As a Yoga Teacher, I have noticed a lot of my yoga beginner students asking me questions about the wider aspects of yoga.
Many of my students started yoga as a way to learn how to relax, to become more flexible and even to lose weight and help with fertility issues. However, over time, they notice other changes in their life and at the end of their class are keen to discuss the more spiritual side of yoga.
I find this fascinating and am always happy to share my understanding of yoga and its impact on life with fellow students.
Maybe you have started to reflect on some of the more subtle aspects of your practice and also have questions you would like to explore about yoga spirituality and philosophy.
Here are seven common questions students ask about yoga philosophy
1. Is Yoga a religion? In my view, yoga is not a religion. Yoga is a health and personal development system which covers healthy exercise, breathing exercises, healthy eating, meditation techniques and relaxation exercises. Together these principles offer you a set of tools to release stress and tension from your body, calm and clear your mind, rebalance your energy and help you become clearer about your purpose in life. If you are religious, then practicing yoga will increase your ability to enjoy your faith and become closer to your god.
2. What are the Sutras? The Sutras cover the principles and practices of yoga. It consists of threads or commentaries which bring together all the various strands and thoughts regarding yoga philosophy into one main literary source.
3. What are the Yamas and Niyamas? The Yamas and Niyamas form part of the Eight Limbs of Yoga. They offer personal guidelines and universal principles on how to live a healthy, balanced life.
4. I thought Yoga was just a set of exercises. What has Yoga Philosophy got to do with yoga? Yoga is over 5,000 years old. Yoga means union, balancing of the mind, body and spirit. Traditionally, the practice of yoga (exercises, relaxation and breathing exercises) was used to assist the monks in their daily spiritual practice. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Nowadays, many students view yoga as a series of stretching exercises and do not realize the rich heritage of their class.
5. If yoga is so old and good for you and supposed to be peace loving why are there still wars and dispute? Man has free will. Yoga is not prescriptive and does not dictate how you should live your life. Yoga, per se, offers you a set of tools to improve your health and well being. Like a grain of sand, it takes many yogis to make a difference on a local and national level.
6. I heard my Yoga Teacher talk about a man named Pantajali, who is he, and what is he famous for? In Yoga, there are many Master Teachers. People who dedicated their life to studying all aspects of yoga and then desired to share their knowledge with others. Patanjali is known as one of the founders of yoga. Born around 300 BC, Patanjali's knowledge of yoga is contained within the Sutras.
7. What are the Eight Limbs of Yoga? What exactly do they do? The Eight Limbs of Yoga form part of the Sutras and as such, form the ethical and philosophical foundation of your yoga practice.
The Eight Limbs consist of:
1. Yama (a set of social codes for communal ethical living)
2. Niyama (guidelines for personal conduct and behaviour)
3. Asana (yoga postures)
4. Pranayama (breath control)
5. Pratyahara (withdrawal and control of the senses)
6. Dharana (concentration)
7. Dhyana (meditation)
8. Samadhi (enlightenment, self-realisation)
In essence, yoga is a holistic health care system which heals, strengthens and unifies your mind body spirit. As such yoga philosophy offers you discourse and ethical considerations to reflect upon and develop the "mind" aspect of your being.
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Blessings From Ntathu Allen, Yoga and Meditation Teacher. Visit me for further support and encouragement on your personal wellness journey on http://www.yogainspires.co.uk.
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