What Is Yoga?

If you think of people in seemingly impossible and weirdly twisted poses when you think of "Yoga", then you may have an inkling of what yoga is, just an inkling that's it. Yoga is much more than those poses. Derived from the Sankrit word "yuj" which means "to unite or integrate"; yoga is a 5000 year old Indian body of knowledge. Yoga is all about harmonizing the body with the mind and breath through the means of various breathing techniques, yoga postures (asanas) and meditation.

Sri Sri Yoga is a 10 hours' workshop spread over 3-5 days, uniting the body, breath and mind in a joyful experience. A combination of gentle and vigorous series of asanas is taught for the well-being of the body, while an equal emphasis is placed on techniques for nurturing the mind and spirit. With Sri Sri Yoga's multi dimensional routine combining yoga postures, breathing techniques, yogic knowledge and meditation, students gain a complete take home practice. It is suitable for beginners as well as experienced yoga practitioners. Through the practices taught in the workshop, participants can lose weight and be cured of chronic diseases such as insomnia, asthma, diabetes, hypertension and migraine.

Yoga has never been alien to us. It's a way of our life. We have been doing it since we were a baby! Whether it is the Cat Stretch that strengthens the spine or the Wind-Relieving pose that boosts digestion, you will always see kids do some form of yoga throughout the day. Yoga works for everyone from people engaged in desk jobs to professional cyclists to runners to people looking for weight loss to housewives to students. This section mostly explains how yoga can improve the quality of life for everyone who adopts this practice.

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of natural and holistic medicine. Ayurveda means "the science of life" (the Sanskrit root "ayur" means "longevity" or "life" and "veda" means "science"). Ayurveda provides guidance on how to improve our lifestyle while living a healthy and zestful life. Practicing ayurveda also improves your yoga practice, a perfect win-win situation! This section sheds light on how ayurveda can uplift our life in every sphere.

Pranayama is the art of effective breath control. Practicing proper techniques of breathing can help bring more oxygen to the blood and brain, eventually helping control prana or the vital life energy. Pranayama also goes hand in hand with various yoga asanas. The union of these two yogic principles is considered as the highest form of purification and self-discipline, covering both mind and body. Pranayama techniques also prepare us for a deeper experience of meditation. Know more about various pranayama techniques in these sections.

This section lays an exclusive commentary by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on the ancient scripture, Patanjali Yoga Sutras, which will enlighten you on the knowledge of yoga, its origin and purpose. The goal of this rendition of the Yoga Sutras is to make the principles and practices of the Yoga Sutras more understandable and accessible. The descriptions of each sutra offered by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar attempts to focus on the practical suggestions of what can be done to experience the ultimate benefits of a yogic lifestyle.

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Yoga : What Is Yoga? - Art of Living foundation