Hinduism and Yoga

Yoga means union. Yoga aims to bring this union through the integration of various components of the body and mind into one harmonious whole and in the next stage through the union of the individual self with the Higher Self. Yoga unites a disorganized body and mind into one performing whole leading to the opening of energy channels and flowering of his consciousness. 

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Yoga Sampradaya: (Sanskrit) A term for Siddha Siddhanta.

See: Saivism.

(See also: Yoga Sampradaya, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

yoga: (Sanskrit) "Union." From yuj, "to yoke, harness, unite."

The philosophy, process, disciplines and practices whose purpose is the yoking of individual consciousness with transcendent or divine consciousness. One of the six darshanas, or systems of orthodox Hindu philosophy.

Yoga was codified by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras (ca 200 bce) as the eight limbs (ashtanga) of raja yoga. It is essentially a one system, but historically, parts of raja yoga have been developed and emphasized as yogas in themselves.

Prominent among the many forms of yoga are

-       hatha yoga (emphasizing bodily perfection in preparation for meditation),

-       kriya yoga (emphasizing breath control), as well as

-       karma yoga (selfless service) and

-       bhakti yoga (devotional practices) which could be regarded as an expression of raja yoga's first two limbs (yama and niyama).

See: Yoga, austerity, bhakti yoga, danda, hatha yoga, jivanmukta, raja yoga, shad darshana, siddha yoga, siddhi.

(See also: Yoga, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Hinduism and Creation: The 24 Principles of Creation & Samkhya Yoga

According to the Bhagavad gita, the Purusha enters the Prakriti and manifests the entire creation. At the human level, the purusha is compared symbolically with a man and the Prakriti with a woman. At the microcosmic level a union between the two indeed leads to the creation of a new being, which can be compared to the Hiranyagarbha (the golden embryo) at the microcosmic level. 

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An Introduction to Yoga

Yoga can be defined as a complete science of life. It was originated in India many thousands of years ago. It is the most diversified spiritual practice in the world and crosses over many cultures including Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Yoga also extends over multiple languages such as Hindi, Tibetan, Sanskrit and many more.

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The four main spiritual paths for God-realisation are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Karma Yoga is suitable for a man of active temperament, Bhakti Yoga for a man of devotional temperament, Raja Yoga for a man of mystic temperament, and Jnana Yoga for a man of rational and philosophical temperament, or a man of enquiry.

Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga or Kundalini Yoga, Lambika Yoga and Hatha Yoga, are other Yogas. Yoga, really, means union with God. The practice of Yoga leads to communion with the Lord. Whatever may be the starting point, the end reached is the same.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Yoga is a family of ancient spiritual practices that originated in India, where it remains a vibrant living tradition and is seen as a means to enlightenment. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga are considered the four main yogas, but there are many other types. In the West, yoga has become associated with the asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga, which are popular as fitness exercises. Yoga as a means to enlightenment is central to Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and has influenced other religious and spiritual pr ...

Including:

• Yoga - Yoga practice and intention
• Yoga - The word yoga
• Yoga - Diversity of yoga
• Yoga - Yoga and religion
• Yoga - Common themes
• Yoga - Origins
• Yoga - Hindu yoga
• Yoga - Bhagavad Gita
• Yoga - Patanjali
• Yoga - God in Yoga philosophy
• Yoga - Hatha yoga
• Yoga - Natya yoga
• Yoga - Buddhist yoga
• Yoga - Yoga and tantra
• Yoga - Notable Yogis

Read more here: » Yoga: Encyclopedia - Yoga

Raja Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga is one of the four major Yogic paths of Hinduism, the others being Karma yoga, Jnana yoga and Bhakti yoga. Raja Yoga involves psycho-physical meditational techniques to attain experiences of the truth and finally achieve liberation, described in Hindu thought as moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth). Raja yoga is also known as Ashtanga Yoga. The term Ashtanga means eight limbs, thus Ashtanga Yoga refers to the eight limbs of yoga. It is the classical Indian system of Hindu ...

Including:

• Raja Yoga - Origin
• Raja Yoga - Concept
• Raja Yoga - Practice
• Raja Yoga - Eight limbs of Raja Yoga
• Raja Yoga - Yama
• Raja Yoga - Niyama
• Raja Yoga - Asana
• Raja Yoga - Pranayama
• Raja Yoga - Pratyahara
• Raja Yoga - Dharana
• Raja Yoga - Dhyana
• Raja Yoga - Samadhi
• Raja Yoga - Results

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Yoga piracy is the appropriation of postures and techniques that are found in ancient and traditional yoga treatises belonging to Hinduism and India. India yogis have been concerned by such people as fitness instructors in the West who claim patents and copyrights on asanas (yoga poses) and pranayama techniques and sequences; and ayurvedic medicine. Typically, western practitioners and teachers have taken over the traditional knowledge, ...

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yoga pada: (Sanskrit) The third of the successive stages in spiritual unfoldment in Saiva Siddhanta, wherein the goal is Self Realization.

See: pada, yoga.

(See also: Yoga pada, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Yoga:

Yoga: union; union with the supreme being -  any course that makes for such union.

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

Modern yoga practice often includes traditional elements inherited from Hinduism, such as moral and ethical principles, postures designed to keep the body fit, spiritual philosophy, instruction by a guru, chanting of mantras (sacred syllables), quietening the breath, and stilling the mind through meditation. These elements are sometimes adapted to meet the needs of non-Hindu practitioners. Proponents of yoga see daily practice as beneficial in itself, leading to improved health, emotional well-being, mental clarity, and joy in living. ...

See also:

Yoga, Yoga - Yoga practice and intention, Yoga - The word yoga, Yoga - Diversity of yoga, Yoga - Yoga and religion, Yoga - Common themes, Yoga - Origins, Yoga - Hindu yoga, Yoga - Bhagavad Gita, Yoga - Patanjali, Yoga - God in Yoga philosophy, Yoga - Hatha yoga, Yoga - Natya yoga, Yoga - Buddhist yoga, Yoga - Yoga and tantra, Yoga - Notable Yogis

Read more here: » Yoga: Encyclopedia II - Yoga - Yoga practice and intention

jnana yoga: (Sanskrit) "Union of knowledge."

Describes the esoteric spiritual practices of the fully enlightened being, or jnani. An alternative meaning, popularized by Swami Vivekananda, is the quest for cognition through intellectual religious study, as one of four alternate paths to truth, the other three being bhakti yoga, karma yoga and raja yoga.

See: jnana, yoga.

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

The six Āstika or orthodox (accepting the authority of the Vedas) schools of Hindu philosophy are Nyāya, Vaisheshika, Sāmkhya, Yoga, Pūrva Mīmāmsā (also called just 'Mīmāmsā'), and Uttara Mīmāmsā (also called 'Vedanta'). The non-Vedic schools are called Nāstika, or heterodox, and refer to Buddhism, Jainism and Lokayata. The schools that continue to enrich Hinduism today are Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Yoga, and Uttara Mīmāmsā. See Hindu philosophy for a discussion of the historical significance of Sāmkhya, N ...

See also:

Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought

Hinduism - The Bhakti schools. Main article: Bhakti The Bhakti (Devotional) school takes its name from the Hindu term that signifies a blissful, selfless and overwhelming devotion of God as the beloved Father, Mother, Child, or whatever relationship finds appeal in the devotee's heart. The philosophy of Bhakti seeks to relate to the personal form of God. Seen as a form of Yoga, or union, it seeks to interlink the self with God, since consciousness of the body and limited mind as self is ...

See also:

Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship

Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism. Main article: History of Hinduism Hinduism is the world's oldest major religion in existence. From a Hindu perspective, the Sanatana Dharma propounds eternal and universal principles with no beginning or end. Hindu puranas and astronomical evidence within place Lord Krishna's birth at a date of 3100 BCE Krishna's incarnation was preceded by Lord Rama's, sometimes dated at over 5,000 BCE, or even millions of years ago according to the Ramayana. It is belie ...

See also:

Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Origins and society

Hinduism is criticized based on current or past regressive social customs such as Dowry, Sati and casteism. Many also criticize it by linking it with Hindutva (the theory of Hindu nationalism). From the worldview of the three other Abrahamic religions, Hinduism is criticized as being polytheistic and for promoting idolatry - both of which they consider evil. The Hindu counter-argument is that Hinduism is not polytheistic (monism or monistic theism is more apt), though it may present an appearance of polytheism to external obser ...

See also:

Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Criticism

Yoga Vasishtha: (Sanskrit) Poetic work of over 29,000 verses attributed to Valmiki. It is a dialog between Prince Rama and his teacher, Sage Vasishtha, in the form of 50 intriguing stories which present advaita and the concepts and ideals of yoga in elegant Sanskrit. (Variously dated between 500 and 1000 ce.)

(See also: Yoga Vasishtha, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

yoga:

techniques of developing and integrating energy; discipline or 'yoking' of the senses and the ego more...

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

bhakti yoga:

path of devotion to god.

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