No doubt, that the awareness of the benefits of Yoga is gaining popularity today. From schools to doctors to parents and even the Government, everyone is encouraging you to start practising Yoga. The image that comes to mind or is used most often is someone in a yoga pose, which could be a simple one, or, thanks to social media and its ability to attribute and invent unimaginable expectations for every term, you may find someone in a pose that looks spectacular yet twisted (pun intended) or pictures with serene outdoor or indoor backgrounds that are meant to reflect peace, freedom, balance.
A stress-free life, a healthy diet, a healthy body, and happy faces, all symbolise a balanced and healthy life and has become a benchmark to lead a healthy lifestyle. Sounds wonderful isn’t it? All this is Yoga? A daily routine? A way of life? Let us find out…
The question I get asked most often is, ‘Which style of yoga do you teach?’
Another common question is, ‘Do you just teach asana? or include pranayam & meditation?
Yoga is yoga, isn’t it? it really depends on the individual.
Can you perform an asana without breathing?
Can you hold a posture without dhyan?
Can you sit in dhyana when your mind is bothered about what the neighbour is cooking or driving or if your social media has got enough likes or not?
What’s the cause of these questions? Contemporary forms? Fad? And what’s the cause of these insecurities, fear and anxieties?
With all due respect to so-called styles of yoga that has birthed in the recent past & with all due respect to your sadhana/practice, when we give these names to Yoga we are still referring to modern/new-age so-called yoga teachers to reaffirm a practice that dates back to more than 1000s of years ago.
The new-age philosophers are also referring to the ancient texts, aren’t they? This is perfectly fine as the purpose of these texts is to guide you, but taking bits and pieces from here and there and presenting them as your own new-found path to Samadhi while you continue to remain attached to all which materially binds you, including the body and mind, is this Yoga?
While keeping the body fit for asana is one aspect of yoga, it is not the only tool to achieve the goal of yoga. Asana is important, so is Pranayama and so are all aspects of Yoga. All together are Yoga and are important.
If one gets obsessed or addicted to any, that itself becomes a hindrance to spiritual growth. After all, the goal of Yoga is Samadhi. The root word, ‘yuj’ (Sanskrit) means to unite. What is to be united here? We have the illusion that we are separate from the Divine. That illusion has to be removed so we realise ourselves as the Divine. The technique or process to undo this illusion is called Yoga, and this has various branches.
In this process, there exist numerous possibilities to achieve a heightened state of physical, mental and intellectual existence; however, these are only by-products of Yoga. The main goal remains Samadhi (Moksha or an equanimous state of Buddhi, Wisdom).
There are seven schools of Yoga that are recognised in Bharat (India), Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Mantra Yoga. Yoga used to be a very individualised practice, the Guru-Shishya shared a deep spiritual bond. It wasn’t esoteric as such but individualised so that you can live your life with this awareness & do your duties with Dharma as your guiding light.
Yoga was a way of life and should be taught as a way of life only, a tool to achieve self-realization, regardless of what path you choose.
Giving names to these different styles of yoga & continuing to brand your practice as yet another style of yoga…. is a very modern approach to make it more convenient to attract people. Yes, asana and pranayama are important….but to what extent? What is good for me may not be necessarily good for you.
Thus emphasizing on any one path is not the solution, Bhakti, Raja, Jana and Karma all go hand in hand. Is there a need then to mention the so-called modern styles of yoga?
What you and I can do as mediums/teachers/trainers, is give a taste of all of this to others, the practice in itself will guide the Sadhak on a path that suits them best, be it through absolute surrender & devotion or through self-inquiry for which you needn’t necessarily balance on your head or hold your breath for long hours.
These are tools for you to understand you are not the body & mind, not tools to start obsessing with the body & mind. Likewise, reading Vedic texts, and chanting mantras should make you more humble & not add to the ego.
So be it Yoga philosophy or asana practice or bhakti, let’s not forget that these paths were chosen to achieve only one goal, union with the Divine, Self. So regardless of the path you choose or who you follow, step back & inquire if your goal remains the same and if you are moving closer to it or not?
The answer of who to follow, which path to follow etc will present themselves to you.
And if you can, please avoid using the term modern yoga or indulge in a practice that is considered, modern yoga. Every day is yoga day but in the so-called modern, progressive world 🙂 it helps to dedicate one day to creating awareness about this ancient practice that is complete in itself and for as long as there is bondage, you will seek and Yoga will find you, for liberation is every man’s birthright.
Om Shri Gurubhyo Namah (Salutation to Guruji , Guru Parampara)
Om sahana vavatu ॐ सह नाववतु
Om, may God protect both teacher and student
Saha nau bhunaktu सह नौ भुनक्तु
May He nourish us together
Saha viiryam karavaavahai सह वीर्यं करवावहै
May we work together with great energy
Tejasvi Navaditamastu तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु
May our studies be enlightening.
Maa vidvissaavahai मा विद्विषावहै
May there be no hate among us
Om shanti, shanti, shanti ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
Puja Sharma 