EY Asana II, 4 Yoga's & Yogic Lifestyle Lesson

 

“Yoga is a lifestyle and not just a mere kind of exercise to stay fit and healthy. It is a science which unfolds the endless potentials of our mind and soul.”- Anamika Mishra

This lesson contains the following:

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4 Yoga’s

8 Limbs review

Yogic Diet

Yogic Lifestyle Principles

Yoga Personal Practice

 

A yogic lifestyle aims to create unity on all levels, mind, body and spirit. Finding deeper calm and peace of mind daily, more alert presence daily, and deeper respect and connection to Atman/Brahman. Benefits of living a yogic lifestyle are becoming vibrantly healthy, compassionate to all species, a more conscious, present and peaceful extension of Source. Recognizing our Unity with all life and creating deeper realizations of our God Self and the Divine Source of our awareness.

We will use the Vedanta, Upanishads, Patanjali and yogic history for this lesson on yogic lifestyle. In India where yoga originated, yoga is not only an integral part of life, yoga is a way of life. Yoga doesn’t begin and end on the mat, it weaves into every aspect of life. Including pranayama breathwork, asana poses, meditation, yogic philosophy… studying ancient vedic sutras, practicing the 8 limbs… yamas and niyamas. Practicing healthy lifestyle and ayurvedic medicine, yet the bottom line is living a life that is inspired by the way ancient Indian yogis’ lived.

We live in a different world than ancient India 5,000 years ago, so the question is how does a modern yogic lifestyle look like? Although we don’t need to wear only untailored garments made of locally grown fibers spun into the fabric, there are still many lifestyle techniques we can adopt from ancient Indian Yogi’s if we truly want to live a yogic lifestyle as a modern yogi.

Living a yogic lifestyle can bring peace and harmony to the mind, vibrant health to the body, bring compassion to those around you, extend your life expectancy, bring thriving life to the community and the planet, and benefit the yogi mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

 

The Four Paths to Yoga

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Vedanta offers us four paths to yoga to help in remembering what we are, overcoming all suffering and recognizing in form we are all unique and learn uniquely.  See what path you naturally feel pulled to the most, and what parts of each path you resonate with. It is recommended to learn all four paths to awakening to oneness, and honor yourself by practicing and applying the paths you feel most interested in.

 

 

-Bhakti Yoga, the path of love and devotion

-Karma Yoga, the path of selfless service

-Jnana Yoga, the path of truth and wisdom through study and self inquiry

-Raja Yoga, The royal path, control over the mind through meditation and techniques.

 

Bhakti Yoga

The yoga of love and devotion

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Ultimately this path is a natural and deep sense of love and devotion to the Divine Source of our Understanding. It is not to be in love, but to become love itself, being in love with love itself. Sometimes that takes time and steps, especially for those new to yoga or any type of spiritual path.  In the beginning yogi’s may feel a sense of love and devotion to a guru, a family member, past loved one, partner, friend even a pet. What is important is a strong emotional tie, opening the heart to a sense of deep love and devotion. Ultimately the fully bloomed Bhakti Yogi will feel a deep love and devotion to their Divine Source and all life.

Bhakti of devotional love begins and ends with love and devotion to the Infinite Self, which is the same as love for the Divine. If we cannot love the Self, that which the Divine Created in His likeness, we cannot wholly love the Divine.

Bhakti yoga has been said to be the easiest and most fun path to awakening the yogi to full self-realization. People of all mental and physical abilities can master Bhakti without extensive practices. It is an opening of the heart, a flowering of the heart through love and devotion.

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No one can ever be too busy to practice Bhakti, even busy parents raising families, because Bhakti is the act of serving your family through being that conduit of great love and devotion for whatever child or family member is present. You cannot be in love with love itself and not exude and pass that love onto those closest to you. Practice bhakti in your home with your loved ones as an act of love and devotion to God and your Self.

The beautiful thing about Bhakti is that it immerses the heart with love, bliss, rapture and in that state of grace the ego disappears, no sense of grievances, jealousy, hatred or separation can exist when the heart is flooded with rapture and joy.

The Vedanta calls the thread that connects all of our hearts to the heart of the Divine “Prem.” This thread can never be destroyed; it is a permanent connection to our Divine Source.  This thread is the essence of Bhakti, and once the dormant prem energy is awakened by grace you become intoxicated with Divine Love.

 

Inquiry to Bhakti Yoga

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• What is the deepest longing within my being, within my heart?

• How can I honor and respect all life?

• How can I purify all my thoughts, words and actions daily?

• Help me to see the Divine within all beings and all things, always

• How can I purify my heart, surrender to absolute love and devotion?

• How can I surrender deeper to Divine Self and Source?

• How can I serve the Divine best in this moment?

• How can I celebrate the Divine through song and dance?

 

 

Ultimately when immersed with Bhakti you not only feel ultimate and boundless love and devotion to your own Eternal Self, your Divine Creator, but also, boundless love for the Divine Self within all people and all beings. You rest in the heart of the Universe, the heart of the Divine, attached to only one thing… your devotion and love to the God of your understanding, the infinite Divine Inner Sanctuary of your heart, completely liberated, unlimited and free.

 

Karma Yoga

Achieving Perfection in Action, Selfless Service (Seva)

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All desires melt and merge into only one desire… to serve our families, humanity and ultimately our God.

This high level of self realization and awakening is living in a state of surrendered service to the Divine of your understanding. You perform actions without any attachment to outcome, without any ego, without any expectation of recognition, reward, payment, thanks or acknowledgment of any kind. You serve from your heart with no expectation, as selfless service, as a pure offering of love to the Divine.

All action is seen as all loving service to the Divine. We find our ultimate service to the Divine when we do “The right thing” when we follow our dharma or tru