/yoga/ - Yoga

Pranayama

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Man practicing Prāṇāyām

Man practicing Prāṇāyām

Prāṇāyāma (Sanskrit: प्राणायाम prāṇāyāma) is a Sanskrit word meaning "extension of the prāṇa or breath" or "extension of the life force". The word is composed of two Sanskrit words: prana, life force, or vital energy, (noted particularly as the breath), and ayāma, to extend or draw out. (Not "restrain, or control" as is often translated from yam instead of ayāma). It is a yogic discipline with origins in ancient India.

Etymology

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Prāṇāyāma (Devanagari: प्राणायाम prāṇāyāma) is a Sanskrit compound.

V. S. Apte provides fourteen different meanings for the word prāṇa (Devanagari: प्राण, prāṇa) including these:[1]

Breath, respiration

The breath of life, vital air, principle of life (usually plural in this sense, there being five such vital airs generally assumed, but three, six, seven, nine, and even ten are also spoken of)[2]

Energy, vigor

The spirit or soul

Of these meanings, the concept of "vital air" is used by Bhattacharyya to describe the concept as used in Sanskrit texts dealing with prāṇāyāma.[3] Thomas McEvilley translates prāṇa as "spirit-energy".[4] Its most subtle material form is the breath, but is also to be found in blood, and its most concentrated form is semen in men and vaginal fluid in women.[5]

Monier-Williams defines the compound prāṇāyāma as "(m., also pl.) N. of the three 'breath-exercises' performed during Saṃdhyā (See pūrak, rechak (English: retch or throw out), kumbhak".[6] This technical definition refers to a particular system of breath control with three processes as explained by Bhattacharyya: pūrak (to take the breath inside), kumbhak (to retain it), and rechak (to discharge it).[7] There are also other processes of prāṇāyāmaPost too long. Click here to view the full text.

Niyama

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Niyama (Sanskrit: नियम) literally means positive duties or observances.[1] In Indian traditions, particularly Yoga, niyamas are recommended activities and habits for healthy living, spiritual enlightenment and liberated state of existence.[2] It has multiple meanings depending on context in Hinduism. In Buddhism, the term extends to the determinations of nature, as in the Buddhist niyama dhammas. In Pāli the spelling niyāma is often used.[3]

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Virtues are extensively discussed in various ancient and medieval era texts of Hinduism. In its Yoga school, they are described in first two of eight limbs (steps, branches, components). The first limb is called yamas, which include virtuous self-restraints (the "don'ts"). The second limb is called niyamas which include virtuous habits, behaviors and observances (the "dos").[4][5] These virtues and ethical premises are considered in Hinduism as necessary for an individual to achieve a self-realized, enlightened, liberated state of existence (moksha).[6]

Five Niyamas

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the Niyamas are the second limb of the eight limbs of Yoga. Sadhana Pada Verse 32 lists the niyamas as:[7]

Śauca: purity, clearness of mind, speech and body[8]

Santoṣa: contentment, acceptance of others and of one's circumstances as they are, optimism for self[2]

Tapas: persistent meditation, perseverance, austerity[9][10]

Svādhyāya: study of self, self-reflection, introspection of self's thoughts,Post too long. Click here to view the full text.

>>112

cool, thanks anon. bretty awesome chart.

my initial interest comes from hearing that the chakras correspond to the hormonal glands which control your endocrine system. and i know a lot of what we think of as brain functionality is actually down to the nervous system. there's a lot about both which isn't well understood yet

>>115

hello newfriend. maybe if you work on balancing your chakras a bit you'll find it helps to cure your raging yogigotry

>>73

meditation is meditation

all of these people who say "running is my meditation" are bullshitting themselves

its like saying cycling is my running.

so yoga is to prepare the body for meditation and thats it's only focus. is thats not the end goal its not yoga.