Yoga Beyond the Asanas: Lesser Known Yogs

A union of the mind, body, and consciousness – is what the science of Yog or Yoga is all about and asanas are only a part of it. ‘Patanjali Yogasutra,’ like a bible for yogis, has 196 verses, but only three of those are about asanas. Shocking isn’t it?

Yoga is not just really about stretching, angulating, compressing, twisting, and bending; it is a way of life. The philosophy and how to lead one’s life are mentioned very succinctly in the ‘Yogasutras’.

While asanas primarily help in improving strength, flexibility, and balance of the body, there are other tools and techniques of yogic practices that aim to bring about balance in the mind and help us align ourselves to our consciousness.

Pranayama A breathing technique that purifies your ‘nadis’ (channels of energy), relieves stress, frees you of or reduces the symptoms of the disease and helps you relax and energize.

Yog Nidra It is a meditative yogic practice that induces restful sleep while a part of your mind stays aware of the surroundings.

Karma Yoga Single pointed focus in achieving excellence in your pursuits, with complete surrender, without the desire for material gain as a result of those karmas is called ‘Karma Yog’.

Jnana Yoga Deriving inner knowledge from the ebb and flow of life and then converting intellectual knowledge into practical wisdom is called ‘Jnana Yog’.

Bhakti Yoga Having complete faith in the supreme consciousness and meditating over it with reverence, either in the form of prayer or inner love for it, is called ‘Bhakti Yog’.

Mantra yoga Chanting in any form, particularly shlokas from the ‘Vedas’, is another path to the yogic life.

Kriya Yoga The word ‘kriya’ means 'activity' or 'movement' and refers to the evolution of consciousness; done primarily with the ‘Chakras’ as the focus.

Swara Yoga ‘Swara’ in Sanskrit means, sound or note. Controlling and manipulating the sound of breath in order to take you closer to the cosmic consciousness refers to ‘Swara Yog’.

If asana practice is not always possible due to health problems or time constraints, you could try some of these forms of yoga to experience its healing powers.

International Yoga Day Event

Seniority is hosting an exclusive Yoga Day event in Pune on International Yoga Day in Pune at Kalyani Nagar Joggers Park. To register, click here.

Silver Talkies is hosting a special Chair Yoga for seniors in Bangalore at Rotary House of Learning, Promenade Road, Bangalore. For more details, click here.

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