While lately Yoga has come to signify no more than several exercises, which are used for keeping the body in shape and duly flexible, Yoga goes way beyond this and is actually more a way of life than just a few ‘asanas’.
Originating from the Sanskrit term ‘yuj’ which means to unite, Yoga is the path taken in the pursuit of uniting oneself with ‘God’ or ‘Spirit’. Yoga is in no way a religious practice, but refers to God as being your inner spirit or soul.
The benefits of pure Yoga though definitely involving the physical being, are more about achieving inner peace and tranquility. Any one seeking to fully gain the benefits from Yoga must begin with the understanding that Yoga meditation, spiritual yoga and yoga exercises go hand in hand. One without the others is quite futile. Most of us seem to get carried away by shortcut methods, and simply follow some basic exercises while completely ignoring the holistic advantages of the system.
Being one of the five principles of Yoga, meditation is regarded as the constant observation of the mind. While the physical Yoga positions develop the human body muscles, meditation is designed to enhance the mind power. Understanding that inner peace and outer well-being are linked, and that ignoring one will automatically affect the other adversely too, is of prime importance here.
The human body is complexly linked to the soul and thus, it is impossible to expect one to flourish while the other is ignored. It is imperative that pure Yoga be adopted under the correct and wholesome guidance of learned teachers or literature, to enable you to fully understand the benefits of spiritual Yoga, and learn both Yoga exercises and Yoga meditation in sync with each other. Unless the body and soul are both worked upon simultaneously via Yoga and meditation, it is unlikely that full benefits will be reaped.
Seeking literature on pure Yoga that aims towards its holistic benefits is the first step to moving in this direction, and discovering the various stages of the human mind is the first step crucial to the understanding of spiritual Yoga. Knowing about the science of Yoga as well as its practice, will help in reaping the benefits of Yoga in a holistic manner, and will enable you to enrich your body, mind and soul.
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