| Hatha yoga is a combination of Asana and Pranayama.
The proper function of the body depends on its organs. Loss or illness of one of the organs harms the health of the entire body. The same rule applies to the study of yoga and its sections. All eight steps are interdependent and complement each other. Despite the apparent differences, they all lead to one goal. The failure to learn or improve any one of the eight stages will hinder the path to self-realization.
JNANA YOGA:
At a certain stage of development in this practice, a person realizes that the knower, knowledge and known are a single entity but not three different ones. It is easy to argue that, in the process of understanding the oneness of Brahman or Atma, for which anything “other” does not exist and the similar understanding is that, what exactly should happen; however, the validity of the same truth is revealed in the mind, when introspection shows, that knowledge is the knower, i.e., there is no entity that commits an act of cognition outside of knowledge; the cognized is also a knower, since cognized is all karma, the advanced position and manifestation of the knower - the artist, looking at his painting, sees himself in it, because his work, as a mirror, tells him about himself. Thus, as a result, it is clear that there is only knowledge, knowledge and knowledge.
KARMA-YOGA
It is the Yoga of action or manifesting in action. Day-to-day worldly actions and deeds, by themselves, are not a form of yoga, as they may have a selfish motive, desire for comfort, sensual pleasure or gratification; however, if they are selfless with an aim of making others successful or for the "good of the mankind" then it is karma yoga. A businessman, taking care of the welfare of his customers, employees and subordinates - in general, all the people he encounters and are connected in the course of his activities - is a karma yogi. Some people, having large fortunes and influence say, that they do not see themselves as owners of their money, but as care-takers. This idea can be applied to all manifestations of life, at any level and under any circumstances. Thus, every person, who is sincerely seeking selflessness, is to some extent, a karma-yogi; but this does not apply to egoism with respect to others, the kind of “acquired selfishness" when a blind impulse or the allocation of favourites, forces to do everything possible to satisfy only a loved one.
This subject is highlighted in the “Bhagavad-Gita". In this teaching, it is regarded as an action, motivated by Buddha, i.e., knowledge and love in the manifestations of life, mind and soul, which coexist together with creation.
Tantras:
A group of treatise, in which methods, similar to laya yoga, is described. The tantra system contains a set of formulae for worshipping the deities - which, however, are only the symbols - and the use of their powers; thus, it is in certain rituals, mechanically possessing magical powers, which is understood by the word "Tantra". Tantra literally means a loom or long threads in it, i.e., the description of hard-liners, well-established procedures or mechanisms.
FITNESS YOGA:
Presently, it is a fashionable form of gymnastics. It has nothing in common with the original Yoga, as it is only an exercise of the physical body, while the goal of true yoga practice is for spiritual enhancement. There are many misleading resemblances to the asanas of Hatha Yoga and the exercises of "fitness yoga", but it is necessary to keep in mind that the aim is not only the development of the "flexibility of body". Its goal is to achieve a certain level of consciousness using asanas. We must recognize that many modern schools of Hatha Yoga, in essence, are the same fitness sections, giving great importance to the correct way of doing asanas and not discussing the internal state of the pupil.
HATHA-YOGA
This system is associated primarily with the regulation of breathing as well as with other disciplines of training and exercises of the body. It is usually assumed that the "ha" means inhalation and "tha" – exhalation; they are translated respectively as solar and lunar breathing and associated by many commentators with the first two vitals winds or Vayu - Prana and Apana. Very often, this practice is viewed as a necessary step and further assistance to Raja Yoga, the discipline of development of the mind. Though, the fact is justified, that the enhanced thinking and especially, the sedentary lifestyle usually violate the natural processes of healthy breathing, but for the purposes of raja yoga - concentration, meditation etc. A person need not practice complete hatha yoga; it is enough to make sure that his breathing is calm and steady and to isolate mental strength from any bodily forces and stress, i.e., in other words, make sure that he develops and uses a positive state of the body and is not perturbed by wrong old thoughts, assuming that physical senses, energies and stresses can help in meditation. |
