Yoga is to harmonize the body and mind with nature and lifestyle in tune with nature.Yoga in Sanskrit for “yoking” or “union”, is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that has been practiced form time immortal in India. Yoga is one of the six orthodox philosophical schools of Hinduism. Patañjali (Sanskrit: पतञ्जलि) was a sage in ancient India, thought to be the author of a number of Sanskrit works. The greatest of these are the Yoga Sutras, a classical yoga text. Patanjali is one of the 18 siddhars in the Tamil siddha (Shaiva) tradition
“Yogah Chitta Vritti Nirodhah”, – Patanjali Sutra on Yoga.- Control Yoga is to control the functioning of the mind. We have our thoughts, emotions, feelings and conditionings in the mind. It is very difficult to control. Yoga is the technique to control all these functions of the mind
Yogi Thirumoolar is a Tamil yogi who is one the main 63 Nayanars and one of the 18 Siddhars.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a collection of Sanskrit 195 sutras (according to Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) The Yoga Sutras was compiled in the early centuries CE, by the sage Patanjali in India who synthesized and organized knowledge about yoga from much older traditions
There are a many yoga schools, practices in Hinduism, and there are four paths or types of yoga:
• Bhakti Yoga : The path of love, devotion & surrender to Parambramha & its forms.
• Karma Yoga : The path of selfless service to oneself & society.
• Jnana Yoga : The path of knowledge.
• Raja Yoga : The path of mindfulness through pranayama & meditation.
Research studies have shown that traditional yoga systems that include breathing exercises and asanas or postures, chants, and meditation can reduce stress and improve immunity and lung functions. Traditional forms and modern methods are practiced worldwide. The Yoga has been practiced since Vedic and the Indus valley civilization times. Yoga has been mentioned in the oldest known scripture Rigveda, and also referenced in the Upanishads. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali thousand years old and gained prominence in the world in the 20th century after being first introduced by Swami Vivekananda. The term “yoga” in the world often denotes a modern form of hatha yoga and yoga as exercise, consisting largely of the asanas.
Outside India, it has developed into a posture-based physical fitness, stress-relief and relaxation technique. Yoga has its own branch of philosophy concerned with knowledge, which assumes the ontology and metaphysics of the Samkhya Darsana i.e., the study of existence, knowledge, values and reason.
