"At a time when the world seems to be at a loss, rejecting past values without being able to establish new ones, yoga provides a means for people to find their own way of connecting with their true selves. Through this connection with their real selves it is possible for people to manifest harmony in the current age, and for compassion to emerge where hitherto there has been none."
A.P.M.B - pg.5 - Swami Santyananda Saraswati
Yoga has existed for thousands of years and was originally practiced in secret. At this time Yoga was not documented. The teachings were however, handed down from teacher to disciple by word of mouth for the generations to come.
Any and everybody can benefit from yoga no matter what their level of fitness. Yoga can be adapted to suit the needs of many. Yoga offers mental, physical and spiritual benefits all of which are accumulative although, may be felt to some degree after only one class. Some people refer to the feeling after their first session as being high or euphoric.
Yoga is quite often taken up as a form of stress release or as an exercise class. Yoga does offer these benefits coupled with vitality and a general sense of well being. However, we know this to be a very small part of the complete yoga experience.
Yoga is a system of postures, breathing practices, energy control techniques and meditation. All of these tools are used in order to evolve the human consciousness. Yoga is not like a gymnastic class where the focus is on controlling the body. The main aim of yoga is to control the whole of the being, especially the mind (as in 'Raja Yoga') to experience the unity between ‘individual’ and ‘universal self’.
Yoga means ‘union’ or to ‘yoke’. Yoga is harmony and balance of the individuals mind, body and soul. The aim of yoga practice is for the whole being (mind. body and the soul) to unite with the higher consciousness or ‘God’. The individual soul or ‘the self’ is referred to in yogic philosophy as ‘Atman’. The ‘universal self’ or ‘cosmic energy’ (God) is known as ‘Braham’. Yoga therefore is the ‘union’, blending of ‘Atman’ and ‘Brahman’.
Yoga is a way of life, a way of being, a philosophical concept to live by, it is not a religion. Yoga embraces all religions. Therefore it is open for everyone to experience, as yogis believe we all come from and return to the same source. With this in mind why would yoga exclude anyone when we are believed to be one and the same.
