Which yoga ?
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
Namasté
I often wonder when we use yoga here on HDF, if all are seeing this word for its core meaning. One may think of the various yoga-s people discuss, yet only use the term 'yoga' in the conversation.
We can look at the definition of yoga from two angles… one is how its defined classically by its roots and the other is how Patañjali defines it in his yogadarśana (the yoga sūtras of Patañjali) - this can be addressed if there is interest.
yoga योग is rooted in yuj the act of yoking , joining , attaching , harnessing. But to what?To the Supreme, to bind one back to the source, to yoke one back to anuttara ( the Supreme). Yoga is also defined as a means , expedient , device , way , manner , a method.
Hence with 'method' we get various yoga-s; here are some of the names of the major approaches:
- rāja ( some write rāj ) राज- king , sovereign , chief or best of its kind
- karma (some write karman) कर्मन्- action consisting in motion ; act, special duty, skill in action
- jñāna ज्ञान - knowing , becoming acquainted with , knowledge , (esp.) the higher knowledge of SELF, Supreme.
- bhākti or bhākta भाक्त - ' the faithful ones'
- haṭha Yoga हठ - 'by force' ; ' necessarily , inevitably , by all means ' ( we will review this one on this post)
- kriyā क्रिया - action; doing , performing , performance , occupation. For me this looks much like a definition for karma yoga
Are there others? Yes. Some may add kuṇdalinī yoga to this list, which is fine. This is also tightly coupled with kriyā yoga practices. There are other yoga practices that the originating guru may coin his/her self. Perhaps other HDF members that are interested in this subject may wish to post their insights/studies on one of the yoga-s mentioned above or add to the list.
Let me start ( if I may) with haṭha yoga. In the West when one mentions yoga, it is implied that hatha Yoga is being discussed - that of āsana postures or specific ways of sitting and/or breathing.
The etymology of this word is interesting... If one were talking to a hatha yoga sādhu and asked what he/she was doing, they would most likely answer 'finding balance' or 'working with and balancing the sun and moon forces'. Now how can we get to this notion offered by the sadhu from this word hatha? We know if we look at some of the roots it may help us:
- ham हम् - is an exclamation expressive of anger or courtesy or respect. We then can see where some of this force & obstinacy may come from, from this root; yet lets also consider the following:
- haṭ हट् - to shine , to be bright
- ṭha ठ - the moon's disk, a disk ; also a loud noise.
We can see where this notion of sun ( bright) and moon (disk) may have its origin. Why sun and moon? From a Jyotiṣ perspective, Sun is ātman, moon is mind, home of the senses. It is the notion of the co-operation of the mind-body-ātma working in concert that brings harmony and health to ones body.
Sun and moon are sometimes viewed as day and night, opposites. Haṭha is designed to integrate night and dark (opposites) to the benefit of the practitioner.
A bit more on this...
The sun and moon divide time into day and night and only meet during the twilight known as saṁdhyā (the gap, twilight ),where we are able to take advantage of not-sun , not-moon , but that wonderful gap in time. The harmonizing time for meditation.
Yet when one does haṭha yoga, each pose is held for a few moments, some for minutes... that is the grooming of sandhya in that pose; to bring balance to the mind-body-ātman and perhaps to easily allow haṭha "violence, force, obstinacy, pertinacity or persistency" to dissipate.
As we are influenced by the sun-moon's movements [ they are considered the creative principle in Jyotiṣ ] this stimulates the human biological system to the cycles of the sun and moon. Hatha is designed to harmonize these influences for the benefit of the practitioner.
praṇām
Last edited by yajvan; 20 September 2009 at 02:32 PM.
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
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