Explore The Ancient Roots of Yoga

History & Nature of Yoga（瑜伽歷史同性質）

 

The word (Yoga) is originated from a Sanskrit word (Yuj). This word means union.

 

Yoga is an ancient science and philosophy of understanding the unity between the physical body and the mind. It is practice of guidance for practitioners to cultivate more wisdom in their everyday lifes.

 

The main purpose of Yoga is to improve the mental and spiritual state of the individual soul. According to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra (1:2)

(yogash chitta vritti nirodhah) which means Yoga is a process of practice that helps to cease and control the fluctuations of one's mind. According to the teachings of Upanishad, Yoga is a process of practice that integrate the science of breath awareness, mental concentration together with sensual focus .

 

• Definition of Yoga（瑜伽的定義）

 

 「瑜伽」的名字是來自英文的「Yoga」。「Yoga」的原意來自印度古文，印度古文「Sanskrit」叫「Yuj」。「Yuj」意思解作為結合或聯結一起。

 

如果用在生活哲學上，瑜伽是個結合人的身，心，靈的古代生活科學，及一個能改善身體同思想的古代智慧。

 

瑜伽的功能是仲對改善同提升人的思想，精神同心境（ Mental State）。根據瑜伽宗師，帕坦伽利（Patanjali）的 「瑜伽經 1:2」（Yoga Sutra 1:2），“ 瑜伽是個平服心境，精神波動（mental fluctuations）的修練過程。

 

根據古代奧義書（Upanishad）的描述，瑜珈是一個連結呼吸，精神意念，感觀的修練及加強對內心集中同專注力的鍛練。

 

• Nature of Yoga & Principles (瑜伽的教義同理念）

 

Yoga is a process of seeking one's true soul identity. It is a form of practice which involves the art of searching one’s physical, mental and spiritual unity as well as practice which involves the science of self understanding in life.

 

The practice of Yoga starts from the stage of (Asana). A stage that involves the practice of yoga poses. Throughout the process of the practice of different physical poses. Both the body and the mind will have different levels of neurological, muscular and emotional responses. Eventually, both the mind and physical body will be calmed and pacified. Mental concentration will be eventually be cultivated and improved progressively with a long period of time .

 

According to yoga guru, B.K.S Iyengar, through the writing of his book called (Art of Yoga), it stated that 「Yoga is a process of disciplinary practice that serves to enhance one’s physical, mental and spiritual states. The beginning stages of yoga practice involves trials and errors so it is the science of life practice. Over a long period of time of practice, yoga eventually becomes the art of life practice」.

 

瑜伽是一個尋找個人真正身，心，靈的生命藝術同生命科學。在修練過程中，讓人能實質地明解（self realisation）到自己的思想，情感。瑜伽的修練是由式體法（asana）開始，憑着修練式子，令身體產生不同程度的感覺同反應。透過身體的感覺同反應，令到思想，心靈能夠平服同集中起來。瑜伽修練的過程要經時間同經驗累積起來。在累積的過程，會涉及錯誤同失敗。藉着瑜伽修練所累積的經驗，它就成為生活的科學。

 

瑜伽修練的經驗就如印度瑜伽大師B.K.S 艾掦格（B.K.S Iyengar）在他所寫作的（Art of Yoga）中所描述：「瑜伽是一個自律性同有規律的修練，能夠改善人的身，心，靈的本質。瑜伽修練的起頭是一門生活體驗的科學，修練的過程以時間累積就得以成熟，這成熟的果子就是生活的藝術」。

 

• Is Yoga a Religion? （瑜伽是不是宗教？）

 

Yoga is a branch of philosophy within the culture of Hinduism that discuss the science of the mind, causes that trigger mental distractions, the practice of regaining concentration which involves sensual withdrawals via the control of senses. Emphasis on the seek of spiritual true identity, in Sanskrit (Atman). 

 

瑜伽是不是宗教？

 

瑜伽的本質是一門古印度文化教義中的思想哲學。思想哲學是仲對同啓發思想，精神的修練，以及講求怎樣去隔除思想,精神雜念（mental distractions）同尋找靈性的真我（atman）的哲學同修練。