The origin of Yoga is millennial and the first time it is seen written about dates back to the 5th century B.C. in the Katha Upanishad.
The root of the term Yoga comes from the Sanskrit Yuj, meaning "to unite", and later from the Latin iungere and iugum. Yoga can thus be interpreted as a way of reuniting ourselves but also of reconnecting with our supramental and spiritual dimensions that naturally and natively reside within us but which we often tend to forget because of the hustle and bustle of daily life or sometimes, simply because we are unaware of our potential.
Nowadays Yoga runs the risk of being trivially reduced to more or less choreographed bodily postures when in fact Asanas (precisely the bodily postures) represent only one-eighth of the ways and peculiarities of yoga.
In fact, according to Patanjali, who was the first, in his famous yoga sutras, to structure the discipline of yoga as we know it, there are eight stages to ultimate realization:
- Yama: Moral, Universal and Moral Principles. Basically, a healthy approach to daily life and relationship with other people
- Niyama: Personal Principles and Observances. An internal path to self-discovery and development.
- Asana: Bodily Attitudes. Static or dynamic body postures that allow physical purification and to resonate with specific energies and frequencies
- Pranayama: Breathing techniques. On average, people use a small part of their breathing potential. Through Pranayama, breathing can become much more effective
- Pratyahara: the withdrawal of the senses, that is, the ability to detach ourselves from the world around us by taking everything that happens to us in life with appropriate sense of detachment and calmness
- Dharana: concentration. Effective Pratyahara leads to a much higher capacity for concentration and the channeling of energy to our real focus of attention.
- Dhyana: Meditation. Concentration, can be educated and directed toward meditative states and stages aimed at attunement to specific energies and vibrations but also at searching within oneself with appropriate introspective techniques.
- Samadhi: enlightenment and a state of intense and ineffable communion with the divine. A state of communion with our ultimate essence (ATMAN) and transcendental presence.
Source: Author. A Meditation in Yang Spiral, a powerful tool to concentrate energies.
Through these 8 ways, Yoga enables the practitioner to pursue many physical, mental, psychological, supra-mental and relational benefits.
These are some of the main benefits:
- eliminates stress
- eliminates psychological tension, depression and neurosis
- cures many afflictions of the physical body
- amplifies memory and intellectual powers
- balances all structures of the human being
- stimulates immunity
- induces a deep state of calm and inner peace
- opens the way to wisdom
- frees man from prejudices, inhibitions and limitations
- improves the ability to communicate with others
- harmonizes erotic life
- activates willpower
- amplifies self-confidence
- facilitates success and achievement
- harmonizes the structure of the physical body, eliminating excess fat
- strengthens muscles
- increases concentration
- awakens and amplifies the capacity to love
- opens man toward authentic spiritual communication with God and the Universe.
Source: Author. Me holding a class with Trikonasana posture (the triangle posture).
In our school's courses, particularly in the Esoteric Integral Yoga Path, all these issues are addressed through a path that has lasted more than 30 years. A path to self-discovery, energization, refinement of intentions, and interpretation of reality from various authentic traditional perspectives.
Source: Author. Me holding a class while performing a warm-up excercise.
This is why we should do our best to transform the Sadhana (i.e., spiritual practice) of the hall, into the Sadhana of life.