Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. Since its inception in 2015, the International Day of Yoga, is celebrated annually on 21 June (today) as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

In Hinduism, there are many tools including food and the codes of conduct to master the physical self and the mind. Yoga is just one of the tools.

The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’ – to join. It is intended to join your soul with the divinity. Yajur Veda defines Yoga as, “When the yogin unites his breath with Aum or is united with the All in manifold ways, it is called yoga. This oneness of breath, mind and senses, the renunciation of all existence-this is termed yoga.” (Krishna Yajur Veda, Maitra Upanishad 6.25. verse, 776).

Real Yoga is explained in the Bhagavad Gita verse 6.12-13:

तत्रैकाग्रं मन: कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रिय: |
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये || 12||
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिर: |
सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् || 13||

tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛitvā yata-chittendriya-kriyaḥ
upaviśhyāsane yuñjyād yogam ātma-viśhuddhaye
samaṁ kāya-śhiro-grīvaṁ dhārayann achalaṁ sthiraḥ
samprekṣhya nāsikāgraṁ svaṁ diśhaśh chānavalokayan

Translation
Seated firmly on it, the yogi should strive to purify the mind by focusing it in meditation with one pointed concentration, controlling all thoughts and activities. He must hold the body, neck, and head firmly in a straight line, and gaze at the tip of the nose, without allowing the eyes to wander.

BKS Iyengar, one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world, said:

“Asanas are not meant for physical fitness, but for conquering the elements, energy, and so on. So, how to balance the energy in the body, how to control the five elements, how to balance the various aspect of the mind without mixing them all together, and how to be able to perceive the difference between the gunas, and to experience that there is something behind them, operating in the world of man – that is what asanas are for. The process is slow and painstaking, but a steady inquiry facilitates a growing awareness.”

The practice of simple yoga quietens the mind’s constant chatters and leads to silence; Interestingly, even reciting mantras that cause vibrations of sound also lead to silence – a silence that you acquire gradually by driving away stray thoughts, steadying the mind and causing an inner awakening. You need to experience it!

The inset picture is that of Patanjali, the author of Yoga Sutra.

Enjoy Real Yoga!