Yoga is the Unionof the individual and the Supreme Consciousness, or a connection between the atma and the Paramatma (Supersoul), which everyone is capable of establishing. Yoga offers effective methods and practices for achieving this union, purifying our channel of communication with the Spirit. Although Yoga initially had belonged to Tantric tradition, it was later adopted by Vedic scholars. According to Yoga Upanishad Yoga is the balancing of the sun and moon, the vital and mental energies, and thereby awakening the kundalini force, which most of the people has in dormant, “mummified” state. These days, Yoga is deprived of its real meaning and is usually seen as a form of fitness or valued for its relaxation techniques, rather for its original purpose of liberating consciousness!

There are eight limbs of Yoga. Yama (ethical behavior, external code of conduct), Niyama (inner discipline, inner code of conduct), Asana (steady posture), Pranayama (breathing technics, control or “extension” of breathing) these four limbs pertain to the Outer or External Branch of Yoga and known as Hatha Yoga. The other four such as Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal, withdrawal of feelings inward), Dharana (one pointed concentration), Dhyana (meditation, meditative flow) and Samadhi (pure awareness) pertain to the Inner Branch and are known as Raja Yoga. Conscious practice of Hatha Yoga always leads to Raja Yoga!

Moderate eating and light food are believed to be the most important in practicing Yoga ethics (Yama) because if we eat heavy and inappropriate food too much our body becomes gross, choked up with food and quite “earthy”, “material”. Among Niama, the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) is most important because our mind is easily disturbed by angry thoughts, words, actions that increase tamasic and rajasic gunas (qualities of nature), while Yoga is appealed to increase sattva – peace and inner balance.

Yoga is a deeply transformative practice that changes our perception, and, consequently, our life itself. Do not expect immediate results from the practice, for Yoga is a journey and a process itself! However, you will definitely see changes after a few months or years, and you will realize that it is Yoga that is doing you, not you doing yoga 😇. The body becomes lighter and no longer aches, feels heavy or is stiff. The mind calms and forgets jumping from one thought to another. Because we are influenced by different gunas (qualities of nature), we are inclined to different styles of Yoga.

Many things in our world are free and available to all by default, for example, we did not make any efforts to see and to perceive this world, but we cannot retain anything in this world at the same time. Because our identification with the EGO and then with the Body we perceive this Layer of reality (Manifest World) with bias and too seriously.

I was fortunate enough to read the Yoga Upanishads, which are an amazing treasure trove of ancient knowledge. While they were compelled after Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the technics (especially meditative – vidyas) described in them are unique and pre-Patanjali! I will refer to them from time to time. I express my deepest gratitude to the commentators and translators of this priceless texts and humbly recommend them for reading to all Yoga disciples.