Philosophy of Yoga
The philosophy of yoga describes yogic practice as a unitive discipline, the kind that results in harmony, joy, and inner and outer union. Yoga is the art of complete conscious living, and tapping into one’s inner potential to achieve a state of Ananda, or happiness in Sanskrit.
What is the Meaning of Yoga?
The true meaning of yoga is the realization of the idea that we are a part of the universe, and are in communion with the ever-increasing expanse of the world. By tapping into their inner potential, yoga facilitates one to walk on the true path of happiness and discover the truth. Through the realization, one starts to feel awake and mindful of their surroundings.
The Connection Between Mind and Body
Yoga seeks to achieve the state of harmony between the mind and body. This mind-body connection is achieved by doing the following 3 things:
1. Body Postures (asanas)
2. Breath Control (pranayama)
3. Meditation (dhyana)
Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita
Yoga is an important part of Hindu scriptures, especially the Bhagavad Gita – a 700 verse scripture that tells the story of Arjuna, a warrior prince, and his internal conflict of going to civil war. Lord Krishna guides him through his conflict, and discusses the core philosophy of Hinduism. He discusses four types of yoga in the Bhagavad Gita: Jnana (path of knowledge), Bhakti (path of devotion), Karma (path of action) and Ashtanga.
In fact, yoga is the one word that appears in the title of each of the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita – with each chapter discussing a way to connect with the Supreme.