Restore your mind, body and soul through yoga. Finding harmony with the help of hatha yoga Yoga for the soul for the body

In the ancient Indian language (Sanskrit), the word “yoga” means “connection, connection, unity, harmony.”

Philosophers define yoga as the harmony of physical and mental state, as the harmony of physical health and spiritual beauty of a person.

Yoga is a set of methods that contribute to the creation of a single, integral personality.
The first mention of yoga is in the Rigveda, one of the ancient cultural monuments of Indian sages, created two and a half millennia BC.

The founder of the teachings of yogis is considered to be the ancient Indian sage Patajali, who lived in the 2nd–1st centuries. BC.

Patajali identified yoga as an independent system based on pre-existing experience in physical exercise and meditation.
In his 185 aphorisms, called the Yoga Sutras, he outlined the philosophy and practice of classical yoga.

Yoga means a way of life that makes it possible to achieve complete physical, spiritual and moral health.

Yogis talk about three golden rules that should be followed in everyday life:

Sequence with a gradual transition from simple to complex;
systematic and regular;
moderation in everything.

The yoga system points the way to balancing the interaction between the mental and physical capabilities of the human body, to maintaining an optimal internal environment of the body, the so-called homeostasis.

The main goal of yoga classes is to combat premature aging of the body.

Currently, there are 22 main areas of yogic practice, sets of exercises and health schools, each of which reveals one or another facet of this unique system.

Some schools emphasize flexibility and body shape, like Hatha Yoga. Other directions for healing and meditation use different timbres of sound, as in Mantra Yoga, or visual forms, as in Yantra Yoga.
The most common directions are - Iyengar yoga, Hatha yoga, Kundalini yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, Yoga Nidra, Kaula yoga, Bikram yoga, Jnana yoga, Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Raja yoga" , Tantra yoga, Mantra yoga, Taoist yoga, Swastha yoga, Jivamutki yoga, Jivamukti yoga, Bikram yoga, Yoga-23, Yantra yoga, Hasya yoga, Kaula yoga, Yogabit and yogalates, strength yoga and many others.

Each of these schools has its own characteristic features and offers its own approach to self-development, physical and spiritual self-improvement.

Iyengar yoga

Today we are seeing a craze for yoga. And to a large extent, it became so popular thanks to Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar (1918-2014), an Indian guru, teacher and popularizer of yoga, who created his own direction, adapted to the European mentality and way of life.

It is not easy for people who are far from Hinduism and Buddhism, alien to Eastern philosophy, to accept yoga in its entirety.

So most Europeans, Americans, and Russians prefer to take from it only exercises for strength and muscle stretching, essentially turning it into physical education.

But Iyengar was against this approach; he believed that yoga should not be treated as fitness, its physical side is inseparable from the spiritual, moreover, the main purpose of yoga is to serve the purposes of spiritual improvement.

In his words, “Just as the essence of a tree lies in its fruits, so the essence of yogic practice lies in freedom, balance, peace and bliss when the body, mind and soul are united and merged with the Universal Spirit.”

Classes using the Iyengar method begin with the simplest poses, which gradually become more complex. Each asana is maintained for a long time and the transition to the next is carried out very slowly and smoothly.

In the process of practicing Iyengar yoga, the body becomes strong and flexible, gradually becoming more and more symmetrical, at the same time energy channels are aligned, and mental balance is achieved.
This type of yoga is ideal for people with limited mobility, as well as for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Hatha yoga

Hatha yoga is an ancient system of physical exercises that helps to achieve physical and mental balance and maintain it throughout life.

Hatha yoga in Indian culture and religion is the preparation of the human body for its spiritual improvement.

The Sanskrit word “Hatha” consists of two words “ha” - sun, and “tha” - moon, which symbolizes two opposite principles.

Being united together, they mean the unity of opposites, just as there are man and woman, good and evil, etc.

Hatha yoga can be defined as a system that aims to teach a person to control his body, achieve improved health, prevent certain diseases, promote longevity, active life and performance.

According to the views of yogis, health is a feeling of harmony, high performance, endurance in emergency situations and active longevity.

Yoga pays great attention to the flexibility of the spine and other parts of the body. Yogis say: “As long as the spine is flexible, a person is young.” Physical exercises of the Hatha Yoga system can return a person to his former flexibility.

This is achieved using time-tested techniques for performing static exercises, special poses (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama) and energy locks (bandhas).

Kundalini yoga

In recent years, one of the most popular and popular trends has become Kundalini yoga, which aims to reveal the energy of Kundalini or the “sleeping snake”.

Kundalini, translated from Sanskrit, means “coiled snake”, which is located in the lower part of the spine.

During the exercises, the snake wakes up and slowly stretches along the spine. Along with the unfolding snake, new energy enters the body.

In practice, this does not look so romantic: the essence of the method is to make maximum efforts when performing the pose and hold it for as long as possible, for example, squat as deeply as possible and remain in that position.

As we have already noted, the word Kundalini means one of the forms of human life energy. Accordingly, the practice of this school is associated with the awakening, concentration and management of this energy.

The main components of the practice of Kundalini yoga are:

Kriyas are a sequence of dynamic, static exercises;
meditations and mantras;
breathing techniques and relaxation techniques.

From these elements, in a certain sequence, sets of exercises are formed aimed at stimulating the main energy centers (chakras).

Each chakra has its own special set of exercises. This type of yoga is suitable for anyone.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

Ashtanga yoga is a dynamic form of yoga, similar to aerobics, in which the exercises are performed at a very fast pace.

A series of poses is always repeated in the same sequence in a certain breathing rhythm. One pose immediately transforms into another, which requires good physical preparation.

Each pose corresponds to a specific direction of gaze; there are nine of them in total.

Ashtanga is great for those who have good physical fitness and are not afraid of high loads.

This energetic form of yoga was originally developed for teenagers to channel surging energy.

Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is a kind of psychotechnics developed in the middle of the 20th century. by the famous Indian guru Swami Satyananda Saraswati and is based on ancient tantric texts.

This practice is called sleep yoga, or yogic sleep. It helps reduce stress, tension and anxiety. Eliminates painful symptoms such as headache, rapid heartbeat, excessive sweating, etc.

During this practice, a person seems to be in a borderline state between sleep and wakefulness. Scientists call this state lucid sleep.

Thanks to this technique, complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation occurs, deep immersion within oneself by diverting consciousness from external irritating factors and problems.

Classes begin with a warm-up consisting of light physical exercises. After which, the practice of yoga nidra begins. Most of the class is carried out while lying on the floor in a relaxing pose (Shavasana).

Yoga Nidra uses the following techniques:

Rotation through parts of the body, helping to slowly and gradually relax them one by one;
conscious special breathing leading to complete relaxation;
meditation, which evokes various pleasant memories, feelings and sensations;
visualization of aesthetically pleasing and beautiful landscapes and images.

During practice, a certain positive feeling and desire or sankalpa is formed - “the formula of firm determination.” By repeating the sankalpa during practice, you can ensure that your desire comes true.

Thus, this technique allows your body to relieve tension, relax, rest and recharge with new positive energy.

Yoga Nidra is especially useful for emotional imbalances and long-term, constant overwork. One yoga nidra session can replace regular full sleep.

Kaula Yoga

Kaula yoga is a system of integral human development, built on the basis of the ancient knowledge of eastern schools of yoga and modern achievements in the field of physiology and sociology.

From the Eastern yogic tradition, Kaula Yoga uses the rich, most valuable experience of working with the human body and its consciousness.

The class includes complexes of various poses (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation and relaxation practices, which allow you to fully use the internal resources of the body and its hidden capabilities.

The practice of Kaula yoga provides the key to maintaining youth, beauty and health, and allows you to take advantage of a huge resource of internal energy.

In addition, this path of physical and spiritual development and self-improvement is the key to the possibility of self-realization in society and achieving set social goals.

Bikram yoga

Bikram yoga, also named after its founder, is often referred to as “hot yoga.” Classes take place in a room where the air is heated to a temperature of 40.5 degrees C, thus the muscles become more elastic and toxins are removed from the body.

Within 90 minutes there is a sequential change of 26 positions. Exercise helps relieve stress and improves blood flow to all parts of the body.

Effective in the fight against excess weight and help strengthen muscles. Recommended for those suffering from arthritis and diabetes, it accelerates the healing of sports injuries.

Yogabit and Yogalates

Yogabeat alternates vigorous and slow yoga-style movements. The exercises are performed to the rhythms of modern music corresponding to the exercises.

Classes include a slow warm-up portion, followed by intense exercise, paired exercises, and a final meditation session.

The main goal of yogabit is to enjoy physical exercise. Yogabit can be more likely attributed to a type of fitness with elements of yoga; the emphasis is also on the spontaneity of movements.

Yogalates - combines the meditative and flexibility-developing elements of yoga with the Pilates system of strength exercises and stretches.

Helps keep the body in good shape, suitable for any level of physical fitness.

Power yoga

Power yoga is the most intense type of yoga. Unlike Ashtanga yoga, in strength practice the exercises are not performed in a fixed sequence, but with the same intensity.

Power yoga is great for people with good physical fitness who want to increase flexibility and correct muscle imbalances that are common among athletes.

The energetic change of poses is similar to a dance rhythm and requires great concentration.

It is not necessary to tie yourself to only one type of yoga. You can try different types and settle on one or two that you like best. It doesn’t matter what type of yoga you choose, the main thing is regularity of classes

Regular yoga classes help maintain the flexibility of the body, and meditation increases psychological stability, mental balance, revitalizes the senses and sharpens the perception of life.

Yoga can bring joy, lights up our body, improves the quality of sex, sharpens mental clarity, leads to balance and gaining wisdom. allows us to better understand ourselves and the world around us.

Indian gurus say: “Yoga is an invaluable gift for an intelligent person; it helps him become wise. She will make the sage a god. A stupid person, taking up this practice, inevitably turns into an idiot.”

Practical confirmation of the benefits of yoga for the physical and spiritual perfection of the individual are its bright representatives, who have become centenarians, living to the venerable age of 90, 100 or more years.

First of all, mention should be made of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888-1989), an Indian yogi and philosopher.

He was one of the greatest experts on ancient Vedic and yogic texts, Ayurveda and music.

In terms of parkism, he was the founder of his own direction of yoga - yogashala, which he taught at the Jaganmohan Palace in the city of Mysore.
Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya lived to be 101 years old and did not give up the practice of yoga until his last days.

The most amazing thing is that almost all of his students and followers became famous founders of their own yoga directions and also became long-livers.

His students include one of the first female yogis of Russian origin, Indra Devi (1899-2002). Her real name is Evgenia Vasilievna Peterson, she was born in Riga.

She is known as the wisest yoga teacher, who managed to understand and convey to people the basic rules and sacraments of this teaching, making yoga much closer and more understandable to millions of people.

Indra Devi was an active popularizer of yoga, and with her personal example she proved the benefits of this unique system of natural healing of the body, outliving her teacher by 1 year. She died at 103 years of age.

Another of his students, Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar (1918-2014), taught and practiced yoga for over 70 years and was considered one of the most eminent modern yoga masters in the world.

In 1975, he founded the now popular movement of Iyengaryoga (a static form of hatha yoga), whose followers are millions of people around the world. The outstanding yogi also became a long-liver, living for 96 years.
Another of his famous students, Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois Bellur (1915-2009), founder of the popular school of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, also became a centenarian and lived for 93 years.

But the most unique among the long-lived yogis was Sri Swami Yogananda Maharaj Babaji (1909-2015), as he was called Yoganada Baba. some of the most revered yoga teachers in the Himalayas.

He practiced yoga for over 80 years and believed that it was this system that helped him live a full life, in good physical shape and a sound mind.

Swamiji lived in Rishikesh, but in the spring and summer he traveled all over the world, conducting seminars and practical classes on yoga and healthy lifestyle. He practiced the Himalayan yoga Sukshma Vyama, a system that develops endurance, health and longevity.

Swamiji enjoyed well-deserved respect in his native Rishikesh, receiving a special pension from the Indian government for his services to the fatherland.

Swami Yogananda was a vegetarian and raw foodist. I never cooked; I loved orange juice and wheat germ, which I considered the elixir of youth.

As a result, he did not lose a single tooth, had unique memory, vision, hearing, and extraordinary flexibility. Until his last days, he studied English and the basics of computer literacy.

Yoganada Baba planned to live to be 150 years old, but fate decreed otherwise, giving him 105 years of a happy, full life. He died in January 2015 at the age of 106.

And another inspiring example of an amazing living woman, yogi Tao Porchon-Lynch. Her name translates as “energy of nature,” she was born in 1918 and has been practicing yoga her entire adult life.

At 99 years old, she participates in trainings and master classes, and gives lectures all over the world. As Tao herself says: “Yoga is wonderful! But the main thing is to look at the world with optimism, to be active, mobile, inquisitive, to love life and to love yourself with all your dark sides and imperfections!”

The longevity of yogis has been scientifically substantiated by American scientists. In 2008, specialists from the Center for the Study of Mental Activity and the Brain at the University of California conducted an unusual experiment.

The purpose of the experiment was to identify the effect of yoga and meditation on the aging process of the body.

During the experiment, a group of 24 people aged from 50 to 80 years old practiced yoga 6 days a week for one hour for 3 months.

At the end of this period, the experiment participants showed a decrease in blood cholesterol levels, normalized blood pressure, and decreased levels of anxiety and other signs of stress.

But most importantly, after a three-month course of yoga and meditation, almost all participants in the experiment significantly increased the level of the telomerase enzyme. This indicator increased by almost 30%.

Telomerase is known to promote telomere lengthening. According to modern theories of aging, a person’s age is related to the length of telomeres. The older a person is, the shorter the average telomere length.

According to scientists, with each cell division, its DNA is shortened, which limits the proliferative potential of the cells. DNA shortening serves as a “counter” for the number of divisions and, accordingly, the life span of the cell.

Thus, we can conclude that yoga and meditation can help slow down the biological process of aging in the body.

Apparently, in a state of trance, a certain program is launched in the body that promotes an increase in the secretion of hormones, including those responsible for growth and reproduction, which ultimately contributes to natural rejuvenation and prolongation of life.

Yoga is a concept in Indian culture, in a broad sense meaning a set of various spiritual and physical practices developed in different directions of Hinduism and Buddhism and aimed at controlling the psyche and psychophysiology of the individual in order to achieve an exalted mental and spiritual state. The original goal of yoga is to change the ontological status of man in the world.

Studying the philosophy of yoga requires perseverance, a lot of patience and time, and most importantly desire. The Teacher’s Parting Word says: “Before touching this amazing teaching, try to be extremely sincere with yourself. Ask yourself: Who am I? And why do I need this? Your future fate depends on this.”

Patanjali (the sage who wrote the “Yoga Sutras” (a kind of “Bible of Yoga”) in the 2nd century BC) lists the steps of yoga on the path of spiritual search. They are as follows:
Yama (general moral requirements);
Niyama (self-purification through discipline);
Asana (posture);
Pranayama (rhythmic control of breathing);
Pratyahara (distraction and liberation of the mind from the power of the senses and external objects);
Dharana (concentration);
Dhyana (meditation);
Samadhi (a state of consciousness that occurs as a result of deep meditation, when the individual adept merges with the object of meditation).

Yama and niyama control the passions and emotions of a yogi, helping to live in harmony with others. Asanas keep the body healthy and strong, in accordance with nature. Ultimately, the yogi becomes free from body consciousness. He subjugates the body, turning it into a proper container for the soul. The next two, Pranayama and Pratyahara, teach the adept to regulate breathing and thereby control the mind. This helps free the senses from being enslaved by objects of desire. Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi lead the yogi into the depths of his soul. The last three steps help him maintain harmony with himself and his Creator.

Yoga as a teaching is more than 6,000 years old, but its popularity has not decreased, on the contrary, it is constantly growing!

The secret of yoga's appeal lies in its versatility. The postulate that everyone can do yoga can be understood not only as the absence of restrictions on age, religion and occupation, but also as the fact that in yoga everyone will find benefit for themselves - something necessary, missing, without which life seems incomplete.

Someone is desperately lacking health. There are a ton of life plans, but the cat is strong enough to cry. We need a healthy body not only for study and work, but also simply for life - rest, love, raising children, traveling to the country, etc. With regular yoga practice, illnesses that previously plagued us disappear, and the body is freed from the shackles of ill health. , begins to rapidly become prettier and younger, this is noticed by everyone who practices yoga. Faces become fresher, shoulders straighten, gaits become light, accumulated fat reserves disappear, and in place of painful thinness, strong, but not excessive muscles gradually grow.

Yoga asanas help the body not only get rid of life-sapping diseases, they help the body to be in high tone and not age for a very long time. Here is another benefit of yoga - to prolong youth, which is more real than ever! This joyful fact is appreciated not only by people of retirement age; everyone without exception wants to be young and energetic!

Asanas help relieve fatigue, pain and suffering. They help not only the unhealthy to get better, but also the healthy to stay healthy.

The benefits of yoga for the face are also obvious. Without exaggeration, we can say that yoga has a pronounced cosmetic effect - a face and body freed from sagging and swelling through asanas and proper breathing speak for themselves. But the external causes of aging and ill health are a reflection of internal causes, such as worries, worries and endless worries. No wonder the French wisdom says that before wrinkles appear on the face, the heart appears.

With regular yoga practice, the energy potential of your body increases, strength appears to become aware of yourself and the world around you, and therefore to eliminate the sources of everyday and mental problems, peace, tranquility and love of life reign in your heart. These factors that are beneficial to the soul are sure to show up on their faces. There is no tension, anger or worry on the face of a person practicing yoga. The yogi’s facial muscles are relaxed and express peace and tranquility, there is a smile on the lips, and in the eyes there is enjoyment of life and acceptance of all its manifestations. Well, where do the wrinkles around the eyes and the woeful folds around the mouth and forehead come from?

Those people who are concerned about questions of Eternity, Existence and the secrets of the universe will be attracted to yoga by its depth, infinity, wisdom and philosophy. With yoga, clarity of thinking, the ability to concentrate and focus on the main thing, and the ability to achieve any goals will come into your life. Here's another benefit of yoga - benefits for the soul.
Physical achievements of yoga practice:
The body, as a result of yoga practice, acquires proportional dimensions, and natural harmony and functional balance arises between various organs, which leads to improved health and well-being.
All parts of the body are included in the practice with minimal effort, without overexertion, fatigue, excessive heat or sweat.
Yogic exercises strengthen weak parts of the body without the shortness of breath and rapid breathing that accompany sports activities. They are especially effective in strengthening the abdominal muscles.
Tight muscles regain their elasticity. Joint mobility also increases and is restored even in old age.
Involuntary muscles are developed and controlled by concentrated pressure on them.
The activity of the heart and the entire cardiovascular system as a whole improves.
It is possible to achieve conscious control over most of the body's autonomic functions, which is not possible with other physical exercises.
Minor structural and functional disorders can be corrected and harmonious development of the whole body achieved through the practice of asanas. Weak abdominal muscles, crooked backs, bulging flabby hips, hunched shoulders, sunken chests can be corrected and their shape can be restored. The spine becomes straight and flexible. All parts of the body acquire a symmetrical position, which leads to improved posture.
Yoga helps to get rid of obesity by removing excess fat and distributing the remaining fat throughout the body in the correct proportion. Weight loss occurs through the practice of postures.
Asanas help regulate weight. If your weight is below normal, it will increase, if above it, it will decrease.
Correct breathing is formed.
Blood pressure normalizes and more blood flows to more tissues.
Sleep improves.
Eye color becomes brighter, voice becomes deeper, complexion improves. The waist becomes slimmer.
The elimination of undigested food debris will be more regular, and the toxins accumulated in the body will be eliminated easily without additional medications.
You can get rid of the use of tranquilizers and stimulants with negative side effects.
By influencing the cause of the ailment, you can avoid many psychosomatic disorders without the intervention of doctors and medications.
A high level of endurance and resistance to disease develops due to the proper functioning and high efficiency of internal organs, and the formation of an internal bodily self-adjustment mechanism.
Even after a long illness, yoga practices speed up the recovery process, because... they restore and conserve energy and increase vitality.
The ability to withstand heat and cold, overcome pain and stress increases significantly
Yoga teaches the art of relaxation. Fatigue, both muscular and mental, is eliminated. Relaxation occurs and adaptability increases.
All tensions: physical, mental, emotional are gradually eliminated, the body, mind and emotions function harmoniously until old age.

Spiritual achievements:
Through yogic practices, you can achieve benefits such as higher levels of awareness, mental calm, serene clarity.
Long-term practice allows you to achieve greater control over emotions, because... the mind gradually frees itself from the influence of the senses.
Yoga practice helps curb cluttered thoughts and increase the power of concentration.
Yoga, as a practical discipline, makes it possible to turn attention inward, and, as a result, personality integration is formed and a new consciousness awakens. When the consciousness is turned inward and calmed, the senses are under control, animal passions are restrained, the strong desire to satisfy them disappears, the temptations of the external world cease to attract, then a state of inner peace arises. Illusions disappear and all your thoughts, words and deeds become meaningful and meaningful.

In addition, yoga practitioners have developed numerous special programs for women, such as classes during menstruation, during pregnancy and after childbirth. There is also a program to combat cellulite for perfect thighs.

It is best to practice yoga under the guidance of an experienced mentor, since only then will your classes be as effective and useful as possible.

Currently, there are many yoga schools that offer group and individual yoga classes. At yoga centers you can also learn in detail about the philosophy and concepts of yoga!

To sum it up, we can say that yoga helps a woman both in performing her duties and in maintaining her complexion, charm and femininity. Having mastered yoga, a woman no longer needs cosmetics, since her own blood circulation gives her skin shine. It will not be an exaggeration to say that the practice of yoga can help under all conditions and circumstances of one's life.

Hello, my dear reader, welcome to the reality of yoga, and this reality includes much more than just the visible physical world perceived by the senses, the physical body with its most ingenious life support system. The reality of yoga covers many levels of human existence, at which we have yet to become even a little more aware. It is for this great purpose that we will talk today about the structure of the entire structure of human bodies, about the purpose of the etheric, astral, mental and causal bodies, about how they influence each other and what is needed for them all to be healthy and for us to be happy.

Seven human bodies.

People often think that they are a body with arms, legs, head and all other visible and medically studied organs. However, in fact, any person, even if he does not realize it, has, in addition to the physical body, several others. Moreover, all these bodies are closely interconnected and strongly influence each other.

In classical yoga and isoterics they consider seven bodies:

1) Physical body, with which we are all more or less familiar, which modern science is actively studying, and which allows the soul to manifest and act in the visible physical world.

2) Etheric body. Everything is energy, and even the physical body is simply the most dense energy (out of all other bodies). The etheric body is less dense and therefore cannot be seen with physical eyes, cannot be touched with hands, and in general cannot be proven by the senses. Those who have developed more subtle vision are able to see auras, which is exactly what they see in the etheric body. In principle, seeing it is not so important; it is important to understand that the physical body is a consequence of the etheric body and therefore if there are any disturbances and blocks in the etheric body, then the physical body will also hurt. The etheric body is often called the energetic body.

3) Astral body. All our emotions and feelings are possible only because we have an astral level of existence and astral bodies. This is an even more subtle layer of reality than the etheric one, which is also a huge multi-layered world in scale (when compared with the physical one), into which a person finds himself after the death of the physical body. The highest layers of the astral world are heaven, the lower layers are hell. Anyone who at least somewhat strives to perform has nothing to fear :)

Now the main thing is to understand and remember that each of our emotions, and especially all our feelings (a longer and more stable manifestation), have a strong influence on the astral body, and this body is closely connected with the etheric body, and if the feelings are restless, angry, tense, oppressive , compressing and limiting (positive feelings of joy and kindness expand consciousness, they are pleasant to experience, negative feelings, on the contrary, narrow and limit), then this will precisely cause a blockage in the channels of the etheric body, which will result in illness of the physical body.

4) Mental body. Body of thought. Any thought comes to a person precisely from the world of ideas - the mental world. This is also a layer of reality of incredible scale, even more subtle than the astral one. Few people reach it even after death, because most after the astral world are immediately born again in new bodies in the physical world. But at the same time, the mental plane always has a direct relation to each of us: some thoughts constantly come to us, all our emotional and sensory states are accompanied by the thought process, and the connection between thoughts and feelings is obvious!

Any feeling is an energy of a certain height that naturally attracts a thought of the same frequency into the human mind. And by allowing these thoughts to develop, a person can strengthen the feeling or, if he does not allow the thoughts to develop, switches them to another topic, then he can completely switch to another wave of feelings. That's how they work. Even if at the moment a negative emotion has come to the fore, accompanied by unkind thoughts, it would be very wise to say, for example: “I am always calm and friendly”. It’s also good to try to feel calm and friendly (you can be transported in your memories to some pleasant moment). In general, the faster a person gets himself out of a negative state, the better it will be for all his bodies, including the physical. Relieving stress through alcohol or stronger intoxicants is not approved by real yogis.

5) Causal body. Causal body.

Our thoughts, emotions and feelings in the past became the causes of those actions, conditions, thoughts, feelings that manifest themselves in the present, at this moment, on this day. For everything in our lives, there is a spirit generated by us. And the seeds of these causes are stored in the causal body. All the characteristics of the human personality: how kind a person is, how greedy, whether he was born in favorable conditions, whether he is single or met a suitable spouse, whether he will have a job he likes, whether he will get sick, whether an accident will happen to him or whether he will live a long time, healthy life - all this is determined by the reasons inherent in the causal body. Those cause-and-effect relationships that have not yet emerged, but are only waiting their turn, are called samskaras- seeds of karma. In many ways, yoga deals specifically with working with karma and burning samskaras, since the seed that is burned by the fire of meditation will no longer be able to germinate. This is precisely what it is primarily intended for. To some extent, the causal body can be influenced by thoughts and feelings, but the number of seeds in it is so vast that those with a stronger intuition realize that such work can only be done by the most effective method. The most serious reason that prevents you from realizing your true Divine nature is also largely stored in the causal body. A person has forgotten that he is the Higher Self, he has forgotten his true self, and this is the reason why, from incarnation to incarnation, people are born with repeated amnesia about it. That is, everything goes in circles - a reason created in the past. It influences the present, projecting the same reason, which will subsequently affect the future, where there will also be the same reason. People have been trapped in this kind of trap for thousands of years. Bodies change, external conditions seem different, but in essence everything is about the same. Without serious yoga you can’t get out of this vicious circle.

6) Body of the soul. Spiritual body. When Limitless Existence, Limitless Consciousness, Limitless Bliss (Sat Chit Ananda, what we really are), decided to create this world, with all its layers and bodies, the first veil was the spiritual body, which made it possible to separate various souls from integrity . These souls, created in the image and likeness of Sat Chit Ananda, are perfect, pure, know their true nature and everything is fine with them (our real ones)...

When we realize ourselves as a soul, then everything is really good for us. It is from this level that all life looks like a funny game carried out through the five lower bodies, and it is precisely this level of awareness that yogis strive to reach. Until a person has achieved awareness at this level, he is a puppet of karma, samskar, he is influenced by his immediate surroundings, mood, weather... and when he has achieved... He can influence everything. Saints and great yogis are those who have achieved.

7) Body of the Spirit. If a soul has played enough in the worlds created by the Creator, it may want to dissolve its last body, and then it will plunge into the Spirit from which it was created. Perhaps there are some differences between this body and Sat Chit Ananda, even if so, it’s like comparing the heights of Elbrus and Everest, being at the foot. There is only one way to the top...and this is exactly it. And theory will not help you get through it; all of the above bodies need to be understood not theoretically, but through your own experience. .

The state of awareness at the level of the Spiritual body in yoga is called

In general, the gradation of bodies, their names and even their quantity may differ slightly depending on the author, but the essence is the same everywhere as I described.

The conclusions are as follows:

• The most important thing to do is to work on and quickly establish a connection with the body of the soul, realize oneself as souls and play on all planes consciously, emerging from the shameful state of puppets of emotions, thoughts and actions of the past.

• While there is no full awareness of yourself as a soul, you need to carefully monitor your thoughts and feelings, in agreement - firmly with great determination to work on all habits that interfere

The easiest way to do this is through meditation.

My dear reader, meditate and be happy.

Yoga is an amazing teaching that contains the worldly wisdom of many generations; today it has become the meaning of life for hundreds of thousands of its followers. What do they find in this teaching, maybe the solution to all the secrets of the cosmos, man and his own self?

The art of yoga, and especially one of its main components - meditation, as knowledge of the Universe and oneself, has been practiced by Eastern sages for thousands of years. Yoga has become the cornerstone of the entire philosophy and religion of the East, on the postulates of which, as a guiding thread, the entire culture of human spiritual development is strung.
While the East was developing spiritually, Western civilization, under the yoke of cruel church dogmas and canons, tried with all its might to reject the teachings of yoga as cheap quackery.

Only in recent decades has the Western world decided to discover the philosophy of Buddhism. At first, Hollywood actors, followed by thousands of ordinary people, became devoted adherents of this religion, finding in it effective solutions to many psychological problems, and meditation became their vital necessity. Every Hollywood star got a personal yoga trainer and began to spend hours learning difficult poses in order to learn how to fall into a state of blissful nirvana.
What is the essence of yoga? Is it really just the ability to meditate?
Of course not. Yoga is a much deeper teaching that guides a person on the path of self-knowledge and harmonious development. With the help of physical exercises (assanas), which allow you to reveal your bodily potential, yoga improves the human body, and with the help of the age-old wisdom collected in its postulates, it opens the soul. The merging of the physical and spiritual principles of a person into one is the main goal of yoga.
What is meditation? A means that will allow a person to know himself, and a state of calm is its necessary basis. The human body and even thoughts must freeze and remain motionless for the entire duration of the session, which can last from several minutes to hours.
During meditation, all processes should occur naturally, and the only thing you need to put effort into is concentration. By focusing attention on a specific object (real or fictional), completely renouncing the world around him, a person clears his thoughts of psychological discomfort and irritation caused by ordinary feelings: envy, lies, anger, hatred. It is this negativity that gradually destroys the nervous system and provokes many diseases, both of the soul and of the body.
Gradually, meditation helps the meditator’s consciousness become brighter and more balanced. And after a few days, the person’s general condition improves, many problems disappear on their own, the reaction to what is happening around becomes more adequate, and life becomes more harmonious.

In the modern world, overcome by a storm of aggressive passions and stress, it is virtually impossible to find a secluded, quiet place where it is permissible to be with oneself in harmony and complete solitude. Often I would like to close my eyes and lose myself in peace, to simply be able to briefly taste the pleasure of being in the beautiful world given to us, without allowing anything or anyone to throw you off balance. The modern individual has been given the great benefit of knowledge and access to many techniques for healing the physical body and calming the mind.

One of the generally available techniques is yoga. It doesn’t matter from which side you view it: as a step towards opening the chakras and self-knowledge, or is it a simple sports club in which you like to spend your weekend hours, leaving all thoughts aside, and healing your body. With different views on such practice, classes can have a profoundly positive impact on the body and spirit of any individual to a greater or lesser extent, depending on what you want to learn specifically from the visits.

What is yoga in the full sense of its teachings?

Yoga is a deep philosophical teaching that helps a person achieve complete happiness. Happiness, according to the opinion of spiritual gurus, should be the natural state of any individual. The training methodology teaches you to harmoniously coexist with the external sphere of the environment, the inner world, to reunite human flesh and mind into a single whole through special means.

Thanks to typical activities, the senses move away from the relationship with the material sphere, and the ability to concentrate in the direction of a specific goal is manifested. Practiced meditation leads to a state of peace and awareness of one’s own natural essence.

The goals of spiritual practices and yoga are varied: starting from improving the state of the flesh on the physical plane, ending with the internal desire for complete detachment from identification, that is, to achieve awareness of one’s own Self in the form of pure spirit. It is clear that with spiritual and physical development, the system of formation of personal growth also focuses.

Real bearers of culture and spirituality in many cases achieved high degrees of perfection in yoga in its homeland - India. This kind of practice carriers teach the basics in collective classes, which are also available for beginners, where they teach special ones (pranayama), providing the necessary tone and renewal of the body, leaving it calm and the mind fresh. Practitioners select individual programs of varying difficulty levels and teach yoga asanas.

In reality, we think that many spiritual gurus of those times would have been shocked when contemplating modern methods of yoga practice. This happens for the reason that it makes no sense for an ordinary person to set himself the goal of achieving deep nirvana, but it is enough just to calm his own and improve the physical condition of his mortal flesh.

The fundamental purpose of yoga and the effect of practice on the body as a whole

The foundation of yoga practice is based on the harmonious interaction of the body, mind with the external sphere of life, as well as their influence among themselves. The benefits that people who practice yoga experience are broad in all directions, which we will divide into the main ones:

• Flexibility increases - posture, plasticity and harmony of movements improves;
• Internal organs are massaged;
• Healthy performance is restored due to improved lubrication;
• Muscle tone returns, subcutaneous fats are reduced;
• A comprehensive cleansing of the flesh occurs, protection is raised;
• Concentration improves, comes;
• After injuries or surgical interventions, exercise helps shorten the period of rehabilitation and recovery, preventing recurrence of injuries and bone fragility.

The discussed practice is an ally in activities that help improve self-discipline, concentration and memory. Yoga can give inner self-confidence, control learning stress and negative impressions when interacting with peers. The technique gives individuals mobility and maintains flexibility for many years. Yoga is especially useful for individuals, since yoga asanas, which are gentle on the fading body, help in the fight against age-related blood circulation disorders and arthritis.

Exercises for pregnancy show excellent results: they relieve pain in the back area during pregnancy, balance emotional health, and help facilitate activities in the future. A correctly studied breathing technique allows you to sleep peacefully and completely relax and teaches you how to fully use the breathing apparatus. A change in the external appearance of behavior actually contains both internal coherence of spirit and clarity of mind.

Exercises focused on stretching muscles ensure stabilization of the internal organs and improve blood flow to them. Considering the fact of enormous attention to the body, the balance of the internal mood is stabilized and overall well-being improves.

If you decide to take up yoga, it’s worth considering a few recommendations before you start practicing in earnest:

The most praiseworthy time for yoga is the morning, immediately after waking up. Asanas (postures) can be performed at any other time convenient for you personally, but two or three hours after eating.

Places ideal for studying are quiet, calm, with a good flow of oxygen. It is not recommended to exercise under direct exposure to the sun, after intense sunbathing.

Cat, strengthening, stomach. The hands should form one vertical line with the shoulder joints, the knees should be under the hip joints, and the stomach should be drawn in. When you take a deep breath, pull in your entire body (from the buttocks to the top of your head) and slowly bend in your lower back: 15 approaches.

Dog– to strengthen the triceps, muscles of the shoulders, back, and back of the thigh. From Cat asana, lift your feet onto your toes, take a deep breath, and slowly lower your foot onto your heel. At the same time, stretch your neck and head into a single line with the vertebra: 15 approaches.

Planochka– strengthens the abdominal muscles and triceps. From the Dog pose, take the position for a floor press: the emphasis is focused on straightened arms. Palms open under the shoulder joints, tense your abs, and hold the tension for up to 10 seconds. Next, you should return to the starting position. We perform up to 20 times.

Seal– exercise strengthens the back and shoulders. From Plank, sit on your heels and round your back, stretching your arms forward, hold for 5 seconds, return to the previous pose: 15 times.

Side plank– tones the triceps, biceps, posterior thighs, and gluteal muscles. Get up from the floor, turn your body to one side, stretch your other arm up, look at it, then start position (repeat on each side): 15 approaches.

As you can see, one exercise goes into the next, which will give not only a general understanding of how to perform the technique, but will also be perfectly stored in memory for regular performance.