Philosophical school of yoga. What is the essence of the philosophical teachings of yoga? Parable of the Hidden Divinity

Yoga is often perceived as some kind of eastern variety of fitness, or the teaching is shrouded in an aura of magic and mysticism. In fact, yoga is an ancient complex Indian system, the methods and practice of which help to achieve harmony of soul and body. The philosophy of the system is based on a special perception of the Universe and the human role in its formation. The global goal that yoga sets for every practitioner is liberation from the illusions of existence and unification with Brahman - the eternal transcendental principle. If you decide to study yoga, we recommend that you also read our article.

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Basics of Yogi Philosophy

Yoga philosophy calls for movement from illusions to reality, from the transitory to the true and eternal

According to the yogic concept, man is a consciousness that has a form and is embodied in the visible world. The soul, or atman, is itself limitless and free from attachment and feelings. The body is mortal, it can live only for a while, after which it dies. Consciousness is eternal; after the death of the body it is reincarnated in another, and thus comes into the physical world again and again. Such an endless cycle of rebirth in Hindu philosophy is called samsara. Life in such a reality is just an illusion, dooming one or another to suffering. You can completely get rid of worldly suffering only by destroying imaginary illusions and freeing yourself from identifying yourself with the body, thereby breaking the chain of rebirths.

Supreme enlightenment, or absolute union with Bharman, is called the state of Samadhi. This is what yogis try to achieve through a combination of different practices.

The True Self of each of us experiences a state of eternal bliss and is inseparable from the primordial source of all things and concepts. Yoga philosophy calls for movement from illusions to reality, from the transitory to the true and eternal.

Eight Stages of Achievement

The Yoga Sutra is the first description of yoga by the sage Patanjali around the second century BC. e. The system includes 185 aphorisms, the general name of which is “Precious Rosary.” They reveal the philosophy of yoga and understand the obstacles on the yogi’s path to the highest goal. It was Patanjali who came up with the concept of the “Eightfold Path,” which logically represents the sequence of all stages of comprehensive practice. It is also called the “stepping stones for soul retrieval.”

The first stage is Yama. Compliance with moral precepts and rules that shape interpersonal relationships;
The second stage is Niyama. Responsible for internal control and self-discipline;
The third step is Asana. Taking care of physical health through a system of exercises (postures);
The fourth stage is Pranayama. Breathing exercises aimed at controlling and managing the flow of Prana;
The fifth stage is Pratyahara. Abstinence and control over the senses;
The sixth stage is Dharana. Concentration and concentration of thoughts;
The seventh stage is Dhyana. Meditation;
The eighth stage is Samadhi. Merger with the Higher Mind or enlightenment.

The eight step system consists of the components of a happy and fulfilling life. They complement each other and are interdependent. All steps lead to a single, final goal - Samadhi. Any gaps in the improvement of one of them will serve as an obstacle to true self-realization.

You don't have to become a hermit to practice yoga.

In yoga philosophy, the concept of dharma plays an important role. This is a moral and ethical code that consists of the following principles:

Ahimsa (refrain from causing harm with body or thought);
Article (truthfulness and honesty in thoughts and words);
Asteya (abstaining from stealing);
Brahmacharya (chastity and control of carnal urges);
Karuna (compassion);
Maitri (mercy).

There is an opinion that to practice yoga you need to become a hermit, sit in a cave and meditate all the time, leaving behind all the sorrows and joys of worldly existence. This path exists, but it is only one of many others. Hermitage for the sake of stopping the internal dialogue and achieving Samadhi is called sannyasin. Another, more accessible practice option for modern people is yoga in action.

Types of yoga

In yoga philosophy, there are seven branches of practice leading to the comprehension of truths and self-improvement. Experienced practitioners choose several styles based on their own needs, skills and preferences.

Raja Yoga. Getting rid of samsara through meditation and long-term concentration on one's own sensations;
Janana yoga or the yoga of wisdom involves a stepwise comprehension of the laws of the Universe;
Yoga of Karma or action. Aimed at developing a person’s karma through correct actions leading to improvement;
Bhakti. Achieving Samadhi through prayers and religious ecstasy;
Mantra yoga. Sound type, during the practice of which special chants and mantras are sung and chanted;
Tantra yoga. Internal practice of working with subtle energies and the biofield;
Hatha yoga or power yoga. Associated with the transformation of the physical body through asanas.

Treatment of diseases with asanas. Yoga as medicine

Some yogic schools have developed a whole system of incorrect states of human consciousness that contradict the laws of nature. These violations lead directly to diseases. Modern medicine also has a similar trend - psychoimmugology. The starting point of any disease is a distorted state of consciousness. For example, if a sore throat is caused by an unexpressed opinion or the inability to explain something to others, then a cold is a consequence of gossip and criticism towards loved ones.

Due to the fact that the disease causes spiritual disturbances on a subtle level, traditional medicine with the help of chemicals and surgical methods can only eliminate the superficial symptoms, while the root of the disease remains in the mind.

Yoga philosophy offers practitioners a different approach to treating ailments. The hatha yoga system assumes that each asana affects in one way or another all systems of the body, helping to eliminate the cause of the disease. Asanas help to enter that very correct state, connecting physical and mental processes.

According to the scripture, asanas were given to man by the god Shiva to achieve health of body and thoughts. While performing asanas, the body enters a certain pose, performing it both statically and dynamically. Asanas are classified into contemplative, inverted, balance poses, etc. Mental processes during the practice of asanas are directly related to muscle activity. The entire practice is accompanied by controlled three-step breathing.

Regular practice of asanas has a therapeutic and restorative effect. Hatha yoga improves the functioning of the digestive, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, excretory and musculoskeletal systems.

Below is a short list of the most popular asanas with a description of the therapeutic effect.

One of the leading and universal poses in the practice of hatha yoga is Shavasana or corpse pose. Its implementation involves complete relaxation of the body and mind. Physiologically, correctly performed Savasana can replace several hours of full sleep.

Having mastered asanas, the practitioner stands at the foot of the possibilities of regulating all processes occurring in the body. By placing his body in various poses, the yogi, through concentration and breathing, sends healing energy to certain organs.

Yoga is a process, a series of actions, transformation, movement towards a goal

Health and absolute harmony do not appear quickly - it is the result of comprehensive work on oneself and internal transformation. Every beginner who wants to master yoga should be prepared for self-changes. When we are afraid of change, it never comes. The most important thing is will, self-discipline, regular exercise and a great desire to achieve a given goal.

At the moment, according to statistics, yoga is practiced by more than 20 million people around the globe. What makes it so popular and relevant?

Yoga is the key to whole body health. She is able to revive the body, fill it with strength and energy;
Yoga has a positive effect on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels, connecting the soul and body into a single whole. The mind becomes clear and bright, and thoughts become clear and understandable;
Yoga practitioners get rid of many diseases in a comprehensive manner, contrary to how Western medicine does it, treating symptoms separately and resorting to expensive drugs;
Yoga teaches you to get involved in the flow of everyday events, while remaining internally indifferent and free from interfering fuss;
Regular practice instills good habits, a desire to live honestly and righteously, to fulfill one's duties and debts without thoughts of potential retribution, and to control one's own thoughts and feelings;
Yoga allows you to connect with your inner nature, gain deep knowledge of the Universe, understand the laws of the world around you and know yourself.

It should be remembered that yoga is not the end goal in itself. Yoga is a process, a series of actions, transformation, movement towards a goal. The main idea of all philosophy is not the result for the sake of the result, but the experience of transcendental reality. For a real yogi, it doesn’t matter what he does: washing dishes or walking in the fresh air - he will always be happy. Because inner happiness does not depend on the events of the illusory world. He is free, he observes, he is simple in life and therefore happy.

Yoga philosophy refers to the ancient teaching about the improvement of the human spirit. This teaching came to us from the ancient Aryan civilization. Yoga is one of the schools of philosophy (darshan) in India. The basic principles of yoga are described in the treatise “Yoga Sutra”, authored by Patanjali. Very little information about the author has reached our time; various sources date the Yoga Sutra in the intervals from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. However, it is reliably known that Patanjali did not invent the teaching itself. The primary source of the yoga he described is the oldest written treatise - the Vedas (2nd millennium BC), as well as in the Upanishads (6-3rd century BC), and in such ancient works as the Mahabharata and Ramayana (1 millennium BC). All these ancient sources contain references to key yoga techniques, but there is no system or order. Patanjali was the first to summarize and systematize all the ancient knowledge about yoga in his work “Yoga Sutras” and after more than two thousand years, his work is deservedly considered a classic in the theory of yoga. The Yoga Sutra, like most books written at that time, consists of short statements - sutras, which most likely acted as reminders for memorizing long oral discourses. Obviously, this was enough for Patanjali’s students, but for followers who do not have the opportunity to contact the teacher directly, it is impossible to practice yoga only according to these sutras. Therefore, there are explanations for the Yoga Sutra. The most authoritative of them were written by the philosopher Vyasa, who wrote his treatise “Yoga Bhashya” in the 5th century AD.

Yoga philosophy

Everything that exists is divided into two components - Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha is the spiritual component and Prakriti is the material component. Matter is everything that we can see, hear, feel in any possible way and is called Prakriti. In other words, this is practically everything, from molecules to planets and galaxies. Purusha is the eternal Spirit or spiritual principle, beyond the limits of the material world, it does not have a specific form, and it is difficult for a person to imagine it. Purusha is the highest part of existence and at the same time has consciousness, while there is no consciousness in matter. However, Purusha should not be confused with the Western concept of God. However, in the classical version of yoga, there is a god - Inshvara, this is the embodiment of Purusha, but besides him there are many other deities, and he is considered the main one among them. Inshvara did not create the Earth and does not dominate the world, but can connect spirit and matter. There are three main forces that make up Prakriti (matter). These forces are called gunas. Guna sattva – peace, guna rajas – movement, guna tamas – degradation. As long as the spiritual principle does not influence matter, these forces are balanced. When Spirit and matter unite, forces begin to interact and change, forming everything that exists. When forces interact, the first thing that is formed is the ideal basis of the universe (Budhi-mahat). Subsequently, five elements are formed: water, earth, fire, air and ether. From the five elements everything else that exists in Prakriti is formed. A very important point in this philosophy is the lack of time. Yoga views everything that exists as a continuous process of change, so there is no time, but there is a process of change. That is, time is a change in the state of matter. Unlike Prakriti, Purusha is considered unchanging, therefore it exists outside of space and does not depend on time. Purusha is compared to an observer who monitors the changes of Prakriti.

Yoga teachings about man

The main point in the philosophy of yoga is that man is a micro Universe within the larger Universe, and accordingly, is also the result of the union of Purushu (spirit) and Prakriti (matter). As a result of the interaction of Purushu and Prakriti, Budhi-Mahat, the ideal basis of the Universe, is created, everything happens exactly the same in a person, only each person creates an individual Budhi. Further, as a result of transformations, other organs appear: organs of action, organ of consciousness, sense organs. All this relates to the material and is located in the individual buddhi. The spiritual part of a person, his Purusha, is the Spirit, his true Self, which never changes and controls all processes and changes in our material part of Prakriti. The teachings of yoga compare Purusha and Prakriti with a blind and legless man who is lost in the forest and can only get out by joining forces.

Central teaching of yoga

The classical teachings of yoga say that the ultimate goal of human existence should be liberation from material things. In the standard state, a person is able to perceive himself only from a material point of view. A person identifies himself with his actions (I do), feelings (I feel), thoughts (I think), but this is all material and is contained within the framework of Prakriti, in fact, all this is the result of the interaction of forces (gunas). And the true consciousness, the true Self, is Purusha. Everything material changes - our loved ones are subject to aging and death, repeated events do not bring original satisfaction, pleasure always ends, and emotions change from positive to negative. A person wants to constantly have fun, but this is impossible. And the more pleasure a person receives, the more disappointed he is when the pleasure ends. The desire for material things affects Karma. In fact, karma is a cause-and-effect law that states that all actions performed by a person affect what his future will be like. In the Vedas, this law is interpreted in this way: whoever sows good will reap good, whoever sows evil will reap evil. Unlike the Western concept of “fate”, which does not depend on a person, the concept of “karma” completely determines the future depending on a person’s actions, both good and bad. All our aspirations for material things leave imprints on our budha. Every moment we do something, think, say, and this leaves new traces, and after the death of the body, our spirit is reborn in a new form, depending on what traces were left in the previous life. Thus, there is a constant cycle of rebirth (the wheel of samsara), and a person is constantly present in the material environment and must constantly suffer. According to the teaching, one can escape the cycle of rebirth only by practicing yoga and gradually coming to an understanding of one’s higher existence and renunciation of the desire for material things. A person who manages to renounce material attachments will cease to be reborn, will break out of the circle of samsara and will exist only in the spiritual world in the form of an unchanging Spirit, which is equal to the god Inshvari. Such an existence cannot be imagined, but it excludes suffering or dissatisfaction. However, with the ever-increasing popularity of yoga, its original goals are being lost, and now people who practice yoga strive to gain more in the material world than to achieve spiritual liberation.

Philosophy yoga in a broad sense, we can call it the ancient teaching about the spiritual self-improvement of man, which came to us from the Aryan civilization and developed into the form known today in the religious and philosophical schools of ancient and medieval India. This article will discuss the basic philosophical concepts and concepts of this teaching, which for almost two thousand years has been for many admirers of Indian spirituality an example of wisdom that leads a person to the highest possible goal of his life.

Yoga is one of the Darshanas, the six orthodox (following the spiritual tradition of the Vedas) schools of thought in India. Its theories and principles are set forth in the founding work of this school, the Yoga Sutras, and commentaries on this work. We know practically nothing about the author of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali. In India, since ancient times he has been considered a great teacher, yogi and philosopher who lived in the 2nd century. BC. However, today most scientists agree that, in terms of content and terminology, the Yoga Sutra should be dated back to the 2nd century AD.

Patanjali was not the person who invented the teaching of yoga. We find the origins of the yoga he outlined in the most ancient monument of world culture - the Vedas (~ 2nd millennium BC), the sacred texts of India. The doctrine of the basic elements of yogic practice - concentration, contemplation, control of consciousness and the term itself " yoga» – present in the early Upanishads (~ VI – III centuries BC), commentaries on the Vedas. A special place in protoyoga is occupied by the ancient epic works of India: the Ramayana and the Mahabharata (~ 1st millennium BC). The most prominent part of the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita. It contains many important parts of the teachings of yoga; it just lacks the systematization and classification of categories—basic philosophical concepts—necessary for philosophy. Patanjali acted as such a systematizer, summarizing and briefly formulating ancient spiritual knowledge. The theory and practice of the Yoga Sutras have fully stood the test of time and earned the right to be called classical yoga.

Patanjali's work, like many treatises of that time in India, is a collection of short sentences (sutras). For students, they may have served as a reminder for reconstructing the course of complex oral reasoning. However, for descendants who do not have the opportunity to personally communicate with the teacher, short sutras are often not enough. Therefore, the teaching of classical yoga that exists today was formed, in addition to the original treatise of Patanjali, by extensive commentary literature. In this article we focus on the “Yoga Sutra” and the most authoritative commentary, belonging to the philosopher Vyasa, “Yoga Bhasya” (5th century AD).

Proceeding directly to the philosophy of classical yoga, we will highlight two fundamental categories that contain all being, everything that exists. These are Purusha and Prakriti - spiritual and material substances.

Prakriti (matter) is everything that we see, hear, touch or feel in any other way. This is everything that the most advanced instruments can record, from the smallest particles to objects on a cosmic scale. The concept of Prakriti contains the entire universe, all physical objects and energy fields.

By Purusha is meant the eternal Spirit, the spiritual principle. He is transcendental to Prakriti, that is, he is beyond all Nature. Purusha is the highest part of existence. He does not have the forms characteristic of Prakriti, therefore he cannot be imagined. He is conscious while matter is unconscious. However, one should not identify Purusha with the teaching about God that is familiar to Western people. Purusha is devoid of any personal attributes. The god of classical yoga - Ishvara - is a manifestation of Purusha, but He does not create the world and does not control it. Besides Him, there are other gods in the Spirit, but Ishvara is the highest among all spiritual beings. It also has the most important property for yoga philosophy to connect and separate Purusha and Prakriti.

Before the union of Spirit and matter, the latter is in an unmanifested state. This means that the universe does not exist, and the three basic properties or forces (gunas) of Prakriti are in balance.

Guna sattva is responsible for the principle of clarity, rajas - for the principle of movement, activity, tamas - for the principle of peace, inertia. When Spirit and matter unite, Purusha, as a conscious principle, begins to control Prakriti in a certain sense, causing changes in it. The gunas begin to interact with each other in many combinations and, passing through certain stages, form the objective world in all its forms. In this case, the first product of the interaction of the gunas becomes Buddhi-Mahat. This important concept of yoga philosophy denotes the ideal foundation of the entire future universe. In the course of further evolution, through a series of stages, five primary elements are formed: ether, air, fire, water, earth, from which all objects are composed.

The interaction of the gunas is a continuous change, the consequences of which we observe in our ever-changing world. These modifications determine our sense of time. That is, we can say that a second is not a small period of time, but some change we observe, for example, the movement of the clock hand to the next position. According to classical yoga, time as such does not exist, there is only the moment (now) of change. Any changes are possible in some space, therefore the objective world is also characterized by the category of space.

Unlike Prakriti, Purusha is not subject to change. Therefore, we can say that he is outside of time and space. Purusha is called the Spectator, observing the unfolding picture of change in matter.

Now let's look at the teachings of classical yoga about man. Here it is necessary to understand an idea that is unusual for the consciousness of modern Western man. In the anthropology of yoga, the inner world of a person corresponds to the outer being. A person is considered as a microcosm, which in its structure is identical to the macrocosm external to him. Thus, man is also the result of the union of Purusha and Prakriti.

Buddhi Mahat is the stage of development of Prakriti and the basis of the universe. In it, as a stage in the evolution of matter, individual Buddhi is formed, which is the ideal basis for the human psyche. Subsequently, the remaining elements of the microcosm are formed. These are the organs of perception - hearing, vision, touch, taste, smell; organs of action - arms, legs, organs of excretion and reproduction, organ of speech; the organ of the mind is the mind (manas). So, in fact, everything that we are used to identifying with ourselves, with our self - the physical body, memory, emotions, intellect, mental images, etc. – refers to matter and is potentially contained in the individual Buddhi.

Purusha in man is pure consciousness, his Spirit, his true Self. Yoga presupposes the existence of many “small parts” of Purusha, individual souls that manifest through different beings in Prakriti. Our true Self is eternal and unchanging. It is conscious and directs all processes in the sphere of Prakriti. The model of the union of Purusha and Prakriti in a person is often compared to two people lost in the forest. One of whom is without legs (Purusha), and the other is blind (Prakriti). It is clear that by uniting, they will be able to begin to get out of the forest. Purusha, interacting with Prakriti, fills a person’s individual buddhi, the matrix of all his mental phenomena, with the ability to self-awareness. Therefore, we, not knowing about Purusha, are aware of ourselves in our mental activity.

So, having examined the main philosophical categories of classical yoga, we move on to the theory of liberation, the central teaching about the meaning of human existence, for the sake of which both the Yoga Sutra and the commentary to it were written. Liberation is the separation in man of Spirit and matter, Purusha and Prakriti. Why is such a division necessary? The fact is that a person in his ordinary state does not know his true Self and identifies himself, at best, with his individual buddhi. But the ability of Buddhi to realize itself is no more than an illusion, because only Purusha has true consciousness. We always say to ourselves: “I walk, I feel, I think,” etc., thereby limiting our existence to the framework of Prakriti. As we already know, any manifestations of Prakriti are only consequences of the interaction of the gunas. They are changeable and no form is eternal. We, identifying ourselves with our psyche, become attached to its manifestations and to the forms of the objective world. All our suffering comes from this attachment. Attachments give rise to desires and expectations in relation to the world around us and to ourselves. But the world is changing - people close to us are aging and dying, the things we do do not bring the same satisfaction, negative emotions are replaced by positive ones, any pleasures always end. We want a constant feeling of satisfaction, but this is not achievable, and, as a rule, the more pleasure we get from something, the greater the disappointment later. Yoga philosophy

Moreover, the desire for the forms of Prakriti gives existence to our karma. Karma is a cause-and-effect relationship generated by humans and other beings. By our attraction to one form or another of Prakriti, we determine what we will be like in the future. For example, if we tend to be kind and honest, we want to be valued according to these virtues, which in turn gives rise to our desire to be the same in the future. Aspirations leave, figuratively speaking, imprints (vasanas) in our individual buddhi. Every moment we do something, feel, think, adding new imprints. After physical death, our spiritual essence is embodied in another body (reincarnation), and the vasanas are preserved, determining our future life. As long as our adherence to the forms of Prakriti remains, new imprints are added to the buddhi, which ensures subsequent births. Thus, we are in a series of rebirths (the wheel of samsara), eternally suffering in the changing world of Prakriti.

Liberation from suffering is possible, and the pursuit of it is the highest possible goal of existence.

Through the practice of yoga and philosophical reflection, a person gradually becomes more and more aware of his highest being, Purusha, achieves complete spiritual dispassion, and ceases to internally strive for anything in the material world. Then his karma is no longer created, and he comes to the separation of Spirit from matter, leaves the circle of samsara and achieves absolute liberation. Such a person will not be born again, but he may still continue to live in his present life, being in the constant awareness of himself as an eternal and unchangeable Spirit. This is the state of a god essentially equal to Ishvara. This existence cannot be described in words, but it is difficult to imagine a better existence than that in which even the potential possibility of suffering or any dissatisfaction is absent, and at the same time there is complete awareness.

This is how liberation is achieved.

Philosophy is the love of wisdom. The philosophy of Yoga is altruism and love for nature.

The philosophy of yoga in a broad sense can be called the ancient teaching about the spiritual self-improvement of man, which came to us from the Aryan civilization and developed into the form known today in the religious and philosophical schools of ancient and medieval India, which for almost two millennia has been a model of wisdom for many admirers of Indian spirituality leading a person to the highest possible goal of his life.

Yoga is one of the darshanas, the six orthodox (following the spiritual tradition of the Vedas) philosophical schools of India. Proceeding directly to the philosophy of classical yoga, we will highlight two fundamental categories that contain all being, everything that exists. These are Purusha and Prakriti - spiritual and material substances.

Classical yoga, also called “royal yoga” (“raja yoga”), was formulated by Patanjali around the 2nd century. BC. As follows from the Yoga Sutra, a work consisting of 195 short aphorisms (“sutras”), Patanjali taught dualistic, dualistic metaphysics. It contrasts the Spirit, or “I” (Purusha), with Nature or Cosmos (Prakriti), considering them as two root causes of Reality independent of each other.

In the anthropology of yoga, the inner world of a person corresponds to the outer being. A person is considered as a microcosm, which in its structure is identical to the macrocosm external to him. Thus, man is also the result of the union of Purusha and Prakriti.

Unlike Prakriti, Purusha is not subject to change. Therefore, we can say that he is outside of time and space. Purusha is called the Spectator, observing the unfolding picture of change in matter.

Buddhi Mahat is the stage of development of Prakriti and the basis of the universe. In it, as a stage in the evolution of matter, individual Buddhi is formed, which is the ideal basis for the human psyche. Subsequently, the remaining elements of the microcosm are formed. These are the organs of perception - hearing, vision, touch, taste, smell; organs of action - arms, legs, organs of excretion and reproduction, organ of speech; the organ of the mind is the mind (manas). So, in fact, everything that we are used to identifying with ourselves, with our self - the physical body, memory, emotions, intellect, mental images, etc. - refers to matter and is potentially contained in the individual Buddhi.

A person in his ordinary state does not know his true Self and identifies himself at best with his individual buddhi. But the ability of Buddhi to realize itself is no more than an illusion, because only Purusha has true consciousness. We always say to ourselves: “I walk, I feel, I think,” etc., thereby limiting our existence to the framework of Prakriti.

Yoga is a set of physical and spiritual practices aimed at human development at all levels: mental, spiritual and physical.

Yoga philosophy has the following properties:

It is spiritual, i.e. is focused on the disclosure and comprehension of being through the awareness of the independent and self-existent Spirit of the individual.

Ethical, i.e. contains virtues, the main one of which is non-violence.

Emotional, i.e. teaches about love, kindness and other beneficial qualities.

It is practical, i.e. it offers ways to control the body.

Intellectual, i.e. its methods involve the use of the powers of reason, and its main provisions are substantiated by philosophical texts.

Yoga can be seen as a way to free consciousness from false identification with a specific physical shell. In other words, it is the opening of spiritual vision that returns the Self to its true nature. It can also be said that yoga destroys the existential suffering of the mind, which is born due to the harmful habit of identifying oneself as an individual, separate from the rest of the world.

Experienced masters say that the entire “Yoga Sutra” and commentaries to it were written with the aim of illuminating the teaching about the meaning of human existence, the theory of liberation.

We already know that liberation means the separation of spirit from matter (Purusha from Prakriti). Why is it needed? The fact is that people in their usual state limit their own existence to the framework of Prakriti. It is because of this that all our suffering occurs. We begin to strive for a constant feeling of affection and satisfaction, for pleasures that always end. It is important to understand that the stronger the satisfaction, the greater the disappointment in the future, and the desire for forms of Prakriti determines the existence of karma.

Yoga is aimed at the comprehensive development of a person, and, mainly, at the growth of consciousness and the internal culture of any person.

In the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita (translated from Sanskrit as “Song of God”), the most authoritative source on the philosophy of yoga, God Krishna explains to his disciple Arjuna the meaning of yoga as liberation from suffering and grief: “When the flow of thoughts is curbed, the mind remains only in atman, Partha, when the husband has calmed desires, he is then called a “yogin.” When a yogi, having curbed thought, strengthens himself in yoga, he is like a candle whose flame does not waver in a place without wind. Where thought is stopped by exercise in yoga , freezes, where in the atman the one who contemplates the atman finds joy in the atman, - for there he cognizes that happiness that is beyond the feelings, one thought, accessible, beyond, standing in which, he will not deviate from the truth - the one who stays there will not be embarrassed by even the most difficult sorrow; after all, having achieved that goal, he does not imagine something higher, something better to meet.

This state is yoga, which opens the shackles of sorrows." Like a well-polished diamond, each of the faces of which reflects one or another ray of light, so the word "yoga" reflects with each face one or another shade of meaning, revealing different sides of the entire range of human aspirations to achieve happiness, love and freedom. In the Bhagavad Gita there is another explanation of the term yoga, where the emphasis is on Karma Yoga (yoga of action): “Only be directed towards action, but turn away from its fruit; Let the fruits not captivate you, but do not be shackled by inaction. Free from attachments, steadfast in yoga, performing deeds, balancing failure with success: this evenness is called yoga." Krishna also calls wisdom in work or the ability to live in work, harmony and moderation as yoga: "He who overeats is not a yogi, and he is not who does not eat at all, and not the one who sleeps beyond measure, and not the one who deprives himself of sleep. Be moderate in food, in rest, be moderate in actions, in sleep and in vigil - this is how you will find sorrow-relieving yoga." In the Katha Upanishad, yoga is explained as follows: "When the senses are calm, when the mind is at peace, when the intellect does not waver, then, as the sages say, the highest level has been reached. This constant control of the senses and mind is called yoga. He who achieves it is freed from delusions."

Yoga is a method, a system of exercises for calming a restless mind and directing energy into constructive channels. Just as a hydroelectric power station on a mighty river, which, with a wisely constructed dam and canals, represents a huge supply of water, saving from drought and famine and generating electricity for the life of cities and industry, so the mind, when under control, accumulates energy from the Cosmic River and generates enormous strength for all-round human growth.

Calming a person's mind is as difficult as stopping a mountain river.

Through the practical application of yoga in its various stages, the yogi acquires special strength. Like proponents of Samkhya and other systems of Indian philosophy, the founder of yoga, Patanjali, argues that liberation must be achieved through direct knowledge of the difference between the Self and the physical world, including our body, mind and personality. But this is only possible if we can suppress and limit the functions of the body and senses, mind-manas and intellect, and finally, our individuality (that is, the empirical, personal self) And at the same time have self-awareness, the experience of the transcendental spirit (purusha) . This would convince us that the Self is above the mind-body complex, above the senses and intellect, and above the suffering or joy of the individual - the Self. The self, as will be shown, must stand above all physical reality with its spatio-temporal and cause-effect relationships.

This is the awareness of the Self as a free, immortal spirit, standing outside of evil and suffering, death and destruction. In other words, this is the achievement of a state of freedom from all suffering and unhappiness - liberation. The yoga system shows a practically feasible path of self-development to all those who follow the dictates of the spirit and who sincerely strive to follow it. The Samkhya system pays more attention to the knowledge of the difference between the Self and the rest of the world as a means of achieving liberation. But she does not forget to recommend such practical methods of achieving liberation as study, meditation and constant concentration on the truth. Yoga philosophy focuses on practical methods of purification and concentration to understand the difference between the Self and the body and mind and at the same time to achieve liberation.

However, it should be noted that the teaching of yoga on self-knowledge of the Self has a solid basis in the metaphysics of Samkhya, which substantiates the reality of the Self as a metaphysical and eternal principle of consciousness. If one believes in a transcendental spirit, one cannot help but admit that there are deeper stages of consciousness than the empirical, as well as wider possibilities and higher potencies than the physical or those related to the senses. Glimpses of this deeper reality of our individual lives have dawned not only on prophets and saints, but also on such great philosophers as Plato and Aristotle, Spinoza and Leibniz, Kant and Hegel. Physical research and the modern school of psychoanalysis have made a great contribution to the field of knowledge of the dark sides of mental life, hidden from the ordinary eye. Yoga goes even further in this regard by formulating some practical methods of purification and self-control for realizing the true self of a person. For a correct assessment of this philosophy, it is necessary to have a benevolent understanding of it and a sincere desire to realize and realize its truths...

The history of yoga goes back more than 5,000 years. Its integrated system includes religion, philosophy, medicine, historical traditions and many other aspects. It is easy for a beginner to get lost in the vast yogic practice, ancient varieties and modern trends, so this article provides a brief overview of the system and its rich traditions.

History of Yoga

The earliest archaeological evidence of yoga can be found in stone seals depicting yoga poses (asanas). The seals found date back to 3000 BC. e. Scientists believe that the system existed earlier: they attribute its beginning to Stone Age shamanism.

Both movements have the same features - they are aimed at healing members of the community and require people to observe certain rules for organizing life. The history of yoga is divided into four periods: Vedic, pre-classical, classical and post-classical periods.

The Vedic period is marked by the emergence of the Vedas - the sacred scripture about Brahmanism, the basis of modern Hinduism. The Vedas are the oldest of the Vedic teachings: it is often called Vedic yoga. The basic principle of this teaching is Rishi, a philosophical system that teaches to live in divine harmony and see the ultimate reality through intense spiritual practice.

Pre-classical yoga is the 200 Upanishad scriptures that describe and explain the teachings of the Vedas through three main subjects: ultimate reality (brahman), the transitory Self (atman) and the relationship between them. At this stage, the teaching becomes closely related to Buddhism. The importance of meditation and the practice of physical postures (asanas) is reinforced here.
The creation of the Bhagavad Gita, or Song of the Lord (about 500 BC) dates back to this stage. This treatise gives rise to a new movement in yoga. It becomes an attempt to combine bhakti yoga, jnana yoga and karma yoga into the doctrine that a living person should be active, and his actions should have a good practical orientation and resist evil.

The classical period is marked by the creation of Patanjali in the 1st–2nd centuries AD. e. - this is the “Yoga Sutra”: it is an attempt to combine the accumulated spiritual experience and improve it. The Yoga Sutra consists of 195 aphorisms, or sutras, which set out its fundamental 8 principles: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi.

Did you know?The origins of yoga are the subject of much debate. There is no consensus regarding the chronology or origins, other than that it developed in Ancient India. The chronology of the earliest texts describing the practice of yoga is also unclear.

The era of classical yoga lasted several centuries. It was replaced by the trends of the post-classical period of development. Unlike previous stages, modern yogic practice does not seek to free a person from reality; rather, it teaches one to accept reality and live in the moment. The works of guru Swami Sivananda are characteristic of our time. His main work describes 5 modified principles of yoga:

Savasana - proper relaxation;
Asana is proper physical exercise;
Pranayama - correct breathing;
Proper diet;
Dhyana - positive thinking and meditation.

Yoga philosophy

Yoga is a dualistic philosophy. It examines the interaction of two main objects: purusha - pure consciousness, and prakriti - matter. Each creature is a manifestation of one of the forms of connection between these objects. A living being combines body and mind. If a person lives in accordance with ethical principles, then this leads him to moksha, spiritual liberation.
The philosophy of yoga is perfectly conveyed by the parable of divinity. Brahma, having created the first people, made them equal to the gods. But people used his power incorrectly: they were not righteous and honest. Brahma took away their divinity and thought for a long time about where to hide it so that only those who have pure thoughts and high moral qualities could reach it. Therefore, he hid divinity within man and gave him yoga as the path to it.

It is a set of practices and principles that lead a person to attain divinity. In the classical system there are 8 of these principles, in the post-classical system - 5. This can be interpreted as follows: the main goal is to achieve the liberation of consciousness, and how many steps lead to it is not so important.
Some people think that yoga is a religion, but it is not. It is used by representatives of different religions. Rather, these are methods of working on one’s own spirituality, improving the physical body and mind. It also cannot be said that these are exercises aimed at improving health. The philosophy of the teaching considers the harmonization of body, mind and spirituality and proposes to improve them in a complex.

In philosophy, the following properties are distinguished:

ethics - achieving peace and harmony between people;
emotionality - positive thinking and affection for others;
practicality - control of the physical body;
intelligence - control of the mind;
spirituality - liberation from passions and achieving harmony of spirit.

Did you know?The best time to practice yoga is dawn. It is at this time that life energy carries maximum healing power. It is also believed that hand positions (mudras) affect the intensity of the flow of vital energy.

Eight Stages of Achievement

Classical Yoga Sutra Patajali is based on an 8-step path to reunite man with divinity:

Yama is the basic initial stage at which a yogi must develop ethical values and learn to take into account social restrictions without negative reactions.
Niyama is the second stage at which a person learns to be happy, immerse himself in positive thinking and remain in it.
Asana is the third stage, developing the physical body.
Pranayama is the stage at which control or methods of controlling breathing are mastered.
Pratyahara is the achievement of a state of bliss, regardless of the correct posture and breathing technique; this is the final merging of Asana and Pranayama with a person going beyond the organs of perception.
Dharana is a stage characterized by meditation without thoughts.
Dhyana is deep meditation, merging with the spirit.
Samadhi is the inner awakening of the true essence.

Video: classical yoga sutra of Patajali The stages follow in a certain sequence. Having mastered one, a person can move on to the next, not forgetting that he continues to follow the learned principles of each previous stage. Mastering this stage, a person harmonizes the physical and spiritual principles, learns to concentrate, achieve complete peace and unity with divinity.

Types of yoga

Ancient yogis believed that in order to be in harmony with oneself, a person's body, mind and spirit must be in harmony with the environment. Various types of yoga have been formulated and refined as a means of achieving and maintaining this balance. Human improvement occurs through special exercises.
We will consider the main directions of yoga below. There are also other directions. Some of them are very ancient, others have just begun to develop at the present time.

Did you know?Doga is a form of yoga that originated in New York in 2002. Her goal is to achieve harmony with her pets. As part of the course, dogs can perform exercises independently or be props for their owners’ asanas. Susie Teitelman's project was originally called Yoga for Dogs.

Raja Yoga

Synonymous names for classical yoga: yoga sutra, eight-step yoga, yoga of self-control. Its founder is the sage Patanjali (1st century BC), legends speak of his divine origin. The teaching is based on the comprehension of 8 principles that were set out by Patanjali in his work - “Yoga Sutra”.

Mastering each stage is the improvement of one of the components of the personality, as a result of which the amount of energy available to a person increases. Raja Yogi considers himself to be the main one in the system of the world and therefore improves; his destiny is to be his own master. Raja yoga teaches a person discipline and maintaining purity in everything: body, mind, spirit.

Video: Raja Yoga

Jnana Yoga

Or the yoga of the mind is the path on which the mind, the human intellect, is improved. It leads a person along the path of self-improvement through changing his knowledge about the world and himself. Jnana yoga is based on the postulate that wrong or “evil” actions are committed out of ignorance. Conquering ignorance, a person moves on the path to divine knowledge. A jnana yogi, using teaching as a method, himself cognizes the world through meditation and a sense of truth.

Video: Jnana yoga

Karma yoga

Or service yoga believes that where you are now and your condition is the result of previous actions. And your task in the present is to correctly perform the tasks assigned to you, without worrying about the result. The principles of the teaching are set out in the Indian epic - the Mahabharata, in the form of a conversation between Prince Arjuna and Krishna, who is in the guise of Arjuna's charioteer.

Video: Karma Yoga

Did you know?There are currently more than 100 different schools of yoga. Although each school has different practices, they have a common goal: a state of pure bliss and oneness with the Universe.

Bhakti

Or yoga of devotion is a path aimed at developing love for God through service. This is the path most often followed in India. Bhakti is represented by many movements, both monotheistic and pantheistic. Bhakti yogis worship Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, the limitless absolute (Brahman), and other deities.

This is the oldest doctrine about the effect of sound on the human body, as well as his mind and intellect. In this case, it is not just any sound that has an effect, but a special one - a mantra. This could be a sound combination considered sacred, a prayer, etc. If practiced long enough, mantra yoga is believed to lead to the erasing of old karma.

Tantra yoga, or ritual yoga, is the performance of sacred rituals. For example, walking around Mount Kailash, sacred to Buddhists, is considered to free a person from all his sins. The journey lasts several days, during which the traveler is immersed in union with the deity.
This type of yoga gets its name from the sacred texts - tantras, which set out the dialogues of Shiva and his wife Shakti. Tantric yoga is associated with the cult of Shakti. Sex is also part of Tantra Yoga, but it is not the main thing, since this path is about finding what is sacred in everything we do.

Or yoga poses are the most popular type of teaching among Westerners. She uses physical postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation to improve health and spirituality. The path is characterized by many styles - Iyengar, Integral, Ashtanga and others.

Did you know?Hatha yoga is the teaching that has become most widespread in Western culture. "Ha" means the sun and "tha" means the moon. This is the union of two elemental forces of nature.

Asanas for beginners

Patanjali describes the asana as a free pose. It can be assumed that at the very beginning it was just about comfortable poses for meditation. heal the body and prepare it for meditation. It is also worth remembering that classical yoga considers it useful and works only in the form of a complex system, and without observing the basic principles of Yama and Niyama, asanas will become simply interesting fitness.
To practice, you will need a comfortable mat and a small quiet place. Clothing should be comfortable and elastic, not interfering with the exercise. You can remain barefoot, wear socks or soft shoes. The lesson should be carried out at least 1–1.5 hours after eating.

Important!15 minutes before starting yoga classes, it is recommended to drink a glass of warm water and cleanse the nasopharynx. The purpose of these actions is to cleanse the channels through which vital energy moves along with breathing.

Morning is the best time to perform asanas, and evening is the best time for meditation. Start with simple exercises, do not strain: asanas imply a state of comfort when performing. The exercises do not have to be long, but they must be done daily for at least 15 minutes a day. Each exercise can be performed up to 3 times.
The sequence of exercises will usually be like this:

Warm-up asanas - 2–3 minutes; These exercises warm up the shoulder muscles, spine, hips, lower back and groin.
“Racks” are necessary to align posture and legs; performed to improve digestion and blood circulation.
“Seated poses” allow you to practice proper breathing and prana.
Bending exercises to relieve joint tension; They relieve back pain, facilitate the circulation of blood and nutrients in the body.
Inverted and balanced asanas are exercises to develop coordination, increase endurance and strength, and improve concentration.
Finishing asanas.

While doing the exercise, try to focus on each movement. There is no need to strain to perform the action. While performing asanas, breathe slowly and deeply. Focus on your inner sensations.

Important!If an exercise causes pain, remove it from your program. Asanas are not an endurance competition, but an opportunity to improve stretching and muscle condition. If you have contraindications for yoga, then discuss with your doctor the possibility of performing the set of exercises you have planned.

Warm-up asanas- this is a few minutes of meditation and concentration in a comfortable sitting or lying position.

Savasana (corpse pose)- classic relaxation pose. Performed with eyes closed. Starting position - lying on the mat, arms slightly apart to the sides, palms up. The spine completely touches the surface of the mat. Bend your knees and straighten them slowly, gradually relaxing the muscles, starting from the buttocks. You should not be disturbed by bright lights or loud sounds. Breathe through your nose. Duration of execution - 5–10 minutes. The pose is practiced before or between asanas, as well as for final relaxation.

Video: technique for performing Savasana (corpse pose) To enhance the effect, combine Savasana with proper breathing. Imagine that with the exhalation, heaviness and stress leave the body, and as you inhale, renewed energy (Prana) enters. It moves across the face, then fills the back of the head, neck and reaches a point 2 cm below the navel. This point is considered the center of the energy channels through which it will spread in the body.

You also need to exit Savasana correctly: first move your fingers, slowly turn onto your side and go into the fetal position. Now stand up smoothly. This is the best pose for relieving psychological stress.

Sukhasana- This is a classic sitting pose (“sitting cross-legged”). The pose helps in straightening the spine, slowing down metabolism, and increasing inner peace. To perform this you will need a small pillow - sit so that your pelvis is on its edge. Interlace your legs, first bending your knees. The feet should be under the knees. Your shins should be crossed. Slowly relax your feet, then your groin area and lower your knees. Stand tall, straighten your shoulders, straightening your spine. Place your palms on your thighs. The fingers are in a relaxed state. The chest should also expand. Stay in this pose for several breaths. Imagine that as you inhale, the flow of energy goes down, and as you exhale, it rushes up.

Video: technique of performing Sukhasana (sitting cross-legged pose) Basic poses- these are asanas that are used to move from one exercise to another:

Tadasana (mountain pose)- basic standing pose. It helps relax the back muscles and reduce stress on the spine. Tadasana is desirable for anyone who works a lot while sitting. The starting position is to stand straight. Close your legs and distribute your weight evenly. Begin to slowly straighten your spine, starting from your feet and gradually working your way up. Straighten your arms and take a deep breath. The pose is a transitional pose between two other asanas, as well as a basic one, from which you move on to perform another exercise, which is done while standing;
Video: technique of performing Tadasana (mountain pose)
Bhujangasana or cobra pose is an asana that is practiced for poor posture, stooping, back pain and disorders of the spine. The pose strengthens the back and develops the lungs. Starting position - lying face down. Legs straightened. The arms are bent at the elbows in front of the head. As you inhale, begin to raise your head and, aligning your spine, lift your body. Hold this position. As you exhale, return to the starting position.
Video: technique for performing Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Poses for balance, or balance They are not very popular among beginners, but they help improve concentration and ensure the increasing endurance of your body:

Utkasana (chair pose)- one of the easiest balancing poses. Performed from Tadasana. You need to raise your arms above your head and grab the invisible handrails. Take a deep breath and begin to sit down on an invisible chair. The hips and body should form a right angle. Execution time - 40 seconds. The pose strengthens the muscles of the pelvis and legs, aligns the spine, and develops balance.
Video: technique for performing Utkasana (chair pose)

It is also worth paying attention to the fact that some asanas are combined into complexes, for example, Surya Namaskar, or sun salutation. The combination consists of 12 body positions. The beginning and end of the complex is the Pranamasana asana.

Surya Namaskar is alternate bending, bending and straightening of the spine. The complex provides deep treatment of all joints and tendons. Its advantage is that the complex was mentioned in Vedic literature, and its current state is the result, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed by thousands of years of practice.

Important!Research by scientists at the University of York has shown that yoga reduces the physical and psychological symptoms of chronic pain in women with fibromyalgia.

Philosophical teachings of Ancient India

Indian philosophy is one of the oldest on the continent. All philosophical schools or movements are divided according to the principle of their relationship to the Vedas. The orthodox are characterized by recognition of the Vedas - here they are considered a source of knowledge. This group includes Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta.

Heterodox people do not recognize the Vedas as the exclusive source of knowledge. These include Jain, Buddhism, Ajivika, Ajna and Karvakas. The main currents were formed around 1000 BC. e.
The Vaisheshika school (Sanskrit: "specialness, difference") attempts to identify, inventory and classify the entities and their relationships that appear to human perception. The goal of Vaisheshika is the liberation of the individual “I”.

Ignorance creates problems and evil, and reducing this ignorance leads to right actions, harmonization of relations between people, deity and nature. Therefore, liberation from ignorance leads to liberation from suffering.

Nyaya (Sanskrit “law”) is a religious and at the same time philosophical system. She studies the conditions and means of understanding reality. Here they believe that reality does not depend on consciousness, which cannot always perceive it. Compiled by the sage Gautama (Gotama) in the 3rd–4th century AD. e. The principles of this philosophy were used in the construction of other philosophical systems.

This system recognizes the existence of a creator god. God is the root cause of everything in the world. Nyaya considers and studies ways of knowing reality, means of knowledge, conditions under which knowledge occurs and its sources.
Sankhya is one of the most influential directions. Founded around 600 BC. e. The purpose of the teaching is to understand reality through cause-and-effect relationships. The Sankhya school assumes the existence of two bodies - a temporary body and a body of “subtle” matter, which persists after biological death.

When a temporary body dies, the subtle one migrates to another temporary body. It consists of higher functions - buddhi ("consciousness"), ahamkara ("I-consciousness"), manas ("mind") and prana ("breath", the principle of vitality). This doctrine substantiates the existence of a world without divine intervention.

Did you know?Ancient yogis believed that a person has a limited number of breaths. Therefore, they recommended inhaling and exhaling slowly to prolong life.

Yoga (Sanskrit "Yuking" or "Union") is one of the six systems (darshan) of Indian philosophy. Its influence has always been widespread among many other schools of Indian thought. The basis of yogic teaching is the yoga sutras of Patanjali.

In the modern world, the practical aspects of the system are especially popular and in demand, much more than its intellectual content, based on Sankhya philosophy. The difference between these systems is that yoga presupposes the presence of a deity, to which the spirit (purusha) must strive, freed from the slavery of matter (prakriti), through the eradication of ignorance and illusions.
The purpose of Mimamsa is to interpret the Vedas or rather to give rules for their interpretation. Mimamsa studies the various parts and periods of writing of the Vedas. The earliest work of this philosophical school is the Mimamsa Sutra, compiled by the sage Jamini in the 4th century BC. e. Mimamsa develops the doctrine of knowledge and its five sources, following through reasoning and critical research.

Vedanta originally belonged to the Vedic period of development of philosophical thought. The literal meaning of this term is “the completion of the Vedas.” During the Middle Ages, Vedanta merged with the Mimamsa movement.

Jainism is one of the three oldest Indian religious traditions that still exist. The name of the teaching comes from the Sanskrit verb "ji" - "to conquer", and refers to the battle that a monk must wage against passions in order to gain enlightenment.
Buddhism is a religious and philosophical system that developed from the teachings of the Buddha between the mid-6th and mid-4th centuries. BC e. Despite the fact that Buddhism is one of the main world religions of our time, the term itself originated in Europe in the 19th century.

Did you know?According to legend, Shiva knows 8,000,000 asanas, but only 84 of them are available to people. Modern sports medicine experts estimate that, taking into account all the muscles and joints in the body, people can perform more than 78,000 exercises.

The followers of this religion call their teaching Dharma (Sanskrit “law”). Buddhists believe that the world is not created or controlled by anyone. There is no belief in karma, the immortality of the soul, or even a religious organization.

Yoga as medicine

Being a combination of theory and practice about controlling the body and mind, yoga has created a unique therapeutic direction. The combination of physical postures (asanas) and breathing practices (pranayama) has been used in India for more than 5,000 years.

The US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has proposed the use of yogic practices as one of the alternative types of treatment. Various types of alternative medicine, including yoga, have gained recognition internationally.

Thus, the World Health Organization has developed a new international classification of diseases (ICD-11), in which a special section has been created for alternative treatment methods.

Basic yoga poses are an excellent means of preventing mental disorders, stress, and depression. The first stage of classical yoga, Yama, teaches you to perceive the events of reality without negativity and maintain purity of spirit and body. And the second stage, Niyama, teaches you to fill the consciousness cleared of negativity with positive thinking and joy.
Stress causes disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system and functional disorders. A person who practices yoga has a higher resistance to stress and positive thinking, which means he is less susceptible to illness.

Many people lead a sedentary lifestyle and spend a lot of time at the computer. This contributes to disturbances in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. Asanas help relieve tension in the back muscles, straighten posture, improve endurance, eliminate pain and relieve inflammation. In combination with breathing practice and pranayama, they help to return to good physical shape.

A healthy diet combined with asanas helps slow down the aging process and prevent the development of age-related diseases.

From the point of view of therapeutic effect, asanas can affect:

muscle groups, ligaments and bones - mechanical type of impact;
psycho-emotional state of a person - a stressful type of influence;
psychosomatic;
internal organs - humoral type of influence;
hormonal levels;
energy level;
stressful.

The classification of asanas from the point of view of therapeutic effect is presented in the table:

Localization of therapeutic effects	Categories of asanas	Therapeutic effect	Examples of asanas
Psycho-emotional state	Relaxation asanas that can be performed in a lying, standing or sitting position	Impact on a person’s psycho-emotional state, stress relief, calming, mood improvement	In a lying position: Savasana, Supta Padangushthasana Racks: Tadasana; Pranamasana; Utthita Trikonasana; Virabhadrasana In a sitting position: Sukhasana; Stambhasana; Virasana; Padmasana
Mechanical on muscles, ligaments, joints and bones	Any asanas have a relaxing and stretching effect on the muscles - stretching, bending, twisting, bending, power asanas, boat poses	The purpose of the asana is to relax the muscle group and stretch it; localization depends on the exercise: back muscles, spine, chest. The therapeutic effect consists of relieving pain, improving flexibility and elasticity, restoring the functioning of the organ	Pull forward: Ashwa Sanchalanasana Backbends: Hasta Uttanasana; Bitilasana; Padmasana Boat poses: Bhujangasana; Navasana Crunches: Power asanas: Shalabakhsana; Mayurasana
Internal organs	Backbends, crunches, inversions	Relieving internal tension, improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, spleen, pelvic organs	Backbends: Hasta Uttanasana; Bitilasana; Padmasana Crunches: Utthita Trikonasana; Ardha Matsyendrasana Inverted poses: Sarvangasana; Halasana
Endocrine system, immunity	Inverted poses	Stabilization of the endocrine system, including the thyroid and parathyroid glands	Sarvangasana; Halasana
Balance and coordination of movements	Balance	Improved sense of balance and concentration	Utkatasana; Vrksasana; Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
Prevention of strokes, improvement of brain function	Forward bends	Improving blood supply to the brain	Padangusthasana; Padahastasana; Parvatasana.

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Philosophers who practice yoga

The founder of yoga is an ancient sage, philosopher and ascetic. As in many similar cases, the exact facts of his biography do not exist, so neither the date of birth nor the circumstances of his life can be accurately named. The main work is the Yoga Sutra, consisting of 195 sutras. Yoga probably existed before Patanjali, but it was he who summarized the existing knowledge, systematized and improved it.
No less famous ancient yogic sage - Swami Swatmarama. He is the author of the most ancient treatise on hatha yoga - “Hatha Yoga Pradipika”. This manual describes the use of Shatkarma, Asana, Pranayama, Mudras and Bandhas and their practical application for awakening Kundalini.

Over the past 100–150 years, the number of practicing yogis has become quite large, and along with them, attention to ancient wisdom and its reinterpretation has increased.

Did you know?Yoga was included in UNESCO's list of cultural heritage of humanity in 2016.

Among the yogis and sages of the 19th–20th centuries and their works, the most important are described in the table:

Yogi	Major works	Flow	About the author
Baba Sawan Singh	"Spiritual Guidance"; "Letters from Soul to Soul"	Surat Shabd Yoga	Yogi, philosopher; studied the basic principles of all religions and tried to generalize them into a single doctrine
Brahmachari Dhirendra	“Yoga-sukshma-vyayama”; "Yogasana Vijnana"		Yogi; yoga advisor to Indira Gandhi, created the Yoga Institute, where scientists around the world can conduct scientific medical research on the effects of yoga on the body
Swami Vivekananda	"Practical Vedanta"; "Raja Yoga"; “Six Instructions on Raja Yoga”; "Bhakti Yoga"; "Karma Yoga"; "Jnana Yoga"; "Para-bhakti"	Vedanta and yoga	The founder of one of the largest monastic orders, yogi, philosopher, public figure. Brought yoga to the West and shaped the idea of this system in the Western world
Lahiri Mahasai	The yogi himself did not describe his teaching. It, as well as biographical information, is described by his student and follower Paramahansa Yogananda in “Autobiography of a Yogi”	Kriya yoga	Founder of Kriya Yoga, Hindu yogi and saint; it is believed that he had the ability not only to heal the sick, but also to resurrect the dead, dematerialize objects and perform other miraculous actions
Swami Paramahamsa Hariharananda Giri	“Kriya Yoga: the scientific process of soul culture and the essence of all religions”	Kriya yoga	Yogi, guru, philosopher
Paramahans Yogananda	"Autobiography of a Yogi"		Yogin, popularizer and disseminator of yoga in the West, it was thanks to his work that hatha yoga gained a huge number of followers in the West
Swami Satyananda Saraswati	He is the author of 14 works: “Asana. Pranayama. Mudra. Bandha"; "Bhakti Yoga Sagar"; "Ocean of Yoga of Devotion"; "Kundalini Tantra"; "Svara yoga"; “Tantric practices of transformation”; "Kriya Yoga"; "Hatha Yoga"; "Pradipika" and others	Karma yoga	Yogi, guru, master of yoga and tantra; founder of the International Yoga Fellowship
Sant Kirpal Singh	"Morning Conversations"; “Spirituality - what is it”; "Crown of Life"; "Research on Yoga"; "Surat Shabd Yoga"; "The Secret of Death"; “The great saint Baba Jaimal Singh. His life and teachings"; "Wheel of Life".	Surat Shabd Yoga	Yogi, writer, philosopher

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Yoga is the most popular ancient teaching of all that has practical application. Its popularity is due to the depth of the issues addressed and the ability to change and improve one’s own life with the help of this unique teaching. Yoga helps people find themselves, their path, their essence and, of course, cope with the perception of reality.