Mudras For Yoga

Retaining no traces of individuality to hinder the flow of God's love and harmony through them, their work is done by God, their teachings are from God and the transformations they cause are also from God alone. God, then, is the actual Guru, the physical body only serving to spread love and knowledge about His own Self.

This is the true foundation of Siddha Yoga in which allegiance to the guru is complete. Reverence of the spiritual master as God is the foundational belief. Those who embrace such a path find true protection, peace, love, joy, well being and the experience of the Divine at every step because of blessings from their spiritual master.

(See also: Siddha Yoga , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Siddha Yoga: Guru is Divinity, Says Siddha Yoga  

Practising yoga regularly imparts great benefits. Among them are improved concentration and clarity in mind. But in the more advanced stages of yoga practising comes benefits like mind and psychic control. When thoughts are experienced just as thoughts, not as reality itself, then the path to freedom which yoga promises begins to unfold naturally. And that path is as sweet as a perfectly ripe mango.

Read more here: » Yoga: Special Spiritual Benefits of Yoga

mudras:

mudras - muscular contractions that include the bandhas

(See also: mudras , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Tantra: Orgasm and ejaculation

Stated with extreme simplicity, orgasm is an intensely beatific state of consciousness and canceling of ego, with profound harmonizing, relaxing and regenerative effects. Male and female ejaculation is only a complex physiologic process of explosively energetic discharge with a dim manifestation of a brief, incipient orgasm, experienced in a selfish unilateral way. During ejaculation, the energy is quickly wasted and for no purpose (except when conception is wanted).

Read more here: » Tantra Yoga: Orgasm and ejaculation

A dictionary Of Commonly Used Sanskrit terms. From Lac to Omkarasana.

Please note that all words in grey, like "yoga", "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

Dhyana-yoga of Bhagavad-Gita

In this chapter the Lord explains that the process of the eightfold yoga system (astanga-yoga) is a means to control the mind and the senses. This practice culminates in samadhi, full consciousness of the Supreme. However, this is very difficult for people in general to perform, especially in the Age of Kali. Although astanga-yoga is recommended in this chapter, the Lord emphasises that the process of bhakti-yoga, is better.

Read more here: » Dhyana Yoga: Dhyana-yoga of Bhagavad-Gita

Tantra: Returning to origins

TANTRA YOGA considers that the human being has an extremely complex body and mind. The usual consciousness of wakefulness is considered to be only a very small fraction of our native intelligence, fruit of a very long period of evolution and development of the human being. The practitioner tries to follow the same road of evolution but in an opposite direction. He must go through all stages in inverted order and leave them behind, until he finds the starting point or the unique origin. This is logical if we realize that TANTRA considers the human being to be a summary of the Universe and therefore all the cosmic elements have their correspondent in the visible and invisible man.

Read more here: » Tantra Yoga: Returning to origins

Karma Yoga - The Yoga of Action

Karma yoga joins both the physical and mental aspects of Hindu philosophy to produce a single concept. It believes that the present relies on the past and that in turn, with your actions, you can alter the future. Selflessness is a primary requirement for karma practice. Steering your actions towards the good Ð saying good, thinking good, doing good will all facilitate selflessness. Acting this way eliminates egoistic and negative behaviour and enables you to influence your destiny.

Read more here: » Yoga Branches: Karma Yoga

A Theosophical definition of Mudra :

Mudra

(Sanskrit) A general name for certain intertwinings or positions of the fingers of the two hands, used alone or together, in devotional yoga or exoteric religious worship, and these mudras or digital positions are held by many Oriental mystics to have particular esoteric significance.

They are found both in the Buddhist statues of northern Asia, especially those belonging to the Yogachara school, and also in India where they are perhaps particularly affected by the Hindu tantrikas.

There is doubtless a good deal of hid efficacy in holding the fingers in proper position during meditation, but to the genuine occult student the symbolic meaning of such mudras or digital positions is by far more useful and interesting. The subject is too intricate, and of importance too small, to call for much detail of explanation here, or even to attempt a full exposition of the subject.

See also: Mudra , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

Purification is of two kinds: Antar-Dhauti (internal cleaning) and Bahir-Dhauti (external cleaning). There are some other Dhautis, viz., Danta Dhauti (cleaning the teeth), Jihva Dhauti (cleaning the tongue), Karna Dhauti (cleaning the ears), Mula Sodhana Dhauti (cleaning the anus), etc.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Dhauti: Dhauti and Kundalini Yoga

Agochari Mudra agocari mudra (Sanskrit) One of five mudras practiced by Aryas as beginning stages of raja and hatha yoga, the other four being bhuchari, chachuri, khechari, and charachari.

See also MUDRA (BCW 2:119)

(See also: Agochari Mudra, agocari mudra , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

One should become perfectly desireless and should be full of Vairagya before attempting to awaken Kundalini. It can be awakened only when a man rises above Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and other impurities. Kundalini can be awakened through rising above desires of the senses. The Yogi, who has got a pure heart and a mind free from passions and desires will be benefited by awakening Kundalini. If a man with a lot of impurities in the mind awakens the Sakti by sheer force through Asanas, Pranayamas and Mudras, he will break his legs and stumble down. He will not be able to ascend the Yogic ladder.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Awaken The Kundalini: How To Awaken The Kundalini

Pregnancy is a total experience. It is a time in a woman's life when it is of prime importance that the various dimensions of her being are in harmony. The regular practice of certain yoga exercises, meditation and breathing techniques ensures optimum health of her body and mind, and the unification of her physical, emotional and spiritual growth with that of the developing child.

Read more here: » Yoga: Yoga And Pregnancy

Ayurveda and Yoga can be called sister sciences of 'self-healing and self-realisation'. Both evolved from a Vedic background in ancient India, based on the same philosophy, sharing many practices. Ayurveda, the 'yogic form of healing', is aimed at bringing us back into harmony with our true Self or Atman . The great Ayurvedic teacher Charaka defines Ayurveda as the harmony of body, prana , mind and soul. Patanjali defines yoga as controlling the mind in order to realise the Purusha .

(See also: Ayurveda , God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Ayurveda: Ayurveda and Yoga - Healing Touch  

anjali mudra: (Sanskrit) "Reverence gesture." Also called pranamanjali. A gesture of respect and greeting, in which the two palms are held softly together and slightly cupped. Often accompanied by the verbal salutation "namaskara," meaning "reverent salutation." The anjali mudra has various forms, including held near the chest in greeting equals, at eye level in greeting one's guru, and above the head in salutation to God. One form is with the open hands placed side by side, as if by a beggar to receive food, or a worshiper beseeching God's grace in the temple. See: mudra, namaskara.

(See also: Anjali mudra , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

 Laya Yoga - The Essence Of All Religion

Yoga is the essence of every religion and is that what all religions have in common. If a man really wants to go deeply into the mystical and spiritual essence of their religion, then he or she comes to practise yoga. We say that yoga is not a religion in a sense of an individual creed or a sect separating from others, we also say that yoga is the substance and profundity of every religion and its inner cult. That is why one can be a member of every religious society and practise yoga. Two rules, or if one prefers, two commandments present in all scriptures such as Veda, Koran or the Bible are as if two angelic, divine wings of the Laya Yoga training. " Be holy because I am Holy" and " Be so perfect as your Heavenly Father is" these are the signs of an authentic, spiritual path of universal life.

Read more here: » Laya Yoga: The Essence Of All Religion - Laya Yoga

Nauli Kriya is intended for regenerating, invigorating and stimulating the abdominal viscera and the gastro-intestinal or alimentary system. For the practice of Nauli you should know the Uddiyana Bandha. Uddiyana can be done even in a sitting posture; but Nauli is generally done while standing.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Nauli Kriya: Nauli Kriya and Kundalini Yoga

Tantra Yoga

Tantra Yoga is probably the most misconstrued of all yogas. Most people perceive it as purely sexual, and although sex is a part of it, its key principle is actually consecration. This means to make everything you do, sacred or holy. It encourages a ritualistic approach to life. In this way, it draws our attention to our actions in all states, whether asleep or awake. Purity, devotion and courage are essential to Tantric practices.

Read more here: » Yoga Branches: Tantra Yoga

hatha yoga: (Sanskrit) "Forceful yoga."

Hatha yoga is a system of physical and mental exercise developed in ancient times as a means of rejuvenation by rishis and tapasvins who meditated for long hours, and used today in preparing the body and mind for meditation.

Its elements are

1)    postures (asana),

2)    cleansing practices (dhauti or shodhana),

3)    breath control (pranayama),

4)    locks (bandha, which temporarily restrict local flows of prana) and

5)    hand gestures (mudra), all of which regulate the flow of prana and purify the inner and outer bodies.

Hatha yoga is broadly practiced in many traditions. It is the third limb (anga) of Patanjali's raja yoga. It is integral to the Saiva and Shakta tantra traditions, and part of modern ayurveda treatment. In the West, hatha yoga has been superficially adopted as a health-promoting, limbering, stress-reducing form of exercise, often included in aerobic routines.

Esoterically, ha and tha, respectively, indicate the microcosmic sun (ha) and moon (tha), which symbolize the masculine current, pingala nadi, and feminine current, ida nadi, in the human body. The most popular hatha yoga manuals are Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Gheranda Samhita.

See: hatha yoga, asana, kundalini, nadi, yoga, raja yoga.

(See also: Hatha yoga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Kundalini Yoga Ð In this style of yoga, the spine is regarded as a snake. It was brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan in the late 1960s. The practice concentrates on releasing the Kundalini energy which is found at the base of the spine. Kundalini Yoga includes a series of classic poses and chanting. The emphasis however, is not on the Asana but on the chanting. Spiritual transformation is the main aim of practice.

Read more here: » Hatha Yoga Styles: Kundalini Yoga

‘Basti’ exercise is intended to serve the purpose of ‘enema’ to pass out the accumulation of faeces from the intestinal canal. There are two varieties, viz., Sthala Basti and Jala Basti.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Basti: Basti and Kundalini Yoga

On Kriya Yoga

 Extract from The Essence of Self-Realization by Paramhansa Yogananda.

Read more here: » Kriya Yoga: On Kriya Yoga