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Purpose and philosophy of Yoga

Human, not satisfied with modern inventions and knowledge of the countless secrets of nature, is tirelessly busy searching for goals in other planes. When a person observes the wonders of nature through the prism of the mysterious atom, which is the building block of the universe, when he sees how countless stars and planets move, separate from each other and collide with each other, then it is not possible to fully comprehend all this. And this tired mind, looking at the galaxies in outer space, in which our planet is just a small grain of sand, is filled with fatigue, disappointment and pity.

A person is not satisfied with his activities intelligence, since this “thinking machine” does not answer questions such as: “ What is the purpose of life?", "Who am i? ", " What does the future hold for me?", "Is physical death the end of everything?", etc. And this reason, which, as man boastfully claims, knows everything, in the end cannot comprehend where the galaxies end, and can only approximately establish the forms of electrons - functions within these two poles of macro- and microworlds. Outside these worlds, the human intellect cannot penetrate the thickness of laws unknown to it. It is foolish to search for truth with the help of such an imperfect and limited instrument as human intelligence, - he is not destined to comprehend the depths of the eternal question about the purpose of life.

As long as the mind is focused on external objects, it cannot comprehend the truth or God. The answers to transcendental questions are given by seers and saints not on the basis of their intellectual activities or laboratory experiments. Their source is the unknown, unlimited wisdom and knowledge gained as a result of many hours of silent contemplation, when rational activity ceases. Realization of God or truth occurs only when the mind and senses are silent.

Now the question arises: what does this kind of knowledge give us? Does God exist? Is there life after death? What is the purpose of life? Without setting any goal for ourselves, we are unlikely to be able to answer these questions.

The few who comprehend the truth say that the truth will free us from our troubles. When man comprehends the truth, he is faced with what is by its nature always pure and perfect. The cause of all our troubles lies in the fear of death, illness and unfulfilled desires. When a person realizes the truth or his true nature, he will find that he is immortal. Consequently, he will understand that death is alien to him and he will not have the fear of death. When a person understands that he is perfect and limitless, he will not be possessed by selfish desires. Thus, having freed himself from the fear of death, knowing his true nature and discovering that the kingdom of heaven is within him, a person experiences complete bliss, even while in the physical body.

Human purpose is to achieve, during your lifetime, a state in which there is no place for death, pain, sadness, old age, illness and rebirth.

In order to get rid of these troubles, different religions use different teachings. Many believers blindly obey the clergy, not knowing either the purpose of life or the purpose of religion. Such people are content with only one faith, just as representatives of the top of various faiths demand that people blindly obey them. If the blind show the way to the blind, then this leads to the fact that many righteous people stray from their true path, since they lack faith in theoretical knowledge.

Modern believers and preachers are busy preaching rather than practicing. They argue that the states described above can only be experienced by the creators of religion, since no one can achieve true spirituality until he reaches their level of perception. Each person needs to comprehend the truth himself, because only after that all his sorrows and sorrows will disappear. Christ said: " If you follow my teachings then you will be my true disciples and you will realize the truth and it will make you free". (St. John 8:31,32).

Science Yoga provides a practical and scientifically based method of comprehending the truth in religion. Like any science that has its own method of research, yoga also has its own method and claims that the attainment of truth is possible. The truth is revealed only when we go beyond the limits of sensory sensations and rational activity.

There are different types of yoga with which you can achieve unity with the higher principle. Yoga is a science with the help of which a person comprehends the truth. The goal of yoga practice is to achieve truth, that is, a state where the individual soul identifies itself with the supreme soul or god. To achieve such a state it is necessary to overcome the boundaries of individual consciousness.

In fact, spirit or pure consciousness is by its nature whole, indivisible, motionless and unchanging, we find the same spirit everywhere - from mineral to man. For mind and matter are the reflection of spirit or pure consciousness, and their creative power forms the medium that masks consciousness, and forms forms from the formless spirit, transforming the infinite into the finite in the form of self-consciousness or personality. Spirit or pure consciousness never changes.

Although the spirit in man is not so constrained by mind and body, there is still a barrier that prevents the spirit from achieving its full expression. Man has self-awareness. Animals exist on a subconscious level and do not have one. Self-consciousness is a higher degree of development compared to the subconscious. Universal Consciousness- above self-awareness and is the highest level of knowledge. Possessing it, a person identifies himself with his true essence or God himself.

As the intellect develops, the veil covering the spirit becomes thinner and finally disappears completely. When this happens, the soul realizes that it is immortal and identifies itself with God. Achieving such a state is the goal of yoga, as is the goal of all religions. Yoga is a scientific method of achieving a state in which there is no duality, no subject, no object, when the knower, knowledge and the known merge into a single whole.

Such a state can only be achieved if a person completely goes beyond the boundaries of the physical body and mind, which are a barrier to pure consciousness or the divine essence. In order to overcome the limitations of the body and mind and use them as means to achieve the goal of yoga, the yoga practitioner subjects the body and mind to severe training. He studies in detail the mediums in which the soul or pure consciousness is contained. The study and knowledge of the bodies and media through which the spirit expresses itself is very important in the stage preceding the study of the spirit.

Human much more complicated than is usually imagined. A person is not only a physical body and mind. There are three bodies in total in a person. Moreover, each is a shell of the soul. The casual body is the subtlest of all three bodies. Although man has all three bodies, he usually deals with the physical body. Only to a very small extent does it deal with the astral body, especially during dreams and yogic meditation. After carefully studying and establishing control over the three bodies, a person comes to introspection, trying to answer the question: who am I?

Modern psychology says nothing about this process of introspection by which truth can be discovered and realized. God, that is, a state when a person feels neither pain, nor grief, nor superiority, nor inferiority, nor his own Self, nor disunity.

Such knowledge gives a feeling of unity with the whole world, and a person no longer perceives himself as a separate person, he merges with God. This state gives a person peace, which, as stated in Bible, goes beyond understanding. This knowledge is the pinnacle of all knowledge or Vedanta. When such a state is achieved, the distinction between the knower, knowledge and cognition disappears, since the spirit or true I there is knowledge itself, and the external world is no longer the source of knowledge.

If you know how long it takes to master a theoretical heritage Vedanta, which puzzles even educated people, then you can imagine how difficult it is to comprehend the great truth" man is God", "I am God", "I am in everything" and "Everything is in me". The whole philosophy of yoga and Vedanta based on the theory of unity, it can be achieved through gradual improvement through reincarnation.

Our life on this planet can last a hundred years, of which 50 are spent sleeping and daydreaming. Some occur in infancy, when a person lives on a subconscious level. When illnesses appear and old age sets in, a person’s mental state deteriorates and, torn by fear and hope, he practically lives in a dream world. Man has very little time to understand God the Father and rise to a higher level of existence. Before most people can even believe in God, they will die. Should we believe that since they cannot reach a higher level of existence during their short lives, they are forever doomed to suffer in hell. Do they have the opportunity to achieve eternal bliss?

Of course, it would be too simple to assume that God is a human production enterprise that produces new souls every day, which it sends to Earth, condemning them to pain and suffering, and in the end, sending them to heaven or hell. If there is no rebirth, what is the purpose of knowledge and its institutions such as libraries, laboratories, churches and temples? Why can't we live like animals or bushmen outside of modern civilization? Why do we want to bring peace to our planet and eliminate suffering through our efforts, will, capabilities, compassion, worship? If there is no metempsychosis (transmigration of souls) on earth after the death of the physical body, then why don’t we destroy all of humanity with new terrible bombs? If it weren't for metempsychoses, a person would not lose anything if a world war led to the destruction of the world. New souls would not appear on earth, and God could take a break from his labors, since he could not send new souls to the Earth, polluted by radiation, which would make the existence of humans, animals and plants impossible.

In order to answer these questions, we must recognize the law of karma or action and reaction, as well as the law of transmigration of souls, if we are, of course, intelligent beings. Each individual soul learns through trial and error and corrects the mistakes made as they progress along the path. Every action, good or bad, has a result, and a person's future life depends on what he does at the moment. Through suffering he learns more and more with each birth in each life cycle. As knowledge expands, a person wants to know more about his existence, about God and the goals of your life. But such thoughts come to him only as he gradually develops, moving to a higher level of philosophy of life from a lower level limited to thoughts of food, drink and entertainment.

Yoga philosophy not only provides answers to all the questions of a person, but also provides a scientific way to overcome his problems and sufferings. Moreover, the philosophy of yoga does not contradict any religion or faith, and anyone who sincerely wants to take the path of searching for truth can practice it.

Yoga philosophy- This is not some vague doctrine at all. Even relatively small efforts will lead to a significant increase in knowledge, strength and peace of mind.

Other articles on similar topics:
• The concept of God in the philosophy of Yoga in the article: God in the Yoga system.
• The point of brutality of Religion is partially reflected in the article:.
• Human development in the article: .

Yoga Philosophy

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Yoga is nothing more than a method of uniting the body with the spirit. This is a subject that needs to be dealt with practically, it needs to be experienced for oneself, only theoretical knowledge is not suitable for evolution. Experience is direct knowledge and acts as an impetus for further ardent and energetic pursuit of this art and science. Yoga it is a universal culture, as it suits anyone, regardless of age, gender or nationality.

Basic principles of Yoga - Yama and Niyama

The sage Patanjali in ancient times formed eight fundamental principles on which self-knowledge should be based through Yogi. He also called it soul searching. Most people first begin their acquaintance with Yoga with Asanas- the third stage, which is incorrect from the point of view of the sage. Before exposing your body and mind to Asanas, future yogis should understand and accept the principles of the first two stages.

Philosophy yoga in a broad sense, we can call it the ancient teaching about the spiritual self-improvement of man, which came to us from the Aryan civilization and developed into the form known today in the religious and philosophical schools of ancient and medieval India. This article will discuss the basic philosophical concepts and concepts of this teaching, which for almost two thousand years has been for many admirers of Indian spirituality an example of wisdom that leads a person to the highest possible goal of his life.

Yoga is one of the Darshanas, the six orthodox (following the spiritual tradition of the Vedas) schools of thought in India. Its theories and principles are set forth in the founding work of this school, the Yoga Sutras, and commentaries on this work. We know practically nothing about the author of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali. In India, since ancient times he has been considered a great teacher, yogi and philosopher who lived in the 2nd century. BC. However, today most scientists agree that, in terms of content and terminology, the Yoga Sutra should be dated back to the 2nd century AD.

Patanjali was not the person who invented the teaching of yoga. We find the origins of the yoga he outlined in the most ancient monument of world culture - the Vedas (~ 2nd millennium BC), the sacred texts of India. The doctrine of the basic elements of yogic practice - concentration, contemplation, control of consciousness and the term itself " yoga» – present in the early Upanishads (~ VI – III centuries BC), commentaries on the Vedas. A special place in protoyoga is occupied by the ancient epic works of India: the Ramayana and the Mahabharata (~ 1st millennium BC). The most prominent part of the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita. It contains many important parts of the teachings of yoga; it just lacks the systematization and classification of categories—basic philosophical concepts—necessary for philosophy. Patanjali acted as such a systematizer, summarizing and briefly formulating ancient spiritual knowledge. The theory and practice of the Yoga Sutras have fully stood the test of time and earned the right to be called classical yoga.

Patanjali's work, like many treatises of that time in India, is a collection of short sentences (sutras). For students, they may have served as a reminder for reconstructing the course of complex oral reasoning. However, for descendants who do not have the opportunity to personally communicate with the teacher, short sutras are often not enough. Therefore, the teaching of classical yoga that exists today was formed, in addition to the original treatise of Patanjali, by extensive commentary literature. In this article we focus on the “Yoga Sutra” and the most authoritative commentary, belonging to the philosopher Vyasa, “Yoga Bhasya” (5th century AD).

Proceeding directly to the philosophy of classical yoga, we will highlight two fundamental categories that contain all being, everything that exists. These are Purusha and Prakriti - spiritual and material substances.

Prakriti (matter) is everything that we see, hear, touch or feel in any other way. This is everything that the most advanced instruments can record, from the smallest particles to objects on a cosmic scale. The concept of Prakriti contains the entire universe, all physical objects and energy fields.

By Purusha is meant the eternal Spirit, the spiritual principle. He is transcendental to Prakriti, that is, he is beyond all Nature. Purusha is the highest part of existence. He does not have the forms characteristic of Prakriti, therefore he cannot be imagined. He is conscious while matter is unconscious. However, one should not identify Purusha with the teaching about God that is familiar to Western people. Purusha is devoid of any personal attributes. The god of classical yoga - Ishvara - is a manifestation of Purusha, but He does not create the world and does not control it. Besides Him, there are other gods in the Spirit, but Ishvara is the highest among all spiritual beings. It also has the most important property for yoga philosophy to connect and separate Purusha and Prakriti.

Before the union of Spirit and matter, the latter is in an unmanifested state. This means that the universe does not exist, and the three basic properties or forces (gunas) of Prakriti are in balance.

Guna sattva is responsible for the principle of clarity, rajas - for the principle of movement, activity, tamas - for the principle of peace, inertia. When Spirit and matter unite, Purusha, as a conscious principle, begins to control Prakriti in a certain sense, causing changes in it. The gunas begin to interact with each other in many combinations and, passing through certain stages, form the objective world in all its forms. In this case, the first product of the interaction of the gunas becomes Buddhi-Mahat. This important concept of yoga philosophy denotes the ideal foundation of the entire future universe. In the course of further evolution, through a series of stages, five primary elements are formed: ether, air, fire, water, earth, from which all objects are composed.

The interaction of the gunas is a continuous change, the consequences of which we observe in our ever-changing world. These modifications determine our sense of time. That is, we can say that a second is not a small period of time, but some change we observe, for example, the movement of the clock hand to the next position. According to classical yoga, time as such does not exist, there is only the moment (now) of change. Any changes are possible in some space, therefore the objective world is also characterized by the category of space.

Unlike Prakriti, Purusha is not subject to change. Therefore, we can say that he is outside of time and space. Purusha is called the Spectator, observing the unfolding picture of change in matter.

Now let's look at the teachings of classical yoga about man. Here it is necessary to understand an idea that is unusual for the consciousness of modern Western man. In the anthropology of yoga, the inner world of a person corresponds to the outer being. A person is considered as a microcosm, which in its structure is identical to the macrocosm external to him. Thus, man is also the result of the union of Purusha and Prakriti.

Buddhi Mahat is the stage of development of Prakriti and the basis of the universe. In it, as a stage in the evolution of matter, individual Buddhi is formed, which is the ideal basis for the human psyche. Subsequently, the remaining elements of the microcosm are formed. These are the organs of perception - hearing, vision, touch, taste, smell; organs of action - arms, legs, organs of excretion and reproduction, organ of speech; the organ of the mind is the mind (manas). So, in fact, everything that we are used to identifying with ourselves, with our self - the physical body, memory, emotions, intellect, mental images, etc. – refers to matter and is potentially contained in the individual Buddhi.

Purusha in man is pure consciousness, his Spirit, his true Self. Yoga presupposes the existence of many “small parts” of Purusha, individual souls that manifest through different beings in Prakriti. Our true Self is eternal and unchanging. It is conscious and directs all processes in the sphere of Prakriti. The model of the union of Purusha and Prakriti in a person is often compared to two people lost in the forest. One of whom is without legs (Purusha), and the other is blind (Prakriti). It is clear that by uniting, they will be able to begin to get out of the forest. Purusha, interacting with Prakriti, fills a person’s individual buddhi, the matrix of all his mental phenomena, with the ability to self-awareness. Therefore, we, not knowing about Purusha, are aware of ourselves in our mental activity.

So, having examined the main philosophical categories of classical yoga, we move on to the theory of liberation, the central teaching about the meaning of human existence, for the sake of which both the Yoga Sutra and the commentary to it were written. Liberation is the separation in man of Spirit and matter, Purusha and Prakriti. Why is such a division necessary? The fact is that a person in his ordinary state does not know his true Self and identifies himself, at best, with his individual buddhi. But the ability of Buddhi to realize itself is no more than an illusion, because only Purusha has true consciousness. We always say to ourselves: “I walk, I feel, I think,” etc., thereby limiting our existence to the framework of Prakriti. As we already know, any manifestations of Prakriti are only consequences of the interaction of the gunas. They are changeable and no form is eternal. We, identifying ourselves with our psyche, become attached to its manifestations and to the forms of the objective world. All our suffering comes from this attachment. Attachments give rise to desires and expectations in relation to the world around us and to ourselves. But the world is changing - people close to us are aging and dying, the things we do do not bring the same satisfaction, negative emotions are replaced by positive ones, any pleasures always end. We want a constant feeling of satisfaction, but this is not achievable, and, as a rule, the more pleasure we get from something, the greater the disappointment later. Yoga philosophy

Moreover, the desire for the forms of Prakriti gives existence to our karma. Karma is a cause-and-effect relationship generated by humans and other beings. By our attraction to one form or another of Prakriti, we determine what we will be like in the future. For example, if we tend to be kind and honest, we want to be valued according to these virtues, which in turn gives rise to our desire to be the same in the future. Aspirations leave, figuratively speaking, imprints (vasanas) in our individual buddhi. Every moment we do something, feel, think, adding new imprints. After physical death, our spiritual essence is embodied in another body (reincarnation), and the vasanas are preserved, determining our future life. As long as our adherence to the forms of Prakriti remains, new imprints are added to the buddhi, which ensures subsequent births. Thus, we are in a series of rebirths (the wheel of samsara), eternally suffering in the changing world of Prakriti.

Liberation from suffering is possible, and the pursuit of it is the highest possible goal of existence.

Through the practice of yoga and philosophical reflection, a person gradually becomes more and more aware of his highest being, Purusha, achieves complete spiritual dispassion, and ceases to internally strive for anything in the material world. Then his karma is no longer created, and he comes to the separation of Spirit from matter, leaves the circle of samsara and achieves absolute liberation. Such a person will not be born again, but he may still continue to live in his present life, being in the constant awareness of himself as an eternal and unchangeable Spirit. This is the state of a god essentially equal to Ishvara. This existence cannot be described in words, but it is difficult to imagine a better existence than that in which even the potential possibility of suffering or any dissatisfaction is absent, and at the same time there is complete awareness.

This is how liberation is achieved.

The philosophy of yoga is extremely popular today. For many, it became a real discovery in life. Yoga saves tortured people from daily stress and helps them see what is most important, discarding what is unimportant. However, it does not come down to a banal set of physical exercises. Yoga as an ancient tradition and religion, yoga as - this is what will be discussed in this article.

Reasons for the popularity of yoga in the modern world

As already noted, yoga is extremely popular today. You could even say that it is fashionable in modern society. What are the reasons for such popularity?

To do this you need to answer one question. Modern personality - what is it like? Exhausted, depressed and depressed. A person of the 21st century, as a rule, spends his life in pursuit of dubious benefits. Yoga not only helps you cope with daily stress, but also teaches you to concentrate your attention (and strength) on the most important, truly important things.

The philosophy of yoga opens a person to the only true path to realizing his essence and helps him fully realize his inner potential.

It is interesting that the practical methods of yoga work in any case. Even if a person does not really believe in them or does not have the slightest idea about the essence and foundations of this philosophy. This is another unique feature of yoga.

Yoga Philosophy (briefly)

What is yoga? Is it fair to call it philosophy, science or religion?

The word itself translated from Sanskrit means “unity”. In a narrow sense, we are talking here primarily about the harmony and fusion of the human body and soul. In a more global sense, this is the unity of man with God.

Yoga is an Indian philosophy, very ancient. Its main postulates were outlined back in the second century by the famous guru Patanjali. However, it is incorrect to claim that the philosophy of yoga was founded by him. After all, it is believed that the Creator himself gave yoga to humanity (through the avatar Krishna).

The fundamentals of this teaching are not systematic. Their individual aspects can be found in various ancient Indian sources, starting with the Vedas. That is why historians cannot determine a clear chronological framework for this direction.

The philosophy of yoga is extremely multifaceted. The main goal of the teaching is to achieve nirvana. This term means complete reunification with the Creator.

Today, researchers identify several forms of yoga. This:

• karma yoga;
• bhakti yoga;
• jnana yoga;
• mantra yoga;
• hatha yoga and others.

Each of these directions is only one of the steps towards the single goal of yoga philosophy - unity with the Almighty. In our article we will dwell in more detail on the last of these forms.

Parable of the Hidden Divinity

The philosophy of yoga for beginners is best illustrated by one of the ancient Indian parables. It will help to better understand the essence of this teaching for those who are just beginning to get acquainted with it.

So, the parable of hidden divinity...

According to legend, previously all people on Earth were gods. This is how Brahma created them. However, soon the ruler of all gods saw that they were using their power not entirely righteously, and therefore decided to take away their divine power. At the same time, he had a question: where to hide divinity from people so that they could not find it?

To solve this dilemma, Brahma called his advisors. They began to bombard him with various options: some suggested burying the divinity in the ground, others - throwing it at the bottom of the ocean... However, Brahma did not like any of the proposals. “Sooner or later people will reach the bottom of the oceans,” he answered thoughtfully.

Suddenly the ruler of the gods himself realized what needed to be done. He decided to hide divinity within man himself. And I was not mistaken. Man conquered the skies and the depths of the sea, drilled kilometer-long tunnels underground, but never really looked inside himself.

ancient finds

It is difficult to determine how deep the roots of yoga stretch into history. Thus, in the Indus River valley, archaeologists found ancient seals dating back to the second millennium BC. They depict people, as well as deities in unusual poses (in total, researchers counted 16 different positions). This find led historians to believe that one form of yoga was already familiar to the inhabitants of the Harappan civilization.

If we talk about written evidence, the concept of “yoga” is first found in the Rig Veda - one of the most ancient monuments of Indian literature.

Patanjali and his Yoga Sutras

This teaching is included in the list of six orthodox schools of Hinduism. The philosophy of yoga is very closely related to the Samkhya movement. However, in comparison, yoga is more theistic.

Heinrich Zimmer also spoke about the kinship of these two schools in his time. At the same time, he argued that Samkhya provides a general explanation of human nature, while yoga reveals practical methods and paths to its complete liberation (the state of moksha).

Like any other school of Indian philosophy, yoga has its own sacred texts. These are the so-called “yoga sutras” expounded by the sage Patanjali. In one of them, by the way, the teacher reveals the very essence of the concept we are considering. According to the text of the second sutra, yoga is “the process of controlling the disturbances inherent in the mind.”

Swami Vivekananda: the life of a philosopher

One of the brightest representatives of this school is the Indian sage and Swami Vivekananda. The philosophy of yoga in his works acquired a new meaning. He was able to explain its key provisions from the point of view of the Western worldview.

Swami Vivekananda lived and worked in the second half of the 19th century. He was born in 1863 into a very religious family. He studied at the Scottish Church College, where he took a special interest in philosophy. At the same time, Vivekananda sets out to find a person who met God himself. And soon he finds it. It was a certain Ramakrishna. Soon Vivekananda becomes his student.

In 1888, he, along with other students of Ramakrishna, began traveling throughout India. Then it goes to other countries (USA, France, Japan, England and others). The sage died in 1902. Swami's body, like his, was cremated on the banks of the Ganges River.

During his life, Vivekananda wrote a number of works. The most important among them are the following:

• "Karma Yoga" (1896).
• "Raja Yoga" (1896).
• "The Philosophy of Vedanta: Lectures on Jnana Yoga" (1902).

Swami Vivekananda: philosophical views

Vivekananda has a very famous saying: only his names differ." Some call him Jesus, others Allah, others Buddha, and so on.

Swami Vivekananda was distinguished by the originality of his thoughts. His main merit as a philosopher is that he was able to prove that the key ideas of Vedanta can be applied for purely practical purposes, in public life.

“Every person is divine in itself” - this saying of Ramakrishna became a red thread in the life of the philosopher. He was sure that no one would gain freedom until all other people became free. Vivekananda asserted that he had a real duty to work tirelessly to save other people. The philosopher extolled selflessness and urged everyone not to lose faith in themselves.

Swami Vivekananda's social views were based on the idea that there should be division. Religion, in his opinion, should under no circumstances interfere in issues of marriage, inheritance relations, and the like. He also believed that society should ideally be an even mixture of all four castes. Moreover, he was sure that religion should not interfere in the process of building an ideal society.

Yoga Hatha: school philosophy

The name of this is translated from Sanskrit as “enhanced fusion”. For the first time, the postulates of this school were systematized by Swami Swatmarama. He believed that hatha yoga is the process of preparing the human body for complex meditation.

The word “hatha” itself, as researchers suggest, consists of two components: “ha” - mind and “tha” - life force.

Hatha yoga is a complex teaching about how you can achieve bodily harmony through physical and mental influences on the body (these are asanas, pranayama, mudras and bandhas). Each of them affects a specific part of the human body. In hatha yoga, sets of certain exercises are specially selected with the help of which you can strengthen your health and fight serious diseases.

Breathing is the basis of life

The main emphasis in hatha yoga is on breathing. Adherents of this school are confident that the influence of breathing on the body is so strong that with just pranayama (breathing exercises) you can significantly improve your condition. And skillfully combining them with asanas is the key to a healthy and strong body.

Hatha yoga as a medical philosophy puts as its primary goal the complete cleansing of the human respiratory system. In addition, this is a real art of relaxing the body and all its muscles. After all, real clarity of mind comes only to a relaxed body.

The state of the body, well-being, as well as a person’s thought processes are closely related to his breathing. I think everyone will agree with this. That is why in Hatha Yoga such attention is paid to the art and techniques of proper breathing. At the same time, she teaches people to breathe correctly not only during special classes, but also in everyday life. A wise and careful attitude towards one’s health is what hatha yoga teaches people. Philosophy and practice are organically intertwined in this teaching.

General goals and objectives of yoga

Anyone who decides to take up yoga seriously may pursue different goals. It could be a simple desire to improve your health or recover from a chronic disease. And for some, yoga is the key to achieving moksha (“union with Brahman”).

By the way, it is moksha - as the process and fact of liberation from samsara - that is the ultimate goal in many schools of ancient Indian philosophy. But in Vaishnavism, the main goal of yoga is the desire for God, the Creator. According to the teachings of this school, a Vaisnava then enters the spiritual blissful world, where he can enjoy devotional service to Vishnu.

Development of yoga in Russia

Individual residents of Russia showed interest in yoga even in pre-revolutionary times. During the era of the Soviet Union, this school was under an ideological ban, which, however, did not prevent individual enthusiasts from practicing semi-legally.

In Russia, at different times, many famous personalities acted as active promoters of yoga. Among these are the doctor B. L. Smirnov, professor V. V. Brodov, writer V. I. Voronin, engineer Ya. I. Koltunov and many others. At the end of the 80s, a higher educational institution began to operate in Moscow - the so-called Yoga Academy. Its founder was Gennady Statsenko. At the same time, a laboratory appeared in the capital of the USSR, which was studying unconventional methods of treatment and recovery. Of course, the area of ​​interest of this laboratory also included the teachings of Ancient India - yoga.

Today, yoga courses are taught in almost every fitness club. However, knowledgeable people still recommend attending classes at a specialized school.

Finally, some useful tips for those who are planning to start doing yoga:

• clothes for classes should be comfortable and made of natural fabric;
• you need to start mastering yoga small, gradually penetrating into the “depths” of this teaching;
• It is not advisable to skip classes, because each new session is a logical continuation of the previous one;
• Yoga practice must be approached extremely consciously and thoroughly.

And, of course, we should not forget that yoga is not only a healthy, fit body, but also an opportunity to feel the harmony of body and soul.

Finally...

Yoga is a philosophy of Ancient India, which is very popular in the modern world. However, this is not entirely philosophy, or rather, not only it. It is also science, religion, centuries-old tradition and practice. Why is modern man so attracted to the philosophy of yoga?

This question can be briefly answered with two main theses. First: yoga helps a person cope with the enormous pressure of cruel reality. Second: it is capable of opening the way for each of us to know ourselves, our inner essence.

The most famous school of Indian philosophy in the world is Yoga, aimed at realizing the spirit.. The word itself " yoga"translated from Sanskrit as "connection". The philosophy of yoga comes from the connection of the soul with the Absolute. In yoga, the spirit is seen as an independent principle, free from the limitations of the mind, emotions and body.

The yoga system is a set of spiritual and physical practices that work for the comprehensive development of the individual in the spiritual, physical and mental aspects. Yoga intellectual: it involves the harmonious inclusion of the powers of the mind, its provisions are based on philosophical texts. The philosophy of yoga is aimed at comprehending the mysteries of existence through the acceptance and awareness of the personal spirit. Yoga teaches kindness and love. In particular, the idea of ​​non-violence came from the philosophy of yoga. However, yoga is very practical, because it offers techniques for controlling the body.

It is interesting that we can find the ideas of yoga not only in the teachings of other orthodox philosophical schools, but also in such religious and ethical teachings as Taoism, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc.

Basic principles of classical yoga philosophy(usually called Raja Yoga) were formulated by Patanjali in the work “Yoga Sutra” back in the 2nd century BC. However, it is wrong to consider Patanjali as the author of yoga philosophy. He systematized ideas that can be found both in the Vedas and other sacred texts of Ancient India.

The system of principles created by Patanjali is divided into the following parts:

1. Samadmtada - dedicated to the forms, goals and means of achieving yoga.
2. Sadhanapada - includes a narrative about the forms of suffering, as well as methods for ending them.
3. Vibhutipada - describes the internal components of the yoga system, talks about supernatural powers that a student can acquire in the process of practicing yoga.
4. Kaivalyapada - talks about the nature and forms of Liberation of the Spirit.

For the purposes of Liberation and Enlightenment, Patanjali proposed the eightfold path of yoga - Ashtanga Yoga:

1. Yama (social norms).
2. Niyama (self-discipline).
3. Asana (meditative position, posture).
4. Pranayama (breath control).
5. Pratyahara (control of the senses).
6. Dharana (concentration).
7. Dhyana (contemplation).
8. Samadhi (reunion with the energy of the Universe).

By comprehending existence with the help of yoga practices, a person gains knowledge about the true reality, which is initially hidden from a person. He must find it himself. The goal of yoga can be considered to be a change in the consciousness of the individual, his awareness of his divine nature. The ancient sages, practicing yoga, came to the conclusion that reality exists not only in the Universe itself, but also inside the individual (Atman). However, the many-faced world is a manifestation of only one Reality (Brahman). Living this Reality is called Samadhi, which is the highest goal of yoga.

Yoga directs a person to liberate the Spirit from Matter (Purusha from Prakriti). In yoga philosophy, it is believed that all human suffering comes from man’s limitation of his own existence within the framework of Prakriti. Because of this, a person increasingly strives for feelings of satisfaction and affection. But pleasures end sooner or later, and the greater the satisfaction, the greater the disappointment. This determines the existence of Karma. So we plunge into an endless whirlpool of transformations. The highest form of existence of a person is his desire for liberation from the endless circle of rebirths. This, according to yoga followers, can be achieved only by renouncing desires in the material world. This is how Karma is not created in a person and his Spirit is freed from Matter.

What is yoga? What is the essence of her philosophy? What are its properties and sources? What parts does its system consist of? What is the fundamental goal of yoga and what are the means to achieve it? How is karma formed? You will find answers to these and other questions by reading this article.

Translated from Sanskrit, “yoga” means “connection.” In this case, it refers to the connection of the soul with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, it can be argued that this is a term belonging to Spiritual Practice.

Yoga is a set of physical and spiritual practices aimed at human development at all levels: mental, spiritual and physical.

Yoga philosophy has the following properties:

• It is spiritual, i.e. is focused on the disclosure and comprehension of being through the awareness of the independent and self-existent Spirit of the individual.
• Ethical, i.e. contains virtues, the main one of which is non-violence.
• Emotional, i.e. teaches about love, kindness and other beneficial qualities.
• It is practical, i.e. it offers ways to control the body.
• Intellectual, i.e. its methods involve the use of the powers of reason, and its main provisions are substantiated by philosophical texts.

Yoga is one of the branches of the tree of Indian spirituality, one of the darshanas, the philosophical schools of India. Its ideas can be found not only in other orthodox schools, but also in Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism and many modern movements, the “foundation” of which is classical yoga.

Yoga Source

The theories and principles of classical yoga, also called (royal yoga), were formulated by Patanjali in the second century BC in the seminal work “Yoga Sutras”, consisting of 195 short “sutras” (aphorisms).

However, Patanjali is not the creator of the teachings of yoga. Its origins can be found in the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of India. The teaching about the main elements of practice and even the term “yoga” itself is found in the early commentaries to the Vedas.

There is an opinion that the Yoga Sutra itself is not enough to understand the true essence of yoga, since this work was a kind of reminder for restoring the course of oral instructions, which were not enough for posterity due to the fact that there was no opportunity to communicate with the real Teacher. That is why there is a large amount of educational literature commenting on Patanjali’s Sutras.

One of the Sutras of Sage Patanjali

Yoga system

The yoga system is closely related to the Samkhya system and is essentially its application in everyday life. Sankhya believes that there are two principles at work in the world: matter (prakriti) and spirit (purusha). Just like yoga, it strives to distract the spirit from matter.

Patanjali's system is divided into four parts:

1. Samadmtada. It is devoted to the goals and forms of yoga, various methods of achieving yoga.
2. Sadhanapada. It includes the means to achieve Samadhi. In addition, it talks about the four-fold form of suffering and the possibilities of ending it.
3. Vibhutipada. Consists of descriptions of the internal aspects of yoga and special, supernatural powers that a student can acquire.
4. Kaivalyapada. It contains a description of the forms and nature of Liberation.

Eight Yoga Remedies

For purification and enlightenment, yoga offers the following eight remedies that make up the eight-step Ashtanga Yoga ():

Purpose of Yoga

Yoga gives the opportunity to gain knowledge about the true reality, which is hidden from every soul from the moment a person is born. The goal of yoga is a comprehensive change in personality through the transformation of consciousness, as well as through awareness of one’s Divine nature.

The ancient sages came to the conclusion that this reality is located not only in the entire Universe, but also in the individual himself (Atman). The Upanishads say that the many-faced world is a manifestation of only one transcendental Reality (Brahman). Experiencing this reality is Samadhi - the highest goal of yoga.

Purusha and Prakriti

Purusha and Prakriti are the two main categories in which everything that exists is contained.

Prakriti is matter, it is everything that a person can feel or feel in any other way. These are all physical objects of the material world and its energy fields.

Purusha is a spiritual substance, the eternal Spirit. In other words, this is the highest part of existence that a person cannot imagine. Purusha, unlike Prakriti, has consciousness. In addition, it is not subject to change. Beginning yogis sometimes confuse the concept of Purusha with God. However, these terms are different in nature. Purusha has no personal attributes.

Before Purusha and Prakriti unite, the latter is in an unmanifested state. Purusha in man represents the true Self, his pure consciousness. At the same time, the true “I” is unchanged.

Karma and liberation

Yoga can be seen as a way to free consciousness from false identification with a specific physical shell. In other words, it is the opening of spiritual vision that returns the Self to its true nature.

It can also be said that yoga destroys the existential suffering of the mind, which is born due to the harmful habit of identifying oneself as an individual, separate from the rest of the world.

Experienced masters say that the entire “Yoga Sutra” and commentaries to it were written with the aim of illuminating the teaching about the meaning of human existence, the theory of liberation.

We already know that liberation means the separation of spirit from matter (Purusha from Prakriti). Why is it needed? The fact is that people in their usual state limit their own existence to the framework of Prakriti. It is because of this that all our suffering occurs. We begin to strive for a constant feeling of affection and satisfaction, for pleasures that always end. It is important to understand that the stronger the satisfaction, the greater the disappointment in the future, and the desire for forms of Prakriti determines the existence of karma.

The soul passing through the cycle of transformations is doomed to suffering

As long as the soul is immersed in the whirlpool of transformations, it will suffer forever.

The desire for liberation from these sufferings is the highest form of human existence, since one renounces the desire to achieve anything in the material world. In this case, his karma is not created. Which means liberation of spirit from matter and absolute liberation.

God in the yoga system

The sacred yogic scriptures affirm the existence of God as the supreme Self, which is the primary reality. The yoga system is theistic. She says that great practical importance should be given to God, for worshiping Him is one of the “means” of achieving “control of the mind.”

God is the supreme, all-pervading and omniscient being who is absolutely free from any defects.

Two Forms of Yoga Lifestyle

• The path of “vertical yoga” is the transition from ordinary consciousness to Superconsciousness, capable of experiencing ecstatic reality (nirvankalpa samadhi). This is the path of the hermit, the sannyasin, who renounces the material world. By focusing on himself, he rises to higher levels of functioning, gaining higher levels of consciousness and, at the end of the journey, leaves the body.
• The path of “horizontal” (integral yoga) does not prescribe to renounce the world and considers any mystical experience (including nirvankalpa samadhi) as an opportunity to develop spiritual powers and open new horizons in the material world. We can say that this is the path of full, good living of earthly existence, which involves building perfect relationships with earthly reality.

In conclusion, I would like to note that, despite the fact that yoga has developed over many millennia in India, it is capable of giving liberation to every person, regardless of race or belief.

The essence of yoga is universal, its practices are accessible to all people, and its goal is the basis of universal existence.