Basics of yoga, part 1: Yama and Niyama

Requirements for yoga

"Knowledge (jnana) comes not from the practice of Yoga methods only." Perfection in knowledge is in fact only for those with the practice of virtue (Dharma). Still, without yoga as a means of knowledge is not over. The practice of Yoga methods is not the money itself, but it's just that the practice of Yoga that perfection in knowledge. And is told by the teacher: "Yoga for the application of the knowledge of the truth" "ADI Shankara wrote."

All things rest on something else-that is, all things are supported by another. This is because it is a necessary basis for anything to exist. Is the ultimate support of all things, God is only free of this need. Yoga, then, requires support. Commentary on the Yoga Sutras as Trevor Leggett in his introduction to ADI Shankara says: "that is presented for the man in the world, which must be first clear, yoga and then stable, passions and his life are free from complications very against the anger of the illusion." Patanjali of very carefully and completely the elements of the support of the candidate, give valuable information about the success in the Yoga to ensure.

The first Yoga Sutra says: "now the exhibition of yoga," implies that there must be something before the Yoga in the form of necessary developments of consciousness and personality. These terms and conditions are considered the pillars of yoga can, and are known as the Yama and Niyama.

Yama and Niyama

Yama and Niyama are often referred to "the ten commandments of Yoga". Each of these five prohibitions (Yama) and five do's (Niyama) is a mainstay of yoga, releasing. Yama means self-control in the sense of self-control or abstention, and consists of five elements. Niyama commemorate means, of which there are five. Hier ist die Liste dieser Zehn Saeulen in den Yoga-Sutras niedergelegten 2: 30, 32: 1) ahimsa: non-violence, non-infringement, safety 2) Satya: truthfulness, honesty 3) asteya: don't steal not Misappropriativeness, honesty, 4) Brahmacharya: sexual abstinence in thought, Word and Tatund control over all 5 senses) Aparigraha: nicht-Besitzgier, nicht-nicht-Habsucht, Egoismus, nicht-Habgier 6) Shaucha: Purity, cleanliness Santosha: satisfaction 7), rest 8) tapas: austerity, practical (i.e. result produce) mental discipline 9) Swadhyaya: introspective self-study, spiritual study 10) Ishwarapranidhana: the life offers all these God which deal with the innate powers man or better with the abstinence and compliance that will develop and that powers late on our spiritual perfection, our self-realization and liberation.

These ten restrictions (Yama) and observances (Niyama) are aspiring Yogi or Yogi for the most advanced not to, optionally either. ADI Shankara is very powerful, that "next Yama and Niyama the initial qualification for yoga practice." Only wish and pursuit of the objective of Yoga is not enough, so he goes on: "the qualification is not only, who wants a practice of yoga, the Holy text says:" but he, which first has gone from his wickedness, which is not peaceful and zurückhaltendoder whose spirit not at rest, he can never get by know. "(Katha Upanishad 1.2.24) and in the Atharva text: ' it is tapas [strong discipline] and Brahmacharya [chastity] in this, the truth is set up." (Questioning Upanishad 1: 15)And in the Gita: 'steadfast in their vows of Brahmacharya.' (Bhagavad Gita 6: 14) As Yama and Niyama are methods of Yoga "on themselves and not mere accessories or AIDS which may be optional."

But at the same time that practice of Yoga helps the aspiring Yogi to following the Yama and Niyama necessary due, so that he should not take Yoga now think that it must wait until he is "ready" or "adjusted his act" yoga practice. No. He must resolutely at the same time on Yama, Niyama, and yoga. Success will be.

Read more »

Basics of yoga, part 2: Ahimsa (harmlessness)

Ahimsa: non-violence, non-infringement, safety

In his commentary on the Yoga Sutras, Vyasa [Vyasa was one of the most wise of India, author of the Mahabharata including the Bhagavad Gita), Brahma sutras and the Codifier of the Vedas.] begins his exposition of ahimsa: "ahimsa means in any case and at any time for any living creature damage." ADI Shankara expanded, say that, that ahimsa "in any capacity and no way to each as damage." This would include violation of Word or thought that, if the obvious violation of the Act further says perpetrated for ADI Shankara: "ahimsa is in each capacity body, speech and mind are practiced." We believe that this principle of Jesus in his or her claim is set out that anger aimed, someone is a form of murder (Matthew 5: 21 and 22), and the lover of younger statement that hatred is also murder.(I John 3: 15)

Even a simple understanding of the law of karma, the law of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6: 7), allows it we realize the terrible consequences of murder for the killer. Vyasa said: "The killer robbed the victims of the spirit, hurts him with a blow from a weapon and rips it way of life." Because he is an another spirit robbed has the support of his own life, animated or inanimate, weakened. Because it has caused the pain, he experiences pain itself.... "Because he has torn a life apart, he enters a life to life in which at any time will he die because the retaliation as pain right, should update itself while he is panting for death."

Ahimsa is interpreted in many ways - that is because Sanskrit is rich to expect a language that is in many possible meanings of a single word. But basically ahimsa is damage caused not by a creature, including inhuman species. (Ahimsa is generally not on plants and a violation of ahimsa would be minerals life, but certainly wanton destruction of life, partly, because it eventually, that also adversely to which animals would.) This ideal it is obvious that violence, injuries or deaths are unthinkable for the Yogi. And like Vyasa immediately that has all other abstentions and memory Yama and Niyama are really rooted in ahimsa, for they imply prevent harm ourselves and others by negative act or neglect of the positive measures.

"The other Yamasa and niyamas are rooted in this, and they are only to its peak, only for that perfect [i.e. ahimsa] practiced." You are only as a tool teaches to get this in its purity. So that it read: ' what many vows the man of Brahman [God] commit, just because he therefore to do casually evil defaults through deception, he brings from ahimsa in its purity. "" And ADI Shankara explains that Vyasa refers to the delusion that is"rooted in violence and caused violence."

Damage in Act, speech or thoughts contains strict abstinence from any form of ahimsa. Violence, including verbal and physical, should be avoided. And this includes any kind of angry or deliberate damage or abuse of physical objects.

Ahimsa is a State of mind of these non - damage is of course go. "Ahimsa is really a stance and the kind of attitude towards all living beings on the basis of recognition of the underlying unity of life," the modern commentator Taimni explains. ADI Shankara comments, ahimsa and the others are observed "the cause of an injury does." The ego itself is "innocent" in a State of the not function. And meditation perfectly solves that. However, to this State Interior, we work backwards from the outside, inside and refrain from all acts of violation.

In reality we live no moment in this world without countless people injured. Many small organisms, and each step kills our simple act of breathing, we take that does. To maintain the health of the body constantly against harmful bacteria wars, bacteria and viruses. So ahimsa can be observed in the last sentence of the State only perfectly mentally. However, we are obliged to do as little damage as possible in our external life. In his autobiography relates his Paramhansa Yogananda, guru Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, said that ahimsa absence of desire to harm.

Although it has many branches, the aspiring Yogi has to realize that the observance of ahimsa is to include strict abstinence from animal eating of meat in a form or degree.

Although the subject of strange is missing every comment I have read on the Yoga Sutras, the practice is the not damage relative to the Yogi of crucial importance. That is, the Yogi nothing in thought, Word or deed that harms his body, mind or spirit. This requires a great many Abstensions, in particular abstaining from meat (including fish and eggs), alcohol, nicotine and mind or mood change substances including caffeine. On the other hand requires that the taking of body, mind and soul, benefits for their negligence is also a form of self - injury, the not respect of one of the Yama or niyamas. It is not an easy thing like a Yogi.

To: Satya (truthfulness, honesty)

Read more »