In today‘s world, stress is a reality we all have to deal with. Stress can cause heart disease, mental problems, anger, depression, relational issues, decreased productivity, and more. Stress is America?s number one health problem.
Stress has been linked to hypertension as well. Hypertension can lead to heart disease and other medical problems. Many doctors who do research about stress are trying to develop drugs that deal with it, but your body and mind have everything needed to conquer stress and to improve your health.
But in order for you to get your body and mind to eliminate or deal with stress better, you have to learn how to focus. How can I do that? I?m glad you asked.
Yoga is the best way to learn how to rid your mind and body of stress. When you learn how to relax, you obviously are ridding yourself of stress. Relaxation is the opposite of stress. When your mind is completely relaxed and your body is completely relaxed, you are stress-free.
That sounds so simple, why do I need Yoga? It isn?t so simple. Most people find it very difficult to relax. Sitting in front of the TV relaxing is not actually being relaxed. Sitting alone reading your newspaper or a book is not being really relaxed.
Total relaxation is necessary to reduce stress and lead to a healthier life. Yoga can help you achieve total relaxation of both mind and body.
Everyone is unique. No two people are alike in all the things that make us who we are. What makes us who we are? Our Mind and our body are only two of the ingredients as to who we are. Your emotions, your attitudes and feelings, your thoughts, your five senses, conditioning (Reaction to your surroundings throughout your life), your ego, and your memories all make up who you are.
That is why no two people are exactly alike, not even identical twins. This is also what makes us independent. Being independent, we resist following others or doing what others tell us we should be doing, how we should live, etc. Unfortunately in the real world we sometimes have to do the things other people want or live the way others want us to live, etc. This causes stress and insecurity in our lives.
We all search for something. We always feel as if we are missing out on something we should have or feel we have not become the person we want to be. With Yoga, you can find what it is you are missing and in the meantime improve your health by reducing stress.
Most of the negative energy we soak up every day from other, we can get rid of or forget about, but some of it lingers and never seems to go away. These things add up and the molehill becomes a mountain of stress. Two or three bad things that happen to us can sometimes bind to each other as if there was one huge burden on our shoulders and many times we take it out on the ones we love.
Yoga can help you reduce that stress and help you improve your relationships with those you love or work with as a result.
When we are totally relaxed by using the techniques Yoga has to offer, our system slows down the body?s processes and actual changes occur. These include slowed metabolism and respiration, pupil constriction in the eyes, and the central nervous system is calmed or taken off 'alert status'.
Other things occur as well. Our digestive system actually speeds up. Even our blood thins and flows better helping the immune system become more active to restore the natural healing process our body uses.
In our hectic world the pursuit of happiness is equated to certain types of lifestyles and the accumulation of wealth. We are expected to be in a constant state of alert or arousal. By running all the time in uber-active mode, we wear down our bodies and they become prone to health problems. Relaxation is a necessary element of anyone?s life who wants to be around for awhile and for anyone who wants to remain healthy.
There are many sources on the web to help you find out more about how putting Yoga into your daily routine can keep you healthier and help you live a longer, richer, and more rewarding life. Search for Yoga in your favorite search engine and start learning more today!
Robin Darch, of PRT Specialised Services Limited has a website, Yoga Tips to help you find all the information you need about Yoga and the benefits of Yoga.
Showing posts with label Five Senses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Five Senses. Show all posts
March 1, 2009
February 25, 2009
Yogic Way of Controlling of Thoughts
As described in my earlier article… thoughts in the mind generate because we have five senses. So broadly there are five kinds of thoughts. Again each thought may either be of pleasure or of pain. This way there are ten types of thoughts. Patanjali further describes each of these ten types of thoughts may be based on proof(pramana), or an opposite(viparyay), or an alternative(vikalpa), or forming sleep(nidra) or forming memory(smriti).
Patanjali emphasized that thoghts based on proof should be accepted, because these are directly perceived. There are six things in the world which can be directly perceived; these are sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and soul(true self). While senses perceive sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, soul(atman) is perceived in the mind through total concentration(samadhi). No seventh thing exists in the whole universe that can be perceived directly. The thought of God and heaven as separate from soul is opposite to proven thought. This is because those who are unable to realise true self or are ignorant about the greatness of true self, depend upon alternative thought or dualism where soul is separate from and inferior to God. Such people remain in constant sleep and bear in themselves all past memories which include all traditional and religious believes and practices.
In order to control thoughts Patanjali teaches - thoughts may be controlled throgh practice(abhyasa) and detachment(vairagya)(I.12). Then he describes what practice is. Practice is to stay there carefully(I.13). But where is to stay? The answer lies in his previous instruction. A seer or practitioner should try to reach or stay there in true self.
In order to practice controlling of thoughts, one has to practice eight limbs(parts) of Yoga. The eight limbs of Yoga shall be described in a later article. At present, there are numerous Yoga shops operating accross the globe and selling yogic exercises, breathing exercises and meditation practices. But these are flawed and hazardous. Practitioners shall get the benefit of exercise only. They may not achieve the aim of Yoga, which is to realise true self.
This practice should continue regularly for a long time with sincerity and confidence(I.14). The final result may come later; but once a seeker starts practicing, he feels the difference. The body and mind becomes pure and light by dispelling undesirable elements like germs and disease from the body and evil thoughts from the mind. Mind becomes pure and intelligence becomes sharp. Such a mind overcomes ignorance, bondage and fear of death.
Now let us see what detachment(vairagya) is. Patanjali teaches - to remain dispassionate and to subjugate those things that are seen or heard of, is detachment(I.15). The world constitutes of all living beings and material things and to bring this world under control is subjugation(vashikara). Subjugation is not to bring everything under control through power, but to remain dispassionate to everything. This subjugation is detachment. One does not have to run away from the society; but by remaining in the society one may subjugate everything and develop detachment. Detachment is non-attraction. One should not be attracted to those things that are seen or heard of.
We see the attractive and beautiful objects of the world. But we should not be attracted towards them. Because the world is ultimately false. Objects that are seen and thoughts relating to them are based on proof. But they are of no use in realisation of true self. Similarly we should not believe those things that are heard of only. Gods and Goddesses, heaven and hell, angels and ghosts are only heard of. So Patanjali instructs a seer should not be attracted to those things that are either seen or heard of.
Author Mr Premansu Chand, 40, is and Indian and Govt. servent. He reads scriptures and practices Yoga. He has published a book “Quest for Truth: the spiritual and yogic way” recently. The aim is to spread true spiritualism and yoga.
http://www.bookstobelievein.com/questfortruth.php
premansu_chand@rediffmail.com
Patanjali emphasized that thoghts based on proof should be accepted, because these are directly perceived. There are six things in the world which can be directly perceived; these are sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and soul(true self). While senses perceive sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, soul(atman) is perceived in the mind through total concentration(samadhi). No seventh thing exists in the whole universe that can be perceived directly. The thought of God and heaven as separate from soul is opposite to proven thought. This is because those who are unable to realise true self or are ignorant about the greatness of true self, depend upon alternative thought or dualism where soul is separate from and inferior to God. Such people remain in constant sleep and bear in themselves all past memories which include all traditional and religious believes and practices.
In order to control thoughts Patanjali teaches - thoughts may be controlled throgh practice(abhyasa) and detachment(vairagya)(I.12). Then he describes what practice is. Practice is to stay there carefully(I.13). But where is to stay? The answer lies in his previous instruction. A seer or practitioner should try to reach or stay there in true self.
In order to practice controlling of thoughts, one has to practice eight limbs(parts) of Yoga. The eight limbs of Yoga shall be described in a later article. At present, there are numerous Yoga shops operating accross the globe and selling yogic exercises, breathing exercises and meditation practices. But these are flawed and hazardous. Practitioners shall get the benefit of exercise only. They may not achieve the aim of Yoga, which is to realise true self.
This practice should continue regularly for a long time with sincerity and confidence(I.14). The final result may come later; but once a seeker starts practicing, he feels the difference. The body and mind becomes pure and light by dispelling undesirable elements like germs and disease from the body and evil thoughts from the mind. Mind becomes pure and intelligence becomes sharp. Such a mind overcomes ignorance, bondage and fear of death.
Now let us see what detachment(vairagya) is. Patanjali teaches - to remain dispassionate and to subjugate those things that are seen or heard of, is detachment(I.15). The world constitutes of all living beings and material things and to bring this world under control is subjugation(vashikara). Subjugation is not to bring everything under control through power, but to remain dispassionate to everything. This subjugation is detachment. One does not have to run away from the society; but by remaining in the society one may subjugate everything and develop detachment. Detachment is non-attraction. One should not be attracted to those things that are seen or heard of.
We see the attractive and beautiful objects of the world. But we should not be attracted towards them. Because the world is ultimately false. Objects that are seen and thoughts relating to them are based on proof. But they are of no use in realisation of true self. Similarly we should not believe those things that are heard of only. Gods and Goddesses, heaven and hell, angels and ghosts are only heard of. So Patanjali instructs a seer should not be attracted to those things that are either seen or heard of.
Author Mr Premansu Chand, 40, is and Indian and Govt. servent. He reads scriptures and practices Yoga. He has published a book “Quest for Truth: the spiritual and yogic way” recently. The aim is to spread true spiritualism and yoga.
http://www.bookstobelievein.com/questfortruth.php
premansu_chand@rediffmail.com
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