Philosophy of Yoga

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Yoga embodies the most important features of oriental lifestyle.

Vedantists, Buddhists, Jains, Saktas and others have accepted the fundamental principles of yoga as the basis of healthy living.

Yoga is a practical science for the emancipation of the self from ignorance and suffering.

True human nature is divine, perfect and infinite. We are unaware of our divinity, we feel imperfect, falsely identifying ourselves with our body, mind and the objects around us, subjected to sorrows, decay and death. This happens due to avidya (ignorance). When we overcome ignorance, we are relieved of our sorrows.

Yoga aims at human elevation from the lower to the higher strata through Samadhi (self-realization), which liberates the mind from all obstacles.

According to the Yoga Sutras, the most subtle form of matter is the mind - the citta, which is a combination of prakriti (nature) and purusha (person), also includes manas (mind), ahankara (ego) and buddhi (knowledge or wisdom). The product of prakriti is mahat (attitude) i.e. buddhi followed by ahankara and manas.

Prakriti comprises of three qualities called Satva, Rajas and Tamas. These experiences are the result of interaction of the Matter with pure consciousness.

The philosophy of yoga is as follows…

• The seer - the witness, is the real self, which lies concealed at the core of human personality.
• A practitioner must have insight into one's own nature so that one might discriminate between the real self and the empirical self.
• Necessary adjustments must be made to the inner personality of the individual rather than altering the structure of the external environment. These inner adjustments are possible through certain physical and mental practices.
• Physical and mental energies must be carefully protected in order to maintain physiological and mental harmony.
• Through the practice of Asthanga Yoga of Patanjali, including Yama, Niyama, Asana , Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi, the highest dimension of human existence can be realized.
• The Ishvara of yoga is not the Creator of the Universe; He only helps in removing the obstacles in the path of realization.
• It is possible to change the course of one's life with will-power and constant practice in focusing the mind and detachment.

The practice of yoga maintains wellbeing by reducing citta vrittis (modifications or degeneration of the mind).