...The word "Yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit word "yuj" which means "to yoke". This roughly translated means "the union of the Individual Soul with the Universal Soul". Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice originating in India more than 5000 years ago. Its practice can be viewed either as physiological mastery (exercise), spiritual mastery, or both. There are four major branches of yoga.

*Bhakti Yoga ~ The yoga of devotion to a deity.
*Jnana Yoga ~ The yoga of intellectual endeavor and knowledge.
*Karma Yoga ~ The yoga of action in the world.
*Raja Yoga ~ The yoga of meditation.

There are many sub-branches including Anahata, Hatha, Kriya, anusara, kundalini, Anuyoga, Iyengar, Mahayoga, Ashtanga, Natya, Sivananda, Ati, Krishnamacharya, Pranava, Swara, Bikram, Kripalu and many more. The goals of yoga are expressed differently in different traditions. Kripalu Yoga is one of the many styles of teaching Hatha Yoga and is the style we'll be discussing here.

Kripalu Yoga can be described as the reciprocity of mind, energy and physical body. The prana or life force is the subtle current of rhythmic energy pulsations within the physical body. Every single act of the physical body is strongly affecte...more

Strong Meditation from Yoga

...always moving and very easy to disturb. From childbirth, the mind is filled with ego, pride, lust, and human desires and a person is bothered by these and other stresses. When you learn to make the mind calm and to get some of the energy that is in the body, you have reached one of the goals of meditation in yoga. You are able to accomplish this if you are willing to move along with the basic philosophies that are involved in meditation in yoga that are listed below.

1. To do yoga, you should have a private place and be able to go along with the sitting poses in the right way. You should be able to focus on your mind and clean your heart by using the mind, senses, and movement.

2. You should be able to keep your neck, body, and head straight and in an up and down pattern. You should hold a ...more

raja Yoga, The Royal road to Enlightenment

... the mind. At this point, the practitioner achieves detachment and can watch any more thoughts, which bubble up in the mind but not become attached to them. After a while, the thoughts are stilled and the yogi can begin to feel the first glimmerings of being at one with the Creator.

States of The Mind

raja Yoga deals primarily with the modification and control of the mind. It posits that there are 5 states of mind, ranging from the primarily material to the primarily spiritual state. These are:

- the Kshipta state, in which the mind is chasing all over the place. That is the state in which most people live their lives and one in which the mind isn't centered in the present, but is continually dealing with past and future situations as well.

- the Mudha state, in which the mind is less unsettled, but is still forgetful and foolish in a spiritual sense.

- the Vikshipta ...more

Will Yoga Improve My Personality?

...I saw this question on a yoga FAQ and I confess, it made me laugh, although it is a good question.

Yoga will not improve your personality - there is nothing wrong with your personality. Regardless of who you are, you are a perfect being in and of yourself. But here are a few comments on what yoga can do for you, for yourself in terms of your personality.

First of all, a regular practice of asana will leave your body in better condition; that is to say, it will tone your muscles, make your body more supple and likely decrease any chronic pains you may experience. A toned body will also increase y...more

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