Articles

Yoga is a word that is so commonly used today. People the world over say they practice Yoga. But, in reality, what most of them actually do is practice Asanas - the physical part of Yoga. There’s much more to Yoga that just Asanas. Asanas, as you will learn later, is only fourth in line in the eight-fold path of Yoga.

How many of us know the true meaning of Yoga, the origin of Yoga, the reason why it is so widely acknowledged, and why the practice of Yoga is so important in our lives . . .

The history of Yoga dates back to much before 3,000 BC. Archaeologists found a portrait on a stone seal of a human-like figure meditating in what looked like a Yoga posture, in the ancient Indian twin cities of Mehenjo Daro and Harappa existent during the Indus Valley Civilisation - the period between 3000 BC and 5000 BC.

Let’s look at the meaning of Yoga. Is Yoga a Religion?  Is Yoga an Art?  Is Yoga a Science?

Yoga, which is pronounced as YOG is derived from the Sanskrit word YUJ, which literally means Union - “a union of body, mind and spirit or soul”.  It is when these three main components of our lives work in harmony with each other, it is said - we are ‘living’ at our best; this is Yoga.

Yoga is not a religion. It has no dogmas, no rituals to adhere to, and no obligations that need to be followed. Yoga is simply a culture of consciousness that gives you the freedom to follow the dictates of your inner self, and strengthens and shows you the path to reach the God of your belief, as you go along; and hence can be practiced by people of all religions.

Yoga is a way of life and can be termed both a science and an art. A science . . . because its elements of practice based on ancient Indian culture are tried, tested, researched, practiced, and proven for thousand of years first in ancient India and now the world over, as the best method for any individual to keep fit mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Yoga is an art - an art of living a healthy, balanced, peaceful and contented life. It is termed ‘holistic’ which means a ‘whole’ and total integrated system. It studies man in its wholeness and entirety - body, mind and spirit; and is woven to certain principles, values, attitudes and a way of life.

The tradition of Yoga is an ancient education system that was born in India several thousand years ago and perfected through trial and error by the Rishis, the Maharishis, Sages and Yogis of India. They recognized that life had its limits and brought with it inevitable pain and suffering.  They were moved by the suffering they saw around them. Through observation, rational interpretations of their personal experiences and through meditation and deep concentration, they were able to study and evolve a practical, scientifically prepared method to handle the problems of everyday living for inner tranquility.

Yoga could be termed a philosophy of life . . . a life of self-discipline. It helps a person understand his mind, his personality, his purpose in life for which he is created. It provides a calmer state of mind, reconditioning techniques, thus contributing mentally and physically to one’s whole well being. Modern technology provides us with leisure, comfort and an easier material existence; but it takes away inner peace of mind. Regular practice of Yoga balances, harmonizes, purifies and strengthens the body, mind and soul. It shows the way to perfect physical health, an absolute control of mind and peace within one self, the world, the nature and one’s relation with God. It needs strong determination, continued practice and an ongoing effort and desire to look within oneself . . . for reaching a yogic life is an uphill task and no mean feat.

Sanskrit : the language of the learned in ancient India
Rishis, Maharishis and Yogis : The learned and holy men of ancient India, who lived in the forests in deep meditation


Joyce d’Souza is a regular contributor of Yogic Arcles to Six Senses Yoga Society.  She is a trained instructor of Yoga, and a Yoga Therapist having studied Yoga at the Gurukul and at University level.  Joyce lives in India.

© 2007 Six Senses Yoga Society

We are all created to be happy.  But, are we all happy in the truest sense of the word?

If you look around, you will notice that 99.9% of people are suffering either physically, mentally, emotionally and, or spiritually. What is the reason for this? What is it that we clamour for? Why do we encounter problems as we sail through the journey of life making us unhappy, sick, diseased . . . enduring suffering in some form or the other.

We are all born to be happy. And it is our birth right, to be happy. Happiness is a state of mind. It’s a very personal feeling or emotion. No outside force can interfere or alter this state of mind, if you choose to be happy, under whatever circumstances. It’s when you aren’t happy, that this negative emotion creeps into your system and upsets the balances in your body, which gives rise to illnesses or disease. An illness is merely a disorder or an imbalance in your body.  It is, therefore, important that we live fuller lives, happier lives in order to maintain this balance and avoid illnesses. Here’s where Yoga steps in . . .

Says Patanjali - the Father of Yoga - Yoga is a complete control of the human personality.  It is not just Exercise, it is not just Meditation, it is not just Relaxation!! It is an artistic combination of all, worked upon simultaneously.

There are times, whenever I’ve told people that I am a trained instructor of Yoga, the first thing they say to me is, “Hey Joyce, I am so stressed out.  Teach me a couple of asanas to relax.” I am so stumped, when I hear this, that I do not know what to say to them . . . for I realise, that they don’t know the very first thing about Yoga. Moreover, to relax completely and develop the feeling of ‘let go’ is no mean feat. It comes only after focused, dedicated and continuous practice when you let go of your attachment to an object . . . which brings calmness and serenity within oneself, which in turn culminates into Happiness . . . and into a state of a healthy mind and a healthy body . . . and thus free from all illnesses.

The purpose of Yoga is to gain a complete control over our whole personality the Body, the Mind and the Spirit.  One of the first steps towards attaining this, is to develop the mind to an absolute state of consciousness and awareness, and as a result a good understanding of things around us; thereby enlarging our horizons where we see things in its true form, life in absolute terms, understand them thoroughly and act correctly.

Most of us have a wrong notion about Yoga. When one talks of Yoga, one thinks of Yoga as mere physical exercises.  But then is Yoga mere physical exercises. or relaxation techniques or Asanas . . . as we call them in Yogic terms?  Is that all there is to Yoga?  No way! Would you think, by just doing asanas and keeping your body fit, you’d find happiness? Happiness, in fact, is a far-fetched term.  It is important to have a healthy body but to have a healthy body you first need to inculcate a healthy mind.  Happiness denotes a healthy mind and a healthy mind is part of a healthy body, which is developed through the practice of Asanas. So if you are ready for asanas, in order to attain a healthy body, you first have to work on developing a healthy mind.

A complete balance of a healthy mind with a healthy body culminates into clarity of mind, increased concentration, strong memory, a relaxed, stress-free zest for living, a state of inner peace and tranquillity, love for all and enough happiness to spread, generously, around you. When there is an imbalance in this working, disease sets in.  Disease or sickness either physical or mental - is nothing but an imbalance of your body system. It is important to maintain this balance of a healthy mind within a healthy body and that is through regular practice of Yoga. Y O G A . . . in its complete sense.


Joyce d’Souza is a regular contributor of Yogic Arcles to Six Senses Yoga Society.  She is a trained instructor of Yoga, and a Yoga Therapist having studied Yoga at the Gurukul and at University level.  Joyce lives in India.

© 2007 Six Senses Yoga Society

For a lay person; we who live ordinary lives and are more concerned about worldly matters, Patanjali has drawn up the Eight Fold Path of Yoga - known as

‘Ash - tanga Yoga’
Eight - Limbs of Yoga

The Eight Fold Path has been drawn up very systematically and methodically.  The First two steps - Yamas and Niyamas - together form the moral/ethical aspect of Yoga; and are designed to clean the mind of all impurities so as to bring about clarity in thought and thereby in action. They regulate our social and personal behaviour, to ensure a disciplined and constructive organised life.

While Yamas talks about an Individual in relation to Society and the outside world; Niyamas are mainly concerned with our private practices.

. . . AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE MEANING OF ‘AHIMSA YOGA’

‘Ahimsa . . . is the very first commandment of Yama - the first limb of Ashtanga Yoga. That is how important Ahimsa is to Yoga and the reason why Ahimsa is known as the entry-point of Yoga.

A H I M S A
(NON) (V I O L E N C E)

AHIMSA is a sanskrit word the language of ancient India; and used in all ancient literature.  Patanjali writes the whole of Yoga Sutras in Sanskrit - one of the languages (besides Pali and Ardhamangadhi) that was known and used in the B.C.s and a little after, in the A.D.s.

Ahimsa is Non Violence/Non Injury in all its aspects - thought, word, deed or actions. 

Ahimsa is complete abstinence from injuring any living being. This means that either through your thinking, or through your words or through your actions, you will not injure or hurt anyone.

The tendency to assert ourselves, to satisfy our ego, our false identity, our greed for all things material, the anger we face at not getting what we want; and the severe attachment to our belongings are factors that lead to Ahimsa.

Somehow, today the world over people have a very warped concept of human life and its ultimate goal, all in the name of religion. Spending a great deal of money on training people in the handling of arms and ammunitions - the kind of training that hardens them and prepares them to kill and to destroy.  A classic example of this is the destroying of the Twin Towers in America causing mass destruction both to life and property.

Human Mentality is very strange. It tries to rationalise and justify the things they do, although knowing that they are totally wrong, unrighteous and goes against the moral fabric of society; besides being aware that their actions are very brutal and dehumanising.

I particularly remember the serial bomb blasts in the city of Bombay. I live very close to the Bombay Stock Exchange - the site where the first of the bombs went off in a series of bomb blasts that shook the city in the year 1993. People with detached arms and legs, decapitated people being carried on stretchers - a gory sight, a sight that still remains etched in my memory, even to this day.

Simultaneously, a bomb was also planted in one of the crowded double-decker buses, used for public transport.  The bomb went off, right in front of a private maternity home in Central Bombay. Yes, there was absolutely no trace nor any sign of the bus or its passengers; but the impact of the blast was so severe, that the new born babies in the private maternity hospital opposite were thrown off from their cribs, their tender bodies sliced by the rotating ceiling fan above them and shred to bits - Himsa, at its worst.

Even today, as I drive past the hospital, my heart still bleeds for those innocent new born babies who lost their lives before they could even begin one - and I observe a minute of silence in their memory until we’ve crossed past the hospital.

So what then is it that deliberates us to cause HIMSA.  Definitely, our Mind- the source of all our actions.  As is our mind, so are our thoughts; as is the thought, so are our actions.  Thoughts are the root, the seed, and the source of all our activity.  Actions are only the outer expression of our thoughts dominating our minds. Actions are our thoughts translated outwardly. As practitioners of Yoga, it becomes imperative to practise Ahimsa through changing our thought processes and channeling them towards positive growth. This is very integral to the study of Yoga for then alone will your outward appearance and speech also be of the same quality and of the same nature.

Beginning today . . . let’s make a conscious effort to be pure in thought . . . in deed . . . and in action. Spread the message of Ahimsa Yoga and let it begin with each of us. 

Joyce d’Souza is a regular contributor of Yogic Arcles to Six Senses Yoga Society.  She is a trained instructor of Yoga, and a Yoga Therapist having studied Yoga at the Gurukul and at University level.  Joyce lives in India.

© 2007 Six Senses Yoga Society

Our body is made up of two nervous systems, namely; sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic system is also termed as ‘fight/flight’ system. This system leads to a rise in blood pressure, fastens the respiration rate and spurts the stress hormones. In ancient times, this situation was faced when people had to fight against the dangerous animals. And in today’s modern world these circumstances are a result of tension related to office work, traffic, etc. So when this system is highly invigorated, one tends to go through health hazards such as migraines, heart disease and ulcers.

On the other hand, the parasympathetic system keeps the blood pressure level low and reduces the speed of breathing. In situations where the blood is not anymore gushing towards the muscles, it then moves on to the immune, glandular, reproductive and digestive systems. This is time that our body takes to make up for the harm caused during our day to day combats. Studies have revealed that extended and deep breathing supports the actions of this system and permits the reposing and curing to take place. In short, the person practicing yoga goes through breathing meditations known as pranayama. This meditation assists the parasympathetic nervous system.

The excellence of the respiration rate is the mirror of the fineness of the mind. Our mental, psychological and emotional states are linked to the speed and deepness of our breathing rates. For instance, short and quick breaths are witnessed when one is frightened. On the other hand, when one is totally calmed or sleeping, deep and long breaths are the case. So our mental condition has an impact on our breathing, thus we can select to change this breathing rhythm to alter our mental condition.

The easy implementation of asana (yoga postures), pranayma (breathing and dristhi (focusing) helps is attaining better physical health.  Newborns are innate yogis. That was the time when everybody has the ability to bring toes up to the ears level and giggle. But as one grows up and ages, this balance is lost gradually.

Yoga is a very old exercise that aids in creating a harmony among mind, body and spirit. It balances everything. So you can make it a part of your physical life. It will help you tone up your body and make it stronger and more flexible. It will support you to maintain a stable metabolism and regulating your weight.

Yoga also plays a vital role in your mental life. It will train you to concentrate on your breathing while you are holding on various poses. The aim of this focusing is to calm your respiration and to ease yourself out. You will feel more energized and relaxed.

Yoga will also aid you in your spiritual life. It is performed by people from all religions. It trains us to live a good life and brings a balance in our lives. It imbibes in us traits like forgiveness, gentleness and patience. It also favors proper eating routine. Today several programs are chalked out for patients for recovery purposes.

Anyone can practice yoga, age is not a barrier. Whether you are a lazy bum or a professional sports person it will have yoga pose for you that best suits you. It is a training where you experience and look out for your limitations.

You can start off with it by joining a yoga class. Yoga is benefitial for your physical, mental and spiritual health. Physically it makes body stronger, toned up and flexible. It makes breathing process better and energizes. It results in a stable metabolism. It assists and results a good heart condition. It will help you in alleviating pain and in rejuvenation. And will make better your athletic performance.

Mentally, it will give you strength to cope with situations involving stress. Aid you to calm down your mind and lead you towards optimism and boost your confidence. Lastly, spiritually, it will help you in getting to know your body, the way you feel, your surroundings and obligations towards others. Yoga will teach you to enjoy the being in unity with the world.


Ayesha Asghar