What does yoga mean to you?

souljourney108 · 08-20-2007, 03:06 AM

Hi All,

I know this has been asked in the past, but I think it's good to re-ask ourselves every day and make sure we don't go off track.

Yoga is being able to put my foot behind my head...Ha! Ha!..Only joking!!

Love to you all,
Soul

Hubert · 08-21-2007, 02:20 AM

Yoga is my survivor belt. I would surely sink without it.

**xela** · 08-21-2007, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hubert

Yoga is my survivor belt. I would surely sink without it.

Great way to put it! I love it.

souljourney108 · 08-21-2007, 10:50 PM

Hey Hubert...who you are will all-ways survive...eternally...

What is yoga for me?

Yoga is when a negative thought comes along and i don't identify with it..and it passes. I then stay as I am, peace, who we all really are...Individual spirit merges with or realizes it IS Universal spirit.Union. Living in Non-duality.

Peace to All,
Soul

Hubert · 08-22-2007, 02:22 AM

You are right of course, and I often forget this. One thing is to accept this mentally, and another is to know it from one's heart.
I am still struggling just to keep this in my mind. I found in the last year that my mind is not to be trusted. It takes the form of everything I focus on. If I focus on my work, and finaces, than it makes me desire fame or money, if I think of women, makes me desire to have women, if I focus on body, it makes me desire a healthy, strong and beautiful body, if I focus on reading the scriptures makes me desire to becaome something I am not, a saint. So the mind is the source of all my desires. But I need it to survive.
It is very hard to transcend the mind, and I am a just a beginner. Asana practice really helps, and I immediatly feel the lack of it's support if I skip sessions.

Rashmi · 08-22-2007, 10:37 PM

Dear friends,
Namaste,

To me yoga means as per vedas , Gita, ramayana and other scriptures the only path which will lead us systematically to god realision destroying the seeds of all the karmas which we have committed in countless births, of which we are unaware in present birth.

It destroys all types of soorrows further the knowledge of self which is glorified in vedas and scriptures can only be realised by hard practice of Astanga Yoga.The lives of countless yogis, Siddha purush as depicted and recorded from time to time in various scriptures in sanskrit and other languages of India glorify the divinity of Vedas and yoga which stems from it.
In words of Lord swami narayana
"'One who understands the nature of God on the basis of the four scriptures, namely: Samkhya, Yoga, Vedanta and Panchratra is the accomplished Jnani (wise)."

"The Atman is even more subtle and
unfathomable than the mind.
The Vedas and other scriptures glorify the vision of Atman.

Here, Lord Swaminarayan speaks of His own vision of Atman.

" From the Vedic Era to this present day,
many great souls have persevered in quest
of the Atman and have also experienced it:
Shukdevji (son of maharishi Ved Vyas), Jadabharat,
Shankracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhwacharya,
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nimbarkacharya, Bhairav Nath
Narsinh Mehta, Surdas, Tulsidas, Meerabai,
Aurobindo, Ramkrishna Paramhamsa.... "

Om

**Mirjana** · 08-23-2007, 03:31 AM

Dear Soul,

each morning when I open this forum I think how to put in words the answer on your question. Beacuse it is so many little details that is sometimes difficult to express with words. This year my awarness deepend that all I'm going through and how I feel is just a perception of my mind. So I become much more alert on my feelings and thoughts. Yoga Sutras are a big support, sometimes this forum, sometimes something else that I read. When you understand better where your weaknesses are coming from than you can have more understanding for others also. Critisism or stupid stubborness to get your wright has no value anymore but rather tenderness and understanding. Life gets different meanings and values and it is a lot of joy in it. I'm practicing asanas every morning. This is for me still a big part of my practice. You could say that I'm very much attached to. But in this fase I don't mind. So I know my body now much better. And I believe this is how it goes. When I will focus more on my mind I will know it also much better and than on my soul. For now I just sit still for a while each time after practicing asanas. Just to feel that peace and silence. That is how the teachings gets more sense.
The biggest gift from yoga is that it just feels wright. Before I also had everything but still something was missing...

Thank you for this question and lots of love to all of you!

souljourney108 · 08-23-2007, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hubert

You are right of course, and I often forget this. One thing is to accept this mentally, and another is to know it from one's heart.
I am still struggling just to keep this in my mind. I found in the last year that my mind is not to be trusted. It takes the form of everything I focus on. If I focus on my work, and finaces, than it makes me desire fame or money, if I think of women, makes me desire to have women, if I focus on body, it makes me desire a healthy, strong and beautiful body, if I focus on reading the scriptures makes me desire to becaome something I am not, a saint. So the mind is the source of all my desires. But I need it to survive.
It is very hard to transcend the mind, and I am a just a beginner. Asana practice really helps, and I immediatly feel the lack of it's support if I skip sessions.

It's true, asana helps and pranayam, and generally looking after our body... that's what I found also. When our energy is low (for example for women when we are menstruating), it is easier to react or identify with to old habit patterns of the mind. So until we are established in not identifying with the mind it helps to keep up asana and pranayam and good diet and proper sleep. But this alone doesn't help, in my experience. We have to be totally honest with when we are reacting, and what we are reacting to, face it fully without judging ourselves. We have to have a strong desire for liberation, peace, freedom from suffering. Reading scriptures and modern books from good teachers is great help. So is attending satsangs with a good teacher.

Wishing you success on your journey.

be in peace,
Soul

souljourney108 · 08-23-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirjana

Dear Soul,

each morning when I open this forum I think how to put in words the answer on your question. Beacuse it is so many little details that is sometimes difficult to express with words. This year my awarness deepend that all I'm going through and how I feel is just a perception of my mind. So I become much more alert on my feelings and thoughts. Yoga Sutras are a big support, sometimes this forum, sometimes something else that I read. When you understand better where your weaknesses are coming from than you can have more understanding for others also. Critisism or stupid stubborness to get your wright has no value anymore but rather tenderness and understanding. Life gets different meanings and values and it is a lot of joy in it. I'm practicing asanas every morning. This is for me still a big part of my practice. You could say that I'm very much attached to. But in this fase I don't mind. So I know my body now much better. And I believe this is how it goes. When I will focus more on my mind I will know it also much better and than on my soul. For now I just sit still for a while each time after practicing asanas. Just to feel that peace and silence. That is how the teachings gets more sense.
The biggest gift from yoga is that it just feels wright. Before I also had everything but still something was missing...

Thank you for this question and lots of love to all of you!

That's beautiful Mirjana, I think you did a beautiful job in expressing your experience of yoga...nearly made tears come...
love
Soul

Hubert · 08-24-2007, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by souljourney108

When our energy is low it is easier to react or identify with to old habit patterns of the mind.
....
be in peace,
Soul

Yup.
A light cold and the weakness it causes ... and all my dormant vasanas crop up like mushrooms after the rain.
So I fail ... but I get up again, and I notice, the fall was not that big this time.

justwannabe · 08-24-2007, 08:54 PM

to me it means becoming more aware of me and who I am, more aware of why I am who I am, and how I can modify or evolve who I am. I have not gotten all the answer but it seems more then I had. At times it has taken me to a darker place but at times it has taken me to a much lighter place where I enjoy the sun shine

08-21-2007, 10:50 PM	#4
souljourney108 Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: byron bay, australia Posts: 43	Hey Hubert...who you are will all-ways survive...eternally... What is yoga for me? Yoga is when a negative thought comes along and i don't identify with it..and it passes. I then stay as I am, peace, who we all really are...Individual spirit merges with or realizes it IS Universal spirit.Union. Living in Non-duality. Peace to All, Soul Last edited by souljourney108; 08-21-2007 at 10:53 PM. Reason: adding more...afterthought

08-22-2007, 10:37 PM	#6
Rashmi shatá Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: india Posts: 125	Dear friends, Namaste, To me yoga means as per vedas , Gita, ramayana and other scriptures the only path which will lead us systematically to god realision destroying the seeds of all the karmas which we have committed in countless births, of which we are unaware in present birth. It destroys all types of soorrows further the knowledge of self which is glorified in vedas and scriptures can only be realised by hard practice of Astanga Yoga.The lives of countless yogis, Siddha purush as depicted and recorded from time to time in various scriptures in sanskrit and other languages of India glorify the divinity of Vedas and yoga which stems from it. In words of Lord swami narayana "'One who understands the nature of God on the basis of the four scriptures, namely: Samkhya, Yoga, Vedanta and Panchratra is the accomplished Jnani (wise)." "The Atman is even more subtle and unfathomable than the mind. The Vedas and other scriptures glorify the vision of Atman. Here, Lord Swaminarayan speaks of His own vision of Atman. " From the Vedic Era to this present day, many great souls have persevered in quest of the Atman and have also experienced it: Shukdevji (son of maharishi Ved Vyas), Jadabharat, Shankracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhwacharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nimbarkacharya, Bhairav Nath Narsinh Mehta, Surdas, Tulsidas, Meerabai, Aurobindo, Ramkrishna Paramhamsa.... " Om __________________ rashmi

08-24-2007, 08:54 PM	#11
justwannabe pañcashata Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 539	to me it means becoming more aware of me and who I am, more aware of why I am who I am, and how I can modify or evolve who I am. I have not gotten all the answer but it seems more then I had. At times it has taken me to a darker place but at times it has taken me to a much lighter place where I enjoy the sun shine __________________ I am light, I am love, I am peace, I am kindness, I am happiness, I am here, it is now. I am, and so are you

08-20-2007, 03:06 AM	#1
souljourney108 Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: byron bay, australia Posts: 43	Hi All, I know this has been asked in the past, but I think it's good to re-ask ourselves every day and make sure we don't go off track. Yoga is being able to put my foot behind my head...Ha! Ha!..Only joking!! Love to you all, Soul

08-21-2007, 02:20 AM	#2
Hubert saptashata Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Romania Posts: 755	Yoga is my survivor belt. I would surely sink without it.

08-22-2007, 02:22 AM	#5
Hubert saptashata Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Romania Posts: 755	You are right of course, and I often forget this. One thing is to accept this mentally, and another is to know it from one's heart. I am still struggling just to keep this in my mind. I found in the last year that my mind is not to be trusted. It takes the form of everything I focus on. If I focus on my work, and finaces, than it makes me desire fame or money, if I think of women, makes me desire to have women, if I focus on body, it makes me desire a healthy, strong and beautiful body, if I focus on reading the scriptures makes me desire to becaome something I am not, a saint. So the mind is the source of all my desires. But I need it to survive. It is very hard to transcend the mind, and I am a just a beginner. Asana practice really helps, and I immediatly feel the lack of it's support if I skip sessions.

08-23-2007, 03:31 AM	#7
Mirjana Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 269	Dear Soul, each morning when I open this forum I think how to put in words the answer on your question. Beacuse it is so many little details that is sometimes difficult to express with words. This year my awarness deepend that all I'm going through and how I feel is just a perception of my mind. So I become much more alert on my feelings and thoughts. Yoga Sutras are a big support, sometimes this forum, sometimes something else that I read. When you understand better where your weaknesses are coming from than you can have more understanding for others also. Critisism or stupid stubborness to get your wright has no value anymore but rather tenderness and understanding. Life gets different meanings and values and it is a lot of joy in it. I'm practicing asanas every morning. This is for me still a big part of my practice. You could say that I'm very much attached to. But in this fase I don't mind. So I know my body now much better. And I believe this is how it goes. When I will focus more on my mind I will know it also much better and than on my soul. For now I just sit still for a while each time after practicing asanas. Just to feel that peace and silence. That is how the teachings gets more sense. The biggest gift from yoga is that it just feels wright. Before I also had everything but still something was missing... Thank you for this question and lots of love to all of you!