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What is Yoga?

Yogas chitta vritti nirodha
Yoga is the cessation of mental fragmentation
(yoga is the cessation of the wrong turning of the mind).
(yoga is establishing the mind in stillness)

Yogas: Oneness, yoga, couple, union, integration, intercourse
Chitta: mind, the mental ocean of perception and reflection
Vritti: wave, the action of rolling/whirling, modification, fluctuations, way of being
Nirodha: cessation, ending

‘What is yoga?’ is experientially answered with the understanding of these four words; the process defines both the ‘discipline’ and the ‘practice’ of yoga as the living answer of this question is being yoga.

Yoga: Patanjali defines ‘Yoga’ as a way of being in his first four Yoga Sutras as follows:

1. Now-Yoga.

2. Yoga is the cessation of mental fragmentation;

3. Then the seer abides in and as its true nature;

4. Otherwise the seer is regarded as a mental formulation.

Like being in Love…

The great challenge to experientialy understanding the definition of yoga that Patanjali provides is to engage your thinking mind appropriately without limiting the definition to its optic (in other words the means is the end as the way of experiential understanding is itself Yoga).

Patanjali, the father of yoga, does this skillfully with the words ‘chitta vritti nirodha’ where chitta is the ‘ocean’ or field of all possibilities, vritti is a ‘wave’ of mental activity/motion/fragmentation, and nirodha is that which flowers when fragmentation has ended – it is silence that is not broken by sound.

Three relationships that give the taste of the experiential understanding of this question are:

a) Shakespeare and Hamlet;

b) the Ocean and a Wave;

c) Dancer and Dance;

a) Shakespeare and Hamlet – Hamlet is Shakespeare’s mental creation;

Hamlet and other characters are the means by which Shakespeare expressed himself and without them Shakespeare could not be as he is known today. Thus Shakespeare cannot be/express himself without Hamlet and Hamlet cannot be without Shakespeare. Since Shakespeare created Hamlet it follows that Hamlet is of the same kind as his Source, Shakespeare, yet it is obviously preposterous for Hamlet, a fragment, to think of or regard himself as being identical to Shakespeare.

b) Ocean and Wave
There has to be an ocean (chitta) for a wave (vritti) to appear.

A wave (vritti) is the means whereby the ocean (chitta) expresses itself. Thus a wave is in the ocean and the ocean is in the wave. The wave is distinct yet not separate or different from the ocean; the ocean is distinct yet not separate from the wave as the wave is its means of expression.

c) Dancer and Dance
The Dancer IS the Dance; the Dance IS the Dancer.

A dancer is by dancing; without the dancer there can be no dance. A dance is the means whereby a dancer expresses her/himself; without a dance there can be no dancer.

The binary nature or ‘withness‘ that all three of the relationships given above have in common are:

1) chitta

2) vritti

3) nirodha

where:

1) ‘chitta’ is the mental field/ocean with its ’subject and object’ or ‘ocean and wave’ duality described/regarded from the perspective of the ocean;

2) ‘vritti’ is the wave of mental fragmentation of ’subject and object’ regarded from the perspective of the wave; this fragmentation is both the fundamental process of thinking and the separation that is a consequence of thinking (for example the mental activity of describing/regarding things like ‘chitta-ocean’ and ‘vritti-wave’ is ‘vritti’ as the process of separation whereby each thing is rendered distinct by mentally describing/thinking of it in terms of the other; thus vritti is thinking and it is also the separation that happens as a consequence of thinking).

3) nirodha is the silence that is always available and is when fragmentation has ceased; it is authentic silence that includes and transcends the silence that is mentally understood via ‘chitta’ and ‘vritti’ without self-contradiction; this is silence that like Om, music, song and dance includes sound and motion without breaking silence (it is the peace beyond understanding as the spiritual heart that is the homeground of being… it expresses itself – it is breathing as it flows as spirit~heart~mind~body [it branches or 'waves' and its branches branch] and it flowers as body~mind~heart~spirit).

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Listen to this music whenever you feel stressed out or when you want to read a book, write, meditate or anything else that requires you to be calm and focused. The music starts after 30 seconds. Hope this helps – Enjoy!

Sit Back, Relax, Enjoy

This meditation will help you to relax. The beautifully voice guide you trough the whole meditation. you will feel calm, at peace when you go deeper into this meditation. Its a self help meditation, which brings you more in balance and gives you a peace of mind.

Yoga for Asthma and Bronchitis

Written by: mec-mec

Yoga is a system inclusive of physical and mental training that can benefit people of all ages. It involves Asanas (body postures) and Pranayama (art of breath control), among which of its physical uses are to reduce stress-related conditions, help with circulatory and respiratory disorders such as Asthma and Bronchitis, and improve over-all health.

Asthma and Bronchitis are two chronic lung ailments that can cause damage to the lungs. These should be treated immediately to avoid any complications.

Asthma

This is a very common respiratory complaint, which involves a severe narrowing of the bronchial tubes (bronchi). These tubes lead from the windpipe – called the trachea – into the lungs and they carry the oxygen we breathe in to all parts of the lungs and provide a path for the carbon dioxide to escape up the trachea when we breathe out. This narrowing of the bronchi causes difficulty in breathing, specifically when breathing out.

The typical attack is characterized by a sudden shortness of breath and wheezing, also sometimes accompanied by coughing. The bringing up of phlegm is not a prominent part of the attack, but if it occurs, the patient may also have Bronchitis. Asthma attack is triggered by infections like common cold and sinusitis, irritants or allergens breathed in like fumes and dust, food allergens, psychological changes, physical exertion, and even medicinal drugs. Identifying the causes and treating the symptoms early on can help prevent attacks and make it worse.

Bronchitis

Bronchitis is a more critical lung ailment compared to Asthma – a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)– and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. This is a serious infection of the lungs and bronchial tubes, which can become chronic. Breathing polluted air and smoking are mainly responsible for this ailment.

This particular disorder has inflamed bronchial tubes caused by a bacterial or viral infection. It may develop suddenly, following a head cold (acute Bronchitis), or it may persist or return regularly for many years, causing progressive degeneration of bronchi and lungs (chronic Bronchitis). The color of the sputum (phlegm) shows how serious the form of chronic Bronchitis is. On one hand, initial symptoms for acute Bronchitis include head cold, running nose, fever and chills, aching muscles, and possibly back pain. The most obvious feature that follows is persistent cough. On the other hand, chronic Bronchitis is characterized by cough with sputum (phlegm), and other symptoms depend on how much or how little emphysema is present.

Certain people are more susceptible than others; men are more so than women, outnumbering them ten to one – the reasons why are unclear. Smokers are 50 times more likely to get chronic Bronchitis than non-smokers. Generally, it occurs with greater frequency in winter, in damp, cold climates, and in heavily polluted environments. Chilling, overcrowding, fatigue, and excessive smoking are contributory factors.

Yoga Exercises including the poses, breathing, and relaxation techniques put you in control of your mind and emotions, making you more relaxed and allowing you to breathe easier. This will also help your lungs work better and enhance airflow during Asthma attacks.

Here are the Yoga poses to help you feel better and take control over Asthma and Bronchitis, together with proper medication and your doctor’s help:

Easy Pose (Sukhasana) This is one of the classic Meditative Poses and is usually performed after doing the Corpse Pose. The Easy Pose helps in straightening the spine, slowing down metabolism, promoting inner tranquility, and keeping your mind still. Shoulder Lifts Many people hold tension in their necks and shoulders, leading to stiffness, bad posture, and tension headaches. Yoga practice can ease tension, increase flexibility, and tone the muscles. This section covers the steps on how to practice Shoulder Lifts. Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana) If done properly, the Half Spinal Twist lengthens and strengthens the spine. It is also beneficial for your liver, kidneys, as well as adrenal glands. Practice this Yoga Pose under the supervision of a Yoga instructor. In this section, learn how to perform the Half Spinal Twist. Wind Relieving Pose (Pavanamuktasana) The term Pavanamuktasana comes from the Sanskrit word ‘pavana’ which means air or wind and ‘mukta’ which means freedom or release. The Wind Relieving Pose works mainly on the digestive system. specifically, it helps in eliminating excess gas in the stomach. Yoga Exercise – Corpse Pose (Savasana) The Corpse Yoga Pose is considered as a classic relaxation Yoga Pose and is practiced before or in between Asanas as well as a Final Relaxation. While it looks deceptively simple, it is actually difficult to perform. Learn more on how to do it with the help of this article. Anuloma Viloma Anuloma Viloma is also called the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. In this Breathing Technique, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, and exhale through the other nostril. Learn how to do this technique for beginners by following the steps found in this article. Relaxation Pose There are three parts to proper relaxation – physical, mental and spiritual relaxation. Relaxation Yoga Pose relaxes your body and mind, and makes you feel refreshed after doing the asanas and the pranayamas.This is why it is an essential part of Yoga practice.

The general lifestyle involved in Yoga serves as a good therapy for respiratory problems. A healthy diet can build your resistance against cold, allergies, and other environmental causes of Asthma, Bronchitis, and other chronic respiratory disorders. It also promotes a non-smoking lifestyle.

According to Yoga philosophy, a calm mind produces regular breathing and a relaxed body. So, breathing exercises can definitely help people with Asthma and Bronchitis.