What is the definition of Yoga?
Yoga is a discipline and a practice that has evolved over the last 5000 years, creating its own culture and co-evolving with humans to create systems for the transmission of its information. From its roots to now, there have been many main ideas, topics, incantations, and remembrances that have traveled. Along the way, many new methods of probing the nature of the self have adapted to modern modes, including memes, stories, rituals, and songs. Although the characters, rhythms, and cultural landscapes may change, we can appreciate yoga as a “living form”, an action that is both an art and a science.
The definition of yoga is vast and diversified. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit language, which has captured many important teachings, or transmissions of enlightenment, through an oral tradition that has been miraculously preserved. Simply put, yoga is union and discipline. It is the art and science of disciplining the body-mind by unifying or integrating all of the aspects of our being.
One of the many psychosomatic approaches to examining our human reality is yoga. It allows us to look not just through the lenses of our political, cultural, educational, financial, and racial experiences, but to look at the lenses themselves. Through self-inquiry, the programs that have been ascribed by patriarchal imperial systems of control begin to be revealed. Yoga offers a way to liberate the self through unification and discipline, and in doing so, the entire universe may appear. Approaching yoga like an artist, with inspiration, clarity, depth of feeling, and determination, can lead to a deeper understanding of its practice.
If yoga is action, then it is dance; an expression of the Spirit that goes beyond a series of postures and becomes a habit and routine of the body-mind. If yoga is action, then it is basket-weaving; the practicing student of yoga begins to see how their hygiene, eating, sleep, relationships to others, memories, and desires are all strands to be braided. Many aspects of the self may be wounded archetypes due to the fragmented nature of our current reality structure; the child, the mother, the father, the lover, the maiden, the bachelor, and many more archetypes have been banished to the shadows, projected into reality, or celebrated. The work of yoga is to see and accept all things as they are, creating space for one’s conscious mind to go through radical self-transformation. The unitive discipline of yoga leads to liberation through stages of self-study: self-observation, self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-discipline, self-actualization, self-transformation, and self-transcendence. However, what one gets out of yoga is limited by what they put into it.
Yoga taps the practitioner into the awareness of the Spirit. The spirit is inherently free because it is not bound by the limitations of the physical body or the material world. The spirit is often described as pure consciousness, pure awareness, or pure being. It is the essence of who we are and is not subject to the constraints of time and space. The spirit is not limited by the beliefs, opinions, or expectations of others, nor is it constrained by the conditioned patterns of the mind. It is free to explore and experience the world in its own unique way, unencumbered by the limitations of the ego. While the body-mind may be subject to limitations and constraints, the spirit is always free and unlimited. It is the source of creativity, inspiration, and joy, and is always available to us if we are willing to tap into it.
Yoga is often referred to as a science because it involves the systematic study and exploration of the body, mind, and spirit. The practice of yoga involves the application of specific techniques and principles, including asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation, to bring about physical, mental, and spiritual transformation. These techniques are grounded in the principles of anatomy, physiology, psychology, and philosophy, and are designed to work in a systematic and integrated manner to bring about positive changes in the practitioner. Moreover, the practice of yoga is supported by the scientific understanding of the polyvagal theory, which is based on the interplay between the vagus nerve, the soul nerve, and the effects of trauma on the body-mind-spirit system. The polyvagal theory highlights how yoga practices such as breathwork, movement, and meditation can regulate the nervous system, promote relaxation and healing, and enhance overall well-being. This means that the techniques and principles of yoga are not only supported by ancient wisdom but also by modern scientific research, making it a dynamic and ever-evolving field of study.
In conclusion, yoga is more than just a physical practice; it is a discipline that unifies and integrates all aspects of our being. Yoga is the process of understanding the True nature of the self. Yoga is for everyone who doesn’t want to settle for the status quo and wants to grow spiritually. By approaching it like an artist, one can deepen their understanding of its practice and see all aspects of the self. Through self-inquiry, one can reveal the programs that have been ascribed by patriarchal imperial systems of control, and through self-study, one can attain liberation and self-transcendence.
