The document discusses yoga and its benefits. It believes yoga is the path to peace and happiness by bringing balance to the mind, body and spirit. It describes how modern lifestyles lead to stress and disease and how yoga can play a role in preventative health. It defines yoga as the union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness. It outlines the eight limbs of yoga according to Patanjali and describes various yoga practices like asanas, pranayama, bandhas and mudras. It classifies the different paths of yoga such as japa, karma, gyana, bhakti and raja yoga and discusses the general characteristics and classifications of yoga practices.

1. Sri Aarogyam
We at Sri Aarogyam believe that Yoga is the only way to Peace and Happiness.
Introduction
Enjoying this gift of life through love, vitality, joy and peace instead of fear, stress,
resentment and sadness is only possible when the mind, body and spirit of an
individual are in equilibrium.
In this modern era of stress, strain and faulty life style, the common man is suffering
from various psychosomatic disorders leading to chronic, incurable, allergic and
metabolic diseases. In most of these diseases, the modern medicine is unable to
render long term remedies. The prolonged medication further results in various
side effects causing harm to vital organs and systems. Yoga plays a major role in
holistic health in all aspects viz, preventive, promotive, and curative. It is cost
effective easier, simpler, and safer practice, more suitable to men and women from
all walks of life. These practices bring down the very incidence of sickness and also
reduce the cost of medication. Thus yoga has a significant role in health scenario as
individuals resistance power, immunity is enhanced leading to sound life and
longevity.
Yoga
Yoga means Union. It is the merging of the individual with the universal. It is the oneness of
all Consciousness. Yoga is a path that assists people in knowing in their being this
universal Truth.
Yoga and yoga postures provide simple and practical solutions to all your daily problems.
Physically, the yoga postures improve the flexibility of the muscles and the joints. They also
massage the organs, thus improving their functionality. Yoga heals various chronic illnesses
in a natural and simple way and also improves the body’s immunity in an extremely subtle
and effortless manner, yoga and yoga postures make you more contented and happy.
Overall the body feels healthier and more energetic. It is less prone to diseases and effects
of day-to-day stress.
The concepts and practices of Yoga originated in India about several thousand years ago.
Its founders were great Saints and Sages. The great Yogis presented rational interpretation
of their experiences of Yoga and brought about a practical and scientifically sound method
within every one's reach. Yoga today, is no longer restricted to hermits, saints, and sages; it
has entered into our everyday lives and has aroused a worldwide awakening and
acceptance in the last few decades. The science of Yoga and its techniques have now been
reoriented to suit modern sociological needs and lifestyles. Experts of various branches of
medicine including modern medical sciences are realizing the role of these techniques in
the prevention and mitigation of diseases and promotion of health.
Yoga is one of the six systems of Vedic philosophy. Maharishi Patanjali, rightly called “The

2. Father of Yoga” compiled and refined various aspects of Yoga systematically in his “Yoga
Sutras” (aphorisms). He advocated the eight folds path of Yoga, popularly known as
“Ashtanga Yoga” for all-round development of human beings.
They are:- Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
These components advocate certain restraints and observances, physical discipline, breath
regulations, restraining the sense organs, contemplation, meditation and samadhi. These
steps are believed to have a potential for improvement of physical health by enhancing
circulation of oxygenated blood in the body, retraining the sense organs thereby inducing
tranquility and serenity of mind. The practice of Yoga prevents psychosomatic disorders
and improves an individual's resistance and ability to endure stressful situations.
Definition of Yoga
Yoga is a discipline to improve or develop one's inherent power in a balanced manner. It
offers the means to attain complete self-realization. The literal meaning of the Sanskrit
word Yoga is 'Yoke'. Yoga can therefore be defined as a means of uniting the individual
spirit with the universal spirit of God. According to Maharishi Patanjali, Yoga is the
suppression of modifications of the mind.
Pranayama is an aspect of Yoga that deals with breathing. It is the breathing process or the
control of the motion of inhalation, exhalation and the retention of vital energy. Proper
breathing is to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control Prana or the
vital life energy.
Asanas
Yoga Asanas or postures are body positions, typically associated with the practice of Yoga.
They are intended primarily to restore and maintain a practitioner's well-being, improve
the body's flexibility and vitality.
Bandhas
Bandha is a Sanskrit word related to our English words "band","bind", "bond" and "bound."
They are particular actions involving pressure or strain on the muscles. Each bandha is a
lock, meaning a closing off of part of the interior body. These locks are used in various
pranayama and asana practices to tone, cleanse and energize the interior body and organs.
Mudras
Mudra is the science of hand and finger postures. It can help to cure bodily ailments in a
wonderful manner. It affects the body's energetic sysytem and the flow of prana (life
energy) within it. It actually helps in balancing the five elements ( panch-tattvas ) in the
human system to their optimal levels.

3. Salient Features of Yoga
Yoga is universal in character for practice and application irrespective of culture,
nationality, race, caste, creed, sex, age and physical condition. Neither by reading the texts
nor by wearing the garb of an ascetic, one can become an accomplished Yogi. Without
practice, no one can experience the utility of Yogic techniques nor can realize of its inherent
potential. Only regular practice (sadhana) creates a pattern in body and mind to uplift
them. It requires keen desire on the part of the practitioner to experience the higher states
of consciousness through training the mind and refining the gross consciousness.
2. Yoga as evolutionary process
Yoga is an evolutionary process in the development of human consciousness. Evolution of
total consciousness does not necessarily begin in any particular man rather it begins only if
one chooses it to begin. The vices like use of alcohol and drugs, working exhaustively,
indulging too much in sex and other stimulation is to seek oblivion, a return to
unconsciousness. Indian yogis begin from the point where western psychology end. If
Fraud's psychology is the psychology of disease and Maslow's psychology is the psychology
of the healthy man then Indian psychology is the psychology of enlightenment. In Yoga, it is
not a question of psychology of man rather it is a question of higher consciousness. It is not
also the question of mental health, rather, it is question of spiritual growth.
3. Yoga as Soul Therapy
All paths of Yoga (Japa, Karma, Bhakti etc.) have healing potential to shelter out the effects
of pains. However, one especially needs proper guidance from an accomplished exponent,
who has already treaded the same track to reach the ultimate goal. The particular path is to
be chosen very cautiously in view of his aptitude either with the help of a competent
counselor or consulting an accomplished Yogi.
Types of Yoga
Japa Yoga
To concentrate one's mind on divine name or holy syllable, mantra etc. like 'OM', ‘Rama',
'Allah', 'God', 'Vahe Guru' etc. through repeated recitation or remembrance.
Karma Yoga
It teaches us to perform all actions without having any desire for their fruit. In this sadhana,
a Yogi considers his duty as divine action, perform it with whole-hearted dedication but
shuns away all desires.

4. Gyana Yoga
It teaches us to discriminate between self and non-self and to acquire the knowledge of
one's spiritual entity through the study of scriptures, company of Saints and practices of
meditation.
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti Yoga, a system of intense devotion with emphasis on complete surrender to divine
will. The true follower of Bhakti Yoga is free from egoism remains humble and unaffected
by the dualities of the world.
Raja Yoga
Raja Yoga popularly known as “Ashtanga Yoga” is for all-round development of human
beings. These are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and
Samadhi.
General Characteristics of Yoga
The Yogic system of health involves the exercise of skeletal as well as the deep-seated
smooth muscles of the body.
The intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal pressure may be mentioned as special
characteristics of the Yoga system of health.
Little expenditure of energy and money is involved in the hatha yoga practices. The rich as
well as poor, and men and women of all ages can practice Yogic practices. Every school of
Yoga emphasized specific practices, but their aim always remained the same; the highest
level of integration through the control of the modification of mind.
The nature of Yogic practices is psycho-neurophysical.
General Classification of Yoga
People generally ignore Yamas and Niyamas in practice considering them to be part of
conduct but they should also be practiced.
Taking into account Ashtanga Yoga, the Yogic practices may be classified as
(i) Yamas (ii) Niyamas (iii) Asanas (iv) Pranayamas (v) Bandhas and Mudras (vi) Kriyas
(vii) Meditation and (viii) Attitude training practices.
Each one of these classification consists of a group of several practices. These practices are
briefly discussed as below:-
Yama
The practice of Yama paves way to increase the power of concentration, mental purity and
steadiness. The following are the Yamas:

5. Ahimsa - not to harm others
Satya - to be truthful
Asteya - not to steal
Brahmacharya - celibacy
Aparigraha - not to possess beyond actual needs
Niyama
There are five Niyamas:
Souch - external and internal purification
Santosh - contentment
Tapa - to make right efforts to achieve goals
Swadhyaya - to study authentic texts and religious scriptures to acquire correct
knowledge of self and the supreme divinity
Ishwar Pranidhan - complete surrender to the divine will
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