Yoga Principles Ten Fundamentals Learning Diet Food Sex Sleep Breathing Relaxation Pratice Living Discipline Meditation Hatha Asanas Benefits History

Ten Principles of Yoga

DISCIPLINE

To succeed in yoga one must have discipline. Regular, systematic practice is essential. Discipline also means yama and niyama - restraints on behaviour through universal moral commandments and self-purification through spiritual discipline. Swami Sivananda says “To achieve the goal of yoga one must have constant spiritualization of all activities and cultivation of virtues such as non-violence, truthfulness and celibacy.” If you are not religious try to maintain mindfulness and constantly be in the present moment aware of all actions and thoughts.

FOOD

Eat a nourishing and well balanced diet, based on natural foods. Avoid over-eating. Avoid fasting too much. Avoid over-processed foods. Eat only foods that are easily digestible. This keeps the body light and supple and the mind calm, giving a high resistance to disease. It is essential to drink plenty of water between meals, especially during periods of intense practice. Take natural remedies for illness, avoiding pharmaceuticals and synthetic medicines except in emergencies. Advanced students should consider a purely vegetarian diet to enhance spiritual progress.

SEX

Hatha Yoga teaches that sexual energy should be conserved and used for spiritual progress. Complete sexual suppression is not necessary, but it should be reduced and controlled as much as possible. This will save huge amounts of energy and considerably decelerate the aging process. It will also help in reducing the great attachment that people have with sex and the material world. Hatha Yoga does not utilize the transcendental experience of sexual union for the path to spiritual awareness. Hatha Yoga advises celibacy - reduced sexual activity and thoughts.

SLEEP

Too much sleep makes the body lazy and weak and reduces the amount of waking time. It is only necessary to have about 5 to 6 hours sleep per night but most people have 8 to 10 hours. Try to go to sleep at 9 or 10 P.M. and get up around 5 or 6 A.M. This is ample time to get a good night’s sleep and gives you enough time in the morning for yoga practice.

RELAXATION

The technique of yoga nidra {deep relaxation} releases tension and stress in the mind and body and rests the whole system, leaving you as refreshed as after a good night’s sleep. It carries over into all your activities and teaches you to conserve energy and let go of all worries and fears. Deep relaxation leads into pratyahara – withdrawal of the senses – leading to inner awareness and greater concentration. However, in yoga nidra you are not allowed to sleep.

EXERCISE

Try to exercise regularly for a healthy heart, muscles and circulation with jogging, swimming and asanas. In Hatha Yoga proper exercise is given by the salutations to the sun and the asana, which work systematically on all parts of the body, stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, keeping the spine and joints flexible. and improving circulation and the flow of prana. This brings steadiness and lightness to the body and mind. Never exert un-due force, as pain is signal to stop the practice.

BREATHING

This means breathing fully and rhythmically through the nose, making use of all not just part of your lungs to increase your intake of oxygen. Pranayama - yogic breathing techniques - teaches how to recharge the body and control our mental state by increasing and regulating the flow of prana - vital energy - conserved in the chakras - energy centres.

CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION

Being in the present moment, with continuous mindfulness and awareness of every present moment, is the key to spiritual evolution. Concentration techniques help improve mental stability and awareness. This helps to still the mind, reducing stress and tension in preparation for meditation. Meditation helps us to find inner peace and teaches how to become aware of the inner self, ultimately transcending all thought, leading to complete absorption with the Divine.

POSITIVE THINKING AND DETERMINATION

There are many obstacles on the path of yoga. It is extremely important to have a strong determination to succeed while maintaining a positive mental attitude. Positive thinking promotes mental health and helps to remove negative thoughts, avoiding anxiety and depression through life’s ups and downs. This includes awareness of all thoughts, speech and actions, and maintaining a high standard of morality.

PATIENCE AND GENTLENESS

Do not try to rush your progress. Hatha Yoga takes many years of discipline to achieve safe results, and in time you will understand the need for patience and gentleness. Rushing this process may result from not understanding basic concepts and theories and may cause many problems including physical and mental injury, ego inflation and exhaustion. Relax. Take your time, advancing slowly but surely, day by day.