Yoga: Body Mind and Spirit:
Yoga, a new phenomenon that has taken people’s interest very rapidly since the dawn of the new Millennium, even though yoga has been around for centuries originating to the religion of Hinduism. It has become more of a mainstream fad that has been approved by many physicians in the United States as an excellent way to relieve stress and tension in one’s body. For bodybuilders, yoga can be a way to meditate and control breathing which can help while lifting weights. MTV has taken this form of meditation mainstream with there own yoga work out video hosted by Lori from The Real World: Back to New York. (The is information gathered from Microsoft’s Encarta website, all credit to the information given below) http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761552068&pn=1&s=1#s1
The Eight stages of Yoga:
Yoga has eight stages to achieve peace inside one’s self.
1. Self control-being truthful to others, abstinence, no stealing or contemplation of it, the refusal of gifts, and respecting life of living things
2. Religious observance- embraces poverty, contentment, purification rites and devoted reliance on the Supreme Being.
3. Postures- of which there are a great many, are regarded as basic to all the stages that follow.
4. Regulation of the breath-slow steady breaths, through a deep rhythm inhaling through nose and exhaling through the mouth.
5. Restraint of the senses-the restraint of using modern objects (cell-phones, television, radio)
6. Steadying of the mind-concentration the ability to block off the outside world and find nirvana.
7. Meditation- to the exclusion of all other thoughts
8. Profound contemplation-To be open minded in all aspects of life
(The information above is gathered from Microsoft’s Encarta website, all credit to the information given above) http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761552068&pn=1&s=1#s1
With the eight stages of yoga one can find bliss by adapting they lifestyle of yoga and meditation to escape the pressures of reality and find an inner peace within themselves.