Yoga UnveiledDocumentary

Commentary from the most prominent yoga scholars, teachers

and medical experts

EVOLUTION AND ESSENCE OF A SPIRITUAL TRADTIONProduced by: Gita and Mukesh Desai

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Yoga Unveiled

Documentary. I am in no way taking personal

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~Alicia Noonan

YOGA

Yogic Philosophy and Knowledge lies in dealing with how to still the restless mind, to focus on an inward journey in search of Self, to follow the path of selfless action and devotion, and to free oneself from ego-bound rigidity

The oldest spiritual practice in the world Is Universal; not one mans property

Yoga, in a nutshell, is to keep the entire–the external/internal–body clean, pure, sanctified, so that the mind flows, without any barrier within, and absorbs what goes on inside the body

Yoga is a medium that connects an individual with that individuals notion of the divine

The practice of yoga is the practice of coming back to ourselves and rediscovering ourselves and in fact coming to love ourselves and understanding that we are not separate from the totality

Yoga's purpose is to instill or to realize complete inner freedom; there are many pathways or approaches to this. Each person is working from the inside out and everybody’s path is different

The core of Yoga’s philosophy is that everything is supplied from within the individual

Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. When the mind has settled, we are established in our essential nature, which is unbounded consciousness

Yoga is the joining of the finite with the infinite, the limited with the unlimited

Yoga is not an add-on, it is simply a path into yourself Yoga means joining oneself firmly to a spiritual discipline, the central

element of which is the process of cultivating a full and present awareness of reality, in which all the energies of the body, senses, and mind are brought to a single point of tranquil focus

Yoga is to connect the individual to its original blessing, to its original creation and to discover the truth, the beauty…the joy of living

YOGA

goes far beyond

the mat

INDIA’S YOGAOVERVIEW

• Little is known about yoga's beginnings • It originated in India some 5,000 years ago• Evidence of yogic postures were depicted on steatite seals

from the ancient Indus Valley Civilization- existed 3000BC• The History of yoga can be divided into 4 broad categories:

Vedic, Pre-Classical, Epic and Classical• Yoga comes out of an oral tradition in which the teaching was

transmitted directly from the teacher to the student• India's romance with the spirit<3 and its material riches

were a continual source of fascination to Western explores • India was the richest country on Earth prior to European colonization• It’s heritage was high until British and Muslims invaded and

nearly abolished it completely, replacing their own religious influences. This, in turn scattered all of India's subjects (yoga, art, music, etc.)

• Later, all the scattered communicated ideas were brought together in the YOGA SUTRAS composed by: Patanjali

• Yoga probably arrived in the United States in the late 1800s, but it did not become widely known until the 1960s

There are 4 Periods in Early Indian History during which yoga developed:

1. VEDIC PERIOD 2500 BC (Indus Valley Civilization)2. PRE-CLASSICAL PERIOD 1000 BC- 500 BC3. EPIC PERIOD 600 BC4. CLASSICAL PEROIOD OF SUTRAS 500 BC-1000 BC

INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION“the birthplace of yoga”

3000 BC - Mohenjo Daro and Harappa

• 1921 & 1922 Excavation of these sights brought to light the existence of the Indus civilization which pushed back our knowledge of India’s past by another 2,000 years.

• The World’s artistically finest Steatite Seals were found including a variety of motifs: men in yogic postures (soles of feel touching together, hands on knees, legs stretched out) *It’s quite likely that these people had some idea and developed this religious aspect of yoga at this time

• India’s civilization can claim to be the oldest enduring civilization in the World• A great , prosperous nation that exported a large variety of goods to

Mesopotamia and other parts of the Middle East and Africa• Language: Sanskrit• People: Aryans• The entire Indus civilization was yogically based. It’s ancestors were masters of

yoga , the inner world and the outer world• The same people who created this yogic tradition, created a civilization that when

viewed today… We are ASTOUNDED by its accomplishments ;its architectural and engineering feats were not recreated until the Roman empire

VEDIC PERIOD 2500 BC• Traces of archaic yoga emerged• It’s people were known as Aryans and their culture was based on complex rituals and sacrifice (the sages felt

that through sacrifices/offerings into the fire they could connect with the subtle realm, increasing their own connection to inner freedom). During sacrifice, participants had to focus their minds for a long time…addressing the nature of *pure conciousness~becoming deeply involved in ways to still the mind* (these techniques of how to achieve one point focus defined the groundwork of YOGA).

• The Aryans hold a deep reverence for the natural world; equating nature to the creator himself. Since early man was dependent on nature, its elements became the first objects of worship.

• The Rishis/Sages were able to obtain astonishing insight/ knowledge (science, philosophy, dance, music, mathematics, medicine, astrology- above and beyond the technology at this time) it came through deep meditative practices. The Rishis were just like us, they had teaches show them the way- how the infinite potential within them could be accessed.

• Their spiritual insights were revealed in sacred scriptures called: THE VEDAS. VEDA means “knowledge” and they existed of 4 types: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda

• SANSKRIT was their medium for expressions (from the beginning of yoga history and for many centuries the Vedic tradition was transmitted orally by Gurus [a qualified teacher who had experienced what he was talking about and transmitting that in an intimate setting and handing it down the lineage; so ALL of traditional yoga is lineage based], nothing was written. Students memorized and recited them with precise hand movements)

The Mother of All Scriptures <3 VEDIC YOGARIG VEDA: Oldest existing text, contains hymns in praise of a higher power, evidence of yoga is found hereYAJUR VEDA: Included the knowledge of sacrificeSAMA VEDA: Knowledge of chants to accompany the sacrificesATHARVA VEDA: Knowledge of rituals and incantations for everyday life

Oldskool yogis of the Vedic period Yogis hadn’t much more than their body, mind and

speech.“You really need nothing outside of yourself”

During this time Yogis lived in forests, in seclusion

Yoga was also taught to kids, in the forests. They would observe their environment and were able to build and understand their relationship to nature (asana examples: trees, animals, birds)

PRE-CLASSICAL PERIOD 1000 BC-500 BC Gave rise to rich texts called the UPANISHADS:

books of wisdom and understanding (these writings shifted away from the Vedic ritualism and opened new channels of analysis and critique; *the focus* became mans inward journey in search of the Self)

This period we get clear criticism of the Vedic rights

Upanishad texts: Many were written in the forest and it is here that we see the 1st CLEAR explicit signs of YOGA

EPIC PERIOD 600 BC• Birth of the Bhagavad Gita: Great philosophical poem which has its

roots in the revelations of the Upanishads• It is the most beloved yogic text in India- In the Epic Lord Krishna urges his

self doubting pupil Arjana to follow the yoga of wisdom, selfless action and devotion

• The Gita delivers a message of enduring hope still to this day

CLASSICAL PERIOD OF SUTRAS 500-100 BC

SCHOOLS OF HINDUISM• When we look at yoga today, its a theory and practice continuum; its all one package – what

happened was in the development of Indian Civilization, some yoga masters felt the need to be more succinct in their phrasing of philosophical ideas and out of this grew:

THE 6 SYSTEMS OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

ORTHODOXDarshanas: to see the truthBELOW vVv all have their roots in Upanishads

UNORTHODOX

Nyaya Buddhism- Decided to drop Orthodox texts and severed themselves from that culture and started a new religion

Vaisesika JainismSamkhyaYogaPurva MimasaVendanta

•6 Schools of thought emerged

•More psychological than a philosophical school

•Yoga is articulated in a systematic way for the 1st time

Founded by:Guatama Rishi

Kanada Rishi

Kapila Muni

Patanjali

Jaimini

Badarayana

PATANJALI-lived and died as a human being

“Every so often an individual will come around and encapsulate some of the wisdom that has been evolved and discovered over thousands of years.

Patanjali has described how the human being is to liberate themselves both psychologically, emotionally and physically in this lifetime”

• He likely lived 200 AD in N India• He composed the YOGA SUTRAS: 2,000 year old work on yogic

philosophy• The Vedic ideas (the classical understandings of the mind)

described in now a single text; all the scattered communicated ideas were brought together here in response to philosophical challenges from the Buddhist tradition

• There are 196 SUTRAS / “versus sewn together” & in each one there is a distinct strand of yogic wisdom –Contains ones freedom from ego-bound virility and are meant to be studied under a teacher

• He systemized a particular version of yoga• The yoga of Patanjali- he presents yoga as a process of refining the

mind (understanding , refining and then using it to help serve our needs) it’s a psychology that explains the workings of the mind. It outlines various stages of samadhi [self-transcendence] leading to the separation of pure consciousness so you're not aware of anything

•  “For Patanjali, the goal of yoga is not asana.  Asana is simply a stepping-stone to something far more important, that is, realization of the innermost Self.”

PatanjalIs System

ASHTANGA: The 8 rungs of yoga- the 8 distinct stepping stones, the process of meditating to something far more important

1.) Yama: abstention

2.) Niyama: observance

3.) Asana: posture-point is so that one can sit without distractions for meditation

4.) Pranayama: breath control-conscious breathing is considered one of the best techniques for cleansing the mind 5.) Pratyahara: withdrawal from the senses- the senses of turning away from external objects; everything is turned inward6.) Dharana: intense concentration- the meditator, the object of meditation and the process of meditating become one7.) Dhyana: The total absence of though- deep tranquility, oneness

8.) Samadhi: Contemplation/ ecstasy- within meditation, the mind implodes on itself

Yoga Sutra’s 8 LIMB PATHPrerequisite for the Yogis

ASHTANGA YOGA OF PATANJALI

YAMA ABSTENSION AHIMSA- non violence SATYA- truth ASTEYA- non stealing BRAHMACHARYA-

celibacy

NIYAMA OBSERVANCE-How we live when no one is looking

SAUCA- cleanliness SANTOSHA-

contentment TAPAS- Austerity SVADHYAYA- self study ISHVARAPRANIDHANA-

total surrender to the creator

^^^ These 2 steps happen before anyone talks about posture practice

Yoga without moral foundations is an impossibility

BRANCHES OF YOGAFor ALL yoga systems, the goal is realization of the innermost self

*CONCIOUSNESS: Atman, Jive, Brahman, Purusha etc*

HISTORY OF EASTERN THOUGHT• A TRIALITY EXISTS• 3 divisions of the personality • BODY: external• MIND: just as external to the

innermost self as the body is; the mind in an inanimate entity

• The idea is for consciousness to separate from the external body as well as the internal workings of the mind

HISTORY OF WESTERN THOUGHT• A DUALITY EXISTS• Matter (body): external• Spirit: mind is associated with

spirit ; beingness is associated with thinking

TYPES OF YOGALIBERATION SYSTEMS: Systems that seek to free the individual from all habit

patterns of the mind, body and speech and to return him/her to consciousness

YOGA practices:

• Bhakti • Karma• Jnana• Raja• Tantra• Hatha-• Kundalini• Mantra

The goal for every one of these systems is the realization of the innermost Self

Bhakti Yoga• The yoga of DEVOTION to the love of God• Very religious type of yoga• Worship; yoga of the (e.g.: chanting, repetition of the divine name, rituals)• We direct our emotional life toward God with a lovingly response beyond our

ego to the Divine

KARMA YOGA• We have to be fully committed to self transcending action in

every moment• We regard our life as service to others without expectation of

any personal reward• EXAMPLES: Mother Teresa, Gandhi

JNANA YOGA• Yoga of the MIND- the yoga of wisdom• The wisdom that tells us what is real and what is unreal. When we find out

what is unreal we need to let go of it; it involves discernment and inner renunciation

RAJA YOGA• Works primarily with meditation and

higher states of mind – STOPPING, FIXING & CONTROLLING THE MIND

• This is the yoga of Patanjali- he presents yoga as a process of refining the mind (understanding , refining and then using it to help serve our needs)

TANTRA YOGA• Holistic approach to health &

well being

• Wise people combine all elements: aryuveda, astrology, numerology, diet, mantra and more

• Tantra accepted that this world is a manifestation of the ultimate reality; there is nowhere to run since the ultimate reality is everywhere

KUNDALINI YOGA• The Yoga of AWARENESS; Complex yoga• It’s mystifying: awakening of the psychic power within us• We can’t practice by ourselves, it truly requires Guru guidance

MANTRA YOGA Can be a single syllable, a number

of syllables or a whole verse

Something that protects the person who has received it

HATHA YOGA (HA-SUN THA-MOON) It’s name implies a forceful or disciplined practice

Late arrival on the stage of yoga history (maybe 1,000 years old) Gorakhpurs following still exists today in North India Posture practice is basic but consists of only meditation postures as it did in

the oldest Hatha scriptures It’s whole work is to prepare the body for spiritual realization/meditation/ to

reach SATVA: clarity, purity

The human body is of high importance and techniques were created that rejuvenated the body and prolonged life:

1.) CLEANSING for vitality- Shuddhi Kriya 2.) ASANAS for flexibility- designed to energize and move certain parts of the

body/organs. Doesn’t allow toxins and impurities to accumulate in the body 3.) PRANAYAMA- breath control (life energy); enlivens the body, its work and

keeps everything going 4.) MEDITATION- Dhyana

• Yogis came to the West with very little impact until SWAMIVIKANANDA came to America!!

• Born 1863 Calcutta, India- Passed 1902 @ 39• He received a Western education in Science, Literature and History. He was also

educated in Indian music, poetry and art.• @ age 25 HE WAS DESTINED TO CARRY THE TORCH OF HIS Master, Swikramarishna• He wandered India for 6 years as a penniless monk testing his will• SEPTEMBER 11, 1893 He came to America to speak at the Parliament of Religions in

Chicago @THE WORLDS COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION (The Worlds 400th Anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the New World). This was the 1st time delegates of the Worlds faiths were brought together. It highlighted the Worlds progress of humanity, especially in science and technology. Religion was VITAL to human culture at this time and was therefore included in the program.

• THE PARLIAMENT OF RELIGIONS consisted of 4,000 men and women. All of the speakers had prepared speeches, Swami was unaware to do so, he drew courage from the Goddess of Wisdom (Sarasviti) and spoke as a prophet with experience. He was such an inspiring speaker, he set the whole educated country on FIRE!

• He came here with a spiritual message from India. *No one was worthier than Swami to deliver this message. He brought the ancient yet dynamic philosophy of yoga to life. He introduced yoga as a tool to achieve harmony and overcome duality. His message was of tolerance and Universal acceptance of ALL religions. His purpose was to spread the message that all life forms evolve from one life-force

• He came to America and opened our eyes to a new way of thinking. They were hungry for more and wanted to hear his view of science and religion. Material success was losing

its charm and people were looking for a deeper meaning of LIFE

SWAMI

VIVIKENANDA

TKV KRISHNAMACHARYA Preserved the ancient tradition of yoga and trained the

greatest modern yoga masters

• Born 1888-1989• His History: @ age 5 he memorized the yoga sutras. He was a genius

and studied Sanskrit, aryuveda, music, law and more • Known as the single most important master of yoga within

Hinduism• His work formed the foundation of nearly all of the yoga practiced

in the World and greatly influenced the way we practice yoga here in the W

• His 4 DISCIPLES: Indra Devi, B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois, T.K.V. Desikachar ALL widely influenced the introduction of yoga to our culture… each yogi brought yoga to the West

Indra Devi (1899-2002), B.K.S. Iyengar (1918), K. Pattabhi Jois (1915- 2009)T.K.V. Desikachar (1938-)

Each of these individuals had a different reason for beginning their practice of yoga, yet they have gone on to share unselfishly

their knowledge and experience of yoga with the Western world

Mr. Iyengar’s assertion, “I started for health and then it became a dedicated service to

humanity,” reflects the dedication of all those yogis and yoginis who have committed their

lives to a yogic path.

From loinclothsto leotards

• Indian thought had a TREMENDOUS influence on transcendentalists (Thoreau uses words such as: Brahma)

• Before the twentieth century, it was practically unheard of for women to do Hatha yoga

• The modern emphases on precision of alignment, physical fitness, and therapeutic effects are purely twentieth-century innovations

MODERN YOGA

Modern yoga is based on five basic principles that were created by Swami Sivananda

1. Proper relaxation2. Proper exercise3. Proper breathing4. Proper diet5. Positive thinking and meditation

WESTERNERSGRINGOSo There is an ENORMOUS interest in Yoga in the U.S. and is continuing to increase

(20 million practitioners in the U.S. and millions more worldwide)o There are more people practicing yoga in the West than the Easto The yoga that the West has embraced can be traced back to the teachings of

the Brahman yogi, T.K.V. Krishnamacharya (1888-1989)o In the United States in particular, yoga has become a commodity

o “We clean ourselves, our jeans, our everything (we have almost an obsession with the purification of the body, mainly because it promises eternal youth).. But we don’t clean our mind or our speech. How can the one work without the other? We are 1 unit, we are body/minds that talk , so we have to regard all 3 in our work of self purification- YOGA provides all the needs necessary to do that.”

o To most of us, yoga is merely a series of postures that offers physical benefits but this confines the yoga to only what occurs on the mat, Asana is one of the thinnest slices of the entirety of yoga

o “While there has been a great interest in the discipline of yoga, we don't yet have the proper context for an authentic engagement of yoga in the West. And that is why it's not working.”

EASTERN VIEW Yogis understood the body was far more than just a physical form, early focus

was on the subtle energy systems and chakras that the poses both reflect and influence

SPIRITUALITY In India, spirituality is intertwined with every walk of life Religion is based on belief and having someone else do it for you and

spirituality is based in actual, personal experience and effort to make a change

“You are the master of your destiny; do not be discouraged in sorrows, difficulties, tribulations and manifestations of the daily battle of life. Draw courage and spiritual strength from within. There is a vast and inexhaustible magazine of power and knowledge within, learn the ways to tap the source, dive deep within.”

YOGA THERAPY What may begin as a physical effort starts

opening up other possibilities

• It touches every aspect of life really, if you do yoga long enough… you LIVE it

• Even if a person starts it with no interest in meditation and only wants to keep the body in shape by takings asana seriously.. There is a pretty good chance their lifestyle and diet changes and as life's suffering increases they become attracted to meditation

• Yoga doesn’t bring you a sense of peace, health and well being as a pharmaceutical drug; rather it helps you quiet down your mind and body so you can experience what your true nature is: which really is to be peaceful, until we disturb it

• When people learn to relax deeply, they are different out there in the world

• You begin to become more comfortable with yourself in yoga, therefore your perspective on things changes

• “It is our misconception of ourselves as separate from the rest of nature, the rest of the universe, that makes us behave and choose things that are not suitable for/or supportive of us that then cause physical malfunctioning, and then diseases.”

• The relaxation of true meditation has measurable beneficial effects on all levels of our being, with no damaging side effects

women, men, children, and the elderly eagerly participating in yoga

and meditation classes

YOGA’S ASTONISHING MEDICAL POTENTIAL

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE PROGRAMS’

Many physicians now recommend Yoga practice to patients at risk for heart disease, as well as those with back pain, arthritis, depression and other chronic conditions

ARYUVEDA: a 5,000 year old system of natural healing that provide guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, diet, behavior and the proper use of our senses

7- Chakra System: Energy centers are organized within the central spine/nervous system

• 1.) Crown• 2.) Brow• 3.) Throat• 4.) Heart• 5.) Naval• 6.) Sacral• 7.) Root

The body is an energetic system: as a system it needs subtle body organizational structure

Each of them is responsible for a certain level of functioning

Chakras are connected through NADIS (very subtle channels) where the energy flows through this entire system

There’s said to be 72,000 NADIS (complex)

^ energy draws up tol crown and beyondll^ll^ Spiritual energy l awakened ^^^^^ l^ll^llpotential

**Our GOAL and PURPOSE of yogic practices and an aryuvedic balanced lifestyle is to have all prana available @ any given moment to direct it through the central channels to the highest chakra

Annamaya

• Physical

• Food gets transformed to nutrients by breath

Pranamaya : Energy

Manomaya: Food for the mind and thought

Vijnamaya: Wisdom

• Knowledge: Turning thought into deep understanding

Anandamaya: Bliss

• Pure existence, eternal, not influenced by anything around you

KOSHAS- sheaths/ bodies field of operation

ENERGY

ROLES

When our energy gets attached/trapped due to things such as unresolved past issues, it is not available for the processing of

everyday life

5 ELEMENTS: @ the fundamental, physical manifestation of the UniverseWATERSPACEFIREAIREARTH

• The body is an energetic system: the five elements of nature, the doshas, the koshas, the chakras, and the nadis

TRI-DOSHA3 BASIC PRINCIPLES

VATA: air/movementPITTA: energy/fire (energy transformation)KAPHA: structure/stability (cohesion)

** In order for any form to be alive there has to be a combination of these elements

TEACHINGWhy are we holding onto this gift? SHARE IT, lets transform society and bring the whole world together

• The teaching is not to promote the teacher, but is to support the student

Yoga brings us back to the feeling of what life is all about in a sense of really

deepening our respect for this life so that we can feel the abundance of this gift,

that LIFE IS AN AMAZING GIFT and if yoga can help us really recognize that on a daily level by practicing daily and respecting and

having gratitude for this gift of life then I think it’s done an amazing job no matter

what generation or time, no matter where in the human existence it comes. I think it’s a

gift for us to receive the gift of our lives.“One hundred years from now people will acknowledge

yoga as the greatest gift from India.” ~ Krishnamacharya