stress levels, physical as well as spiritual wellbeing.

Yoga finds its origins in India. It is an ancient spiritual practice that is said to mean enlightenment. It is still a very vibrant tradition to this day, not only in India but is practiced all over the world. Yoga practices includes traditional elements like morals and ethical principles, postures to help keep the body fit, guidance in everyday life -through God, a Guru-student relationship, the chanting of mantras or holy words, breathing exercises also known as pranayama, calming the mind and body through meditation.

These things are have evolved over the years and have become the way of ancient Hindu yogic exercises.

There are four major types of Yoga, namely Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga, Raja yoga; Karma yoga is the consecration of all ones actions and their fruits unto the Lord. Karma refers to ones action. When deeds or Karma is being done with selfish motives it binds the beings spirit.

Karma yoga liberates ones spirit when it is done with a selfless attitude. Working unselfishly means becoming a useful instrument in the hands of Maker. Bhakti yoga refers to meditation by visualizing, thinking and feeling that the Lord is sitting or standing before him.

Jnana Yoga, Jnana means wisdom or discernment, the main purpose of Jnana meditation is to withdraw the mind and emotions from perceiving life and oneself in a deluded way so that one may behold and live in attunement with Reality. Raja Yoga, also called Ashtanga yoga is one of the four major Yogic paths of Hinduism involving psycho-physical meditation techniques.

It is also thought as moksha in Hindu, which means liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Ashtanga meaning eight limbs refers to the eight stems of yoga widely practiced today. Its benefits are known to be positive and globally accepted

Kevin Pederson can guide you on the working principles behind Yoga which focuses on the benefits of Yoga techniques intended to produce a positive state of mind in us. Yoga an ancient art of meditation and exercise that brings the mind, body and soul aligned with a greater spiritual being.

Practice Jnana Yoga for Optimum Mental Health

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:53:34 +0000

By: anonymous

Anyone who cares about their health often focuses on keeping his or her body in peak condition. Who considers the health of the mind? A psychiatrist or a psychologist is concerned with behavior, and mental health, but how can Yoga help you?

We have all heard Yoga is a good “mind and body exercise,” but how does a Yoga student exercise his or her mind through Yoga practice. How can Yoga help you develop mental strength? Let’s look at one of the many styles of Yoga, to find answers, and acquire optimum mental health.

Jnana Yoga is the union of mind, body, and spirit, through acquired knowledge. It is true that reading will make your mind sharp, but what do Jnana Yogis read? Traditionally, Jnana Yogis read Hindu scriptures to expand their knowledge.

Yoga has been around for thousands of years. The Brahmin caste would have had more access to Yogic philosophy, and the scriptures (Vedas), than the average person, at that time.

This same parallel can be made to any holy man of any religion. Access to written knowledge, books, and Holy Scriptures was not common place, in any religion, hundreds of years ago. There was a time when the average person was forbidden to have a copy of the Bible. The early Bibles were very big, expensive to produce, and not meant for the public to interpret. Whether we like it, or not, this is a part of history.

Now, let’s fast forward to the 21st century. Millions of new computer users are accessing the Internet every year. So, how is it that more people, than ever, are disconnected from their mind, body, and spirit? We have attention disorders, multi-tasking, and many distractions to keep us far from tranquility.

Even in a Yoga class, you may hear a cell phone go off – despite the fact there are rules and a sign on the entrance of most Yoga studios. The sign might read, “Turn your cell phone off,” but people do not see it, even if it is right under their nose. Why?

Unfortunately, people do not read or pursue vital information. Cable television has hundreds of channels and the Internet has millions of sites. Do you really think the masses are trying to expand their minds by reading?

Jnana Yoga practice, and regular meditation, raises the “Level of Consciousness.” Yet it seems that prosperity seems to breed poor mental and physical health. When given the choice, children would rather play video games than watch the History Channel. Therefore, many adults must be getting in touch with their “inner child.”

Now, let’s come full circle. Entertainment is a wonderful thing, but we should be deliberate in our efforts to challenge our minds. Creativity cannot be found in games that are programmed or in viewing stories where you can easily guess the ending.

Your mind must be challenged on a daily basis by reading good quality writing and watching entertainment that is true art. The modern Jnana Yoga practitioner has much more access to education, information, art, and entertainment. However, he or she must be much more selective than ever before.

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Jnana Yoga – Yoga For The Intelligent

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:16:05 +0000

By: Sharon Hopkins

Jnana means the knowledge. This yoga is the yoga for the intelligent and selected people. This yoga is the ultimate goal of all the other varieties of yoga. This yoga teaches you to look at the world as it is without any ignorance and bias. You can achieve this state by practicing rigorous mental discipline and virtue. This yoga is also called Raja Yoga or the king of all the yogas, since it is of the highest variety and rules over all the other varieties. This is the Yoga that Patanjali has described in his Yoga Sutras.

This yoga is made up of eight parts of which five are external and the other three are internal. Two of its parts, viz yama and niyama deal with types of behaviour that the student of yoga should avoid like lying, cheating, stealing etc. and those behaviours that he should cultivate like cleanliness, non-collection etc. Asanas and Pranayama are the next two parts of this yoga. Asanas are the physical movements that help in developing the suppleness of the body and thus cure any diseases. You can control your breath by using pranayama which increases the capacity of the lungs to take in air and thus increases the vitality of the body. The next part Pratyahara denotes the withdrawal of the sense organs from objects of enjoyment. The remaining three parts deal with intense mental concentration.

Patanjali maintained that practicing these eight parts of yoga faithfully and intensely will, over a period of time, erase all the impurities of the body and mind and thus attain knowledge that will liberate the person from bondage and ignorance. This yoga is called Ashtanga Yoga since it is made of eight parts. It is also called as Dhyana yoga due to its stress on mental concentration. Hence, whenever there is any mention of yoga, it is usually implied that the person is talking about Jnana Yoga

Sharon Hopkins is the webmaster for Yogawiz where you can find information on , yoga basics, different yoga asanas, poses, Jnana Yoga,Ashtanga yoga and much more . Jnana Yoga is the science of knowledge and helps one unite with the Supreme.

The Benefits of Yoga

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:01:01 +0000

By: Rosie Reynolds

Yoga originated in India around 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, the word originates from the Sanskrit yuj and translates into English as ‘to join’. It is not, as some have believed, a religion, but a philosophy, encompassing exercise, and mental enlightenment through meditation. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga are considered the four main yogas, each with their different sub-divisions, though there are many other types.

Karma Yoga translates as acting without desires or emotional attachments to the fruits of one’s efforts. It comes from advice given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers before the battle between the virtuous Padavas, and their less than righteous cousins the Kauravas. It is said that when Arjuna, full of sorrow at the prospect of his relatives bloodshed, his friend Lord Krishna gave him advice focussing his mind on the action, and away from the emotional attachment (though the advice was not specific to any single situation).

Bhakti Yoga concentrates on the selfless devotion to, and love of God (Bhakti) as father, mother, or friend that finds personal appeal in the heart of the devotee.

Jnana Yoga is the understanding of ones self. Jnana means knowledge, in this case self knowledge. The basic pillar of Jnana is the belief of the unity of the universe to be at one with the universe.

Raja Yoga is a practical guide to gaining purity of mind through meditation. This requires psycho-physical meditational techniques to repress any preconceived thoughts or experiences that might mirror or distort the thoughts that prevent you seeing your true self.

Calm and flexible

In the Western World, Yoga has become synonymous with the asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga this is the most popular and productive for improved physical health and well being.

The asanas are designed to keep the body fit, and with fitness come a rejuvenation of the spirit and soul along with a whole avalanche of benefits. Studies have shown that people who practice Yoga have; reduced anxiety, reduced blood pressure, are more resistant to stress, and have better heart and respiratory functions. These are very real benefits that any person can achieve.

Yoga exercises strengthen the body, give it more flexibility and more energy, at the same time calming the mind and giving it more tranquillity. Conventional exercising expends energy through strenuous activity. In Yoga classes, students claim they are more relaxed with a feeling of inner strength after Yoga. The key is in the performing the asanas with gentle and slow movements, taking up a posture gently, and holding it for several minutes whilst concentrating on breathing steadily and deeply, then coming out of that posture with grace and smoothness.

Dance, and particularly ballet, has much in common with Yoga. Many physiotherapists will give exercises to patients that are directly related to Yoga asanas, indeed many Doctors will recommend Yoga as part of a health regime.

When first seeing some of the asanas shown in book, TV, or class, many are put off by the thought of tying themselves into knots that more practiced, and maybe lithesome bodies attain. But yoga is for any age, and any state of body. It is important to realise that starting the actions is the step on the way to a more healthy body, even if at first one may need cushions or props to support and make comfortable those early stages. Only through repeated practice and gentle movements will the desired be achieved. A mountain is climbed one step at a time.

Yoga does not attempt to replace aerobic exercise. Aerobics will improve cardio-vascular fitness, help lose weight, and aid people with type II diabetes – improving blood glucose control.

Rosie Reynolds provides more information on yoga and its benefits on her website: http://www.relax-with-yoga.com/