Haribol,
Please explain me why no other yoga is for 'us' than bhakti yoga.
I heard in a lecture.
I mean yoga excersizes are they include by bhakti yoga?
I heard on a lecture that we must chant and kirtan but all excersise yoga stuff is just not for us... or not important... it that true?
I feel stiff as hell if I do not excersise. Just sit chanting in one posture or only dance at kirtans. s that really enough?
Why there are still yoga classes if only bhakti yoga? No one explained me (yet) the full bhakti yoga. In Gita I do perhaps miss the point of this topic.
So all gymnastics and postures are just bogus, and only chant is good enough? I am so confioused.
Did Prabhupada do all sort of gymnastics/yoga to his diciples? I am curious. Or is it the sick modern world addicted to all sorts of yoga classes of gym?
Hare Krishna!
Replies
In real yoga, there are 8 steps: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
The usual "Yoga" centers only practice Asana. Sometimes they have some imitation of Pranayama. But it's important to finish the previous steps before moving to the next. Without it, it doesn't make sense. It also doesn't really make sense if your teacher not leading you to Samadhi stage.
Let's see...
"Yama refers to the practice of renunciation that is deemed the central ethic of yogic discipline. Detaching oneself from worldly concerns is seen as a prerequisite for the practice of yoga. The Yoga Sutras describes austerity as a pursuit of non-violence, truth, non-covetousness and renunciation of all possessions. All these aspects are also tied up with the demand of the yogic discipline for celibacy. "
"Niyama focuses on other aspects of personal conduct that facilitate the effective practice of yoga. Having renounced the material world in the first stage, the focus here is on the individual. The first stage of Niyama is the cleansing of the body. This is followed by attaining a sense of contentment even in the absence of worldly possessions. Once the individual is content, austerity and introspection may be pursued. The Niyama stage is fulfilled when the yogi is driven only by his or her devotion to God or the cosmic presence. "
Think about the last sentence. Basically it's a devotee, before moving to "excercises". Sure, in some of the yogi centers you can hear these things, but are any of them really understand it? They aren't devotees, they aren't part of any spiritual succession, they read it in a book by other non-devotee, and just repeat it without understanding. Like "just keep it in mind, and now step on your mat...". What a joke of a yoga...
Only after a proper Yama and Nyama, an external elements of yoga can be practiced. Asana, which is today used as a synonym to gymnastics, is supposed to be used to increase concetration even more, as another step to Samadhi. It's was never for physical health.
Srila Prabhupada walked a lot on a daily basis for heath. Of course you need to keep your body healthy, or else you won't be able to do divotional service properly. After some age, at least.
I've heard some devotees recommend doing Surya Namaskar or walking with sticks / running for health.
But don't call it "Yoga".
Srila Prabhupada emphasized that Bhakti Yoga is the most suitable and effective path in this age (Kali Yuga)—where mental distraction, pride, and bodily identification are strong.
Hatha yoga (asanas, pranayama) is part of the broader yoga system Sprunki
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Yoga for physical health is ok, even for mental health is ok. The yoga that is taught nowadays does not take care of the spiritual aspect. The proof of this is - there is no yam niyam (dos and donts) before pranayam.
So if one is looking for spiritual growth, then one has to do the yugadharma - naam sankirtan. If one wants physical and mental health, recreation - then yoga schools is for that person.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna Prabhu
You need to be healthy to take to Bhakti-yoga so please don't neglect your health. You need to be sound mentally and physically even to listen properly, which is the first and most important limb of Bhakti.
Ofcourse Astanga-yoga which comes under jnana-yoga is more than merely gymnastics and bodily exercises because it does help to clear the clutter in your mind even if temporarily. It really helps to execute Bhakti-yoga. This is called jnana-misra Bhakti. Just like there is karma-misra Bhakti. But we must remember that pure Bhakti is independent of jnana and karma. Therefore, pure devotional service is the highest. Without Bhakti there is no value to jnana and karma. Although, jnana and karma is automatically included in Bhakti-yoga. Only Bhakti-yoga is fully independent and in the beginning one can take help of karma-yoga and jnana-yoga to strengthen one self to execute pure bhakti-yoga in the advanced stage.
I hope this answers your query.
Hari Bol
You can always walk while chanting if you find it difficult to sit in one place and chant.