| ‘Yoga’ in literal translation means a sum total or whatever exists in totality. The ancient Vedic philosophy describes Yoga as “union”, that is your union with your true self or the state of Atma Sakshatkar—a state wherein you realize your true self. Yoga is a sum total of all aspects of life unlike the general belief, which deals, only with the physical body—the Asanas. Though Asanas are a very important constituent of Yoga, they are just a part, and not the complete aspect. In the eightfold path of Yoga, as given by Sage Patanjali, the Ashtang-Yoga asanas occupy third place.
To understand something which is so big and profound that it covers all aspects of existence the foundation needs to be very strong. To reach the state of Atma Sakshatkar one needs to purify himself in order to experience the subtler layers of existence. Since this is a science whose theories have never been reflected and the principles have remained unchanged over thousands of years, it requires strict discipline to follow it in its entirety. This is a science which is meant only for serious practitioners, those who want to understand and experience the energies controlling the entire creation and that requires a hundred percent dedication towards the subject, nothing less. Even a ninety-nine percent effort is as good as nothing as the essence of the subject is eluded.
The entire creation is based on balance. Balance is nature, anything that is in accordance with nature, harmony, health, growth. The Rishis of yesteryears used to lead their lives in accordance with nature following the underlying principles of balance and had ageless bodies. They never aged despite living in complete austerity, though that was not their aim. The aim of Yoga is achieving not just the highest physical state but reaching the highest in every aspect of creation, being one with the whole creation. In these series of articles I shall attempt to unveil Yoga, Yoga not the way that it is understood today but Yoga as Yoga. Yoga is not tying yourself up in knots or standing on your head. It is a complete science of the being’s evolution. It is something not limited to the physical, or the senses but something which takes you beyond the limitations of the physical senses. It is a journey of evolution, the journey of the spirit, and it begins when one shuts the doorways to the external world and move inwards. As we all are divine beings going though a human journey, each one of us is unrealized divinity.
It is here the importance of Guru is realized. Yoga starts and ends at Guru’s feet, without a Guru it is impossible to achieve Yoga. It is the Guru who makes you realize who and what you are, it is the Guru who knows your limitations and capacity and how and when and in what measure to pour the gyan of this subject so that you are able to assimilate what is required by you at the level of your existence, grasp it in its entirety and progress in sadhna. As when very cold water is poured over a hot stone, the stone breaks, similar can be the relationship between a sadhak and gyan. Gyan is everywhere, and a sadhak is like a piece of hot stone. A sudden flow of Gyan can be disastrous without the Guru monitoring it. The Guru knowing the shishya’s capacity and tolerance, slowly brings it to the shishya’s level of acceptance and takes him beyond his limitations by slowly increasing his capacity. Yoga is an experience and not a subject of the intellect, so one ought not to try and understand it with the limited capacity of one’s buddhi. It is a complete science and covers every perceivable and non-perceivable aspect of creation. It you are living on earth you are bound by gravity—you may believe it or not. Similarly there exist certain forces in the creation which are beyond the perception of human mind. They can only be experienced by the grace of the Guru. It is only when, holding the hand of the Guru, one takes to the path of Yoga, the experiences unravel and the subtler forces of creation come and reveal themselves to you. The effect is seen at every level of existence, every layer of the being, the physical and financial progresses in life.
—The author is a well-known practicing yogi, and heads Dhyan Foundation in Delhi. He can be reached on +919313748401 |
