Self DevelopmentIn the context of spirituality

and a practical approach

NAME OF COLLEGEThis course designed by uconnect@srcm.org

Facilitator –

Class 4 – Meaning & Practice of Yoga

Speaker -Date-

As per the institute

A few of the Possible answers To explore the reasons behind all that

we see, feel and wonder about To know if there is any power that

controls us/punishes us /rewards us To know what He looks like and where

He exists To know if and how God is related to us

Why is the concept of God Important to us?

HE is omnipresent, omnipotent, Omniscient

He is punishing god, loving god, merciful god

He has no form but can take any form he wishes

God is a principle and hence has no discrimination

Some ideas of God

God cannot be defined. If He can be

defined then He is not God. Rig Veda says God is beyond existence

and non existence, light and darkness, He is beyond space and time, He is beyond duality.

Infinite God has given rise to this infinite universe.

You can know God through meditation.

Vedic Idea of God

Is God a WHO or a WHAT?

How will you define God?

What is the relationship between man and God Is God and US two sides of the same coin?

Key Questions

Your Answers

With Sanskrit root 'yug', Yoga means to

bind, join, unite It is the union of individual soul with the

cosmic consciousness Yoga is referred to in ancient sacred

books as the Vedas, Upanishads and in the Gita of the Mahabharata

Roots of Yoga

Patanjali was world's first psychiatrist to

recognize the need for education of the conscious and subconscious mind

He compiled the Yoga-Sutras - aphorisms on mind showing how to control and have complete mastery

Scholars believe he has lived between 200 BC and 200 AD.

Some believe he may have lived before 5000 BC.

Introduction to Yoga

The Yoga system of Patanjali has eight steps:

Yama – abstention from harming others, from falsehood, from theft, from incontinence, and from greed;

Niyama- observance of purity, contentment, mortification, self study, devotion to God;

Asanas- postures; Pranayama- control of the breath; Pratyahara- withdrawal of the mind from the senses and

external objects; Dharana- concentration, or fixing the mind; Dyana – meditation on the goal Samadhi – perfect balance as in the spiritual condition

of absolute or bliss

Yoga system of Patanjali

Various Types of Yoga

Physical – Hata Yoga Spiritual

Kriya Yoga Karma Yoga Gyana Yoga Bhakti Yoga Raja Yoga

The yogic idea of the Self (higher Self) is that

of spirit, atman, soul, rhu that resides in every created being and without which the being would not exist even for a second more

Soul is considered a part of God

The idea of Jeevatma and Paramatma

The idea of the Self

Can I see/feel/experience this Self?

The process of meditation enables you to experience your higher Self.

Just like my body does some activity and my mind is active and I am conscious of it, what is the characteristic of the Soul?The Characteristic of the Soul is to journey back to its Origin - Bliss.

When was this Self / Soul born, how long will it continue to exist?Theologically speaking when the creation was created.

How are God and Self related?They are fundamentally the same thing. The search for God is like a macro approach the search of the Self is like a micro approach. The answer is the same.

The Higher Self

Yoga comes from the root work Yug meaning to

join or to unite. Yoga is process of union with the ultimate or the

Self. It requires practice. Practice requires being

prepared… mentally and physically. This forms the basis of Ashtanga Yoga

Yoga and Self

Watch a video

Meaning of Yoga

Natural Path

Raja Yoga

Karma Yoga

Bhakti Yoga

SELFGOAL

Reason + Discipline (Experiential Knowledge) + Faith

Ultimate meaning of yoga

Values

Attitudes

Behaviour

SELFGOAL

Aligning Values, Goals with the nature of real Self

Conclusive Remarks

There are problems everywhere – southern countries grapple with unemployment, poverty etc.

The northern countries have issues with drug addiction, alcoholism, social unrest etc.

To have the world at peace, under these circumstances, it is not enough to preach peace

However, changing people from within through practice of Yoga, will possibly create a better world where peace and harmony will prevail – -Katharina Schneider Faillace and Costantino Faillace, Ph.D

Regular reminders

Don’t forget to bring your diaries Write down keywords, key concepts and also

your own self discovery observations both in the class exercises and also otherwise

Meditate twice daily 10 + minutes – same place, same time

Suggested Reading: The Bhagwad Gita

In Closing

Thank You