1. Yoga The Science
YOGA
Yogi – A yoga practitioner practicing yoga in caves in the Himalayas; i.e. far away from common life.
But Yoga can be practiced by everyone.
Two Extreme Views:
Yoga is highly difficult & complex
Yoga is too Simple
YOGA IS TO BE STUDIED IN ITS TRUE FORM

2. Yoga The Science Yoga is a highway for happiness & prosperity.
Material pleasures cannot give true satisfaction or joy.
There is no limit that our expectations & desires can fulfill.
Continue doing your duties without expectations.
Such impartial attitude towards the duties of life is YOGA

3. Yoga The Science Yoga means to JOIN To join Atman with Paramatman
The controller of the universal energy
ATMAN
The controller of the self
If Paramatman is the ocean, Atman is a drop of its water, kept separate in a container (Body)
Atman is confined to the body mind complex, and has its own separate identity
When Atman merges with Paramatman, it looses its own identity.
This is the aim of Yoga!

4. Yogic Practices help in this Evolution
Yoga The Science
Tools Available
Body (Perfectly Healthy)
Mind (Totally Purified)
Intellect (Properly Trained)
Present Condition
Body (Not Healthy)
Mind (Not Purified)
Intellect (Not Trained)
Yogic Practices help in this Evolution

5. Yoga The Science Yogic practice can be used for:
Correcting the disorders of the body
Keeping the body in a healthy condition
Improving mental capacities
Developing the intellect

6. Yoga The Science Patanjali Yoga Ashtanga Yoga (Eight Limb Yoga)
Yama : Social Discipline
Niyama : Self Discipline
Asana : Posture
Pranayama : Breath control
Pratyahara : Withdrawal of sense organs
Dharana : Concentration of Mind
Dhyana : Meditation
Samadhi: Union with God

7. Yoga The Science Yoga is a science of personality development
Physical Condition
Mental Control
Emotional Balance
Intellectual Development

8. Yama – Social Discipline
Ahimsa – Non Violence
Satya – Truthfulness
Asteya – Non Stealing
Brahmacharya – Sexual Control
Aparigraha – Non Possessiveness

9. Yama – Social Discipline
The first component of Ashtanga Yoga
Rules for Social Discipline
(Guidelines on how to behave in society)
These are universal laws respected everywhere
(Laws of Nature)
These are natural instincts
These are easy to follow

10. Yama – Social Discipline
Ahimsa – Non Violence
* Means of behaviour towards all living creatures
* Absence of harmful intentions or thoughts
* To be followed on three levels
i) Physical
ii) Verbal
iii) Mental
* Control your actions, words & mind
* Generate love & compassion towards all living creatures

11. Yama – Social Discipline
Satya – Truthfulness
Fact is fact
There is no other way than to accept it
We try to hide the facts
We do not accept the facts
One lie requires many more lies to support it
Untruthfulness in all its various forms creates many types of unnecessary complications in life
Truthfulness is absolutely necessary for the unfoldment of reality

12. Yama – Social Discipline
Asetya – Non Stealing
Stealing means to take anything without the permission of its owner
Yoga sadhaka should not take anything, which does not belong to them.
They should not even take intangible or highly prized things, such as credits for something they have not done.

13. Yama – Social Discipline
Brahmacharya – Sexual Control
In its real sense means the abstinence from sexual indulgence to obtain a higher yogic level, no compromise of this discipline is possible
One cannot get real bliss realised by the transcendent knowledge of higher yogic life, whilst having sexual pleasures at the same time
One may not be required to give up sexual activities straightaway, but must completely abstain before commencing serious practice of Yoga on a higher level.

14. Yama – Social Discipline
Brahmacharya – Sexual Control (cont.)
A real yogi should be prepared to completely give up, not only physical indulgence in sexual activities, but also thoughts & emotions concerned with it
In a wider sense Brahmacharya means a freedom from cravings of all sensual enjoyments
The attitude of the mind is responsible for these cravings

15. Yama – Social Discipline
Aparigraha – Non Possessiveness
The tendency to accumulate worldly goods is considered a basic instinct in human life
Necessities – comforts – luxuries
(These are subjective & limitless)
One needs to satisfy its childish vanity & desires, to appear superior to others
One must spend time & energy in accumulating these things, which are not really needed.

16. Yama – Social Discipline
Aparigraha – Non Possessiveness (cont.)
Maintaining & guarding the accumulated items
Constant fear of loosing them
Feeling of pain if actually lost
Feeling of regret to leave them behind, when bidding goodbye to this world.
We spend our valuable time & resources to accumulate, yet they generate a constant source of disturbance to us.
Hence minimise your needs

17. Yama – Social Discipline
Yamas are to be followed fully irrespective of place, time, caste without exception
It is necessary to follow the Yamas 100% to attain a level of higher yogic practice
When you undertake yoga practice, try to follow Yamas as much as you can
If you follow Yama & Niyama you will be able to perform Asana & Pranayama better
If you practice Asana & Pranayama better you will automatically start following Yama & Niyama
Following Yama & Niyama will help to attain the goal of yoga:
“CHITTA VRITTI NIRODHAHA”

18. Niyama – Self Discipline
Shoucha – Cleanliness, Purity
Santosha – Contentment
Tapa – Austerity
Swadhyaya – Self Study
Ishwara Pranidhana – Surrender to God

19. Niyama – Self Discipline
Second component (Anga) of Ashtanga Yoga
Rules for self discipline
Yamas are moral & prohibitive, whereas Niyamas are disciplined & constructive
Yamas provide ethical foundation & Niyamas provide physical & mental foundation for furthering studies of Yoga
Yamas can be practiced only within a society, but Niyamas can be practiced anywhere irrespective of society
Yamas are reactive & Niyamas are active

20. Niyama – Self Discipline
Shoucha – Cleanliness, Purity
Purity of body, mind & intellect
These instruments become impure when things are added to them. Shoucha helps to eliminate these additions.
Hatha Yoga prescribes many practices for the purification of the internal body
The cleansing practices are divided into six major categories:
Shatkarmas
1) Dhouti 2) Basti 3) Neti 4) Tratak
5) Nouli 6) Kapalbhati

21. Niyama – Self Discipline
Shatkarmas
Dhouti – Cleaning of the digestive tract
Basti – Cleaning of the rectum
Neti – Cleaning of the Nasal passage
Tratak – Cleaning of the eyes
Nouli – Improving the digestion
Kapalbhati – Cleaning of the lungs
&
For purification of the mind – Mantra Sadhana

22. Niyama – Self Discipline
Santosha – Contentment
This is a mental attitude that keeps the mind in a condition of equilibrium
Circumstances impact on the mind & cause it to react. These reactions disturb the equilibrium of the mind & in turn disrupt the physical condition of the body
To avoid these disturbances train your mind to react with contentment
Always say “Very nice Very nice!”
A continual practice of Ashtanga Yoga along with training the mind through Mantra Sadhana, is necessary to develop this attitude

23. Niyama – Self Discipline
Tapa – Austerity, Self Discipline
This includes various practices, the object of which is to purify the sadhakas body mind complex for further study of Yoga
Practices include fasting & observing various vows. These are performed to control the functions of the body & mind
A systematic practice begins with simple exercises, to exert control of willpower & in progression more difficult practices are performed. This practice loosens the association of the consciousness with the body mind complex

24. Niyama – Self Discipline
Swadhyaya – Self Study
Study is the process of acquiring knowledge, both theoretical & practical
The explanation given by Patanjali of study is as follows:
Deerghakaal – for long period
Nairantarya – continued, uninterrupted
Satakarasevito – with full unconditional faith
The style of study will depend on the individual self

25. Niyama – Self Discipline
Ishwarpranidhana – Total surrender to God
The progressive practice of Ishwarpranidhana will lead to samadhi, the state of union
Ishwarpranidhana is a process of transformation from human to God
Ishwarpranidhana is the concept of loosing the identity of the self & merging it with that of Ishwara the God
This effort may take many forms according to the temperaments & the previous Sanskaras of the sadhaka
Ishwarpranidhana is explained in detail in Bhakti Yoga