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LETTERS TO EDITOR
Year : 2016  |  Volume : 5  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 58-59

Yoga and meditation-native perception


Department of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology, JSS Medical College and Hospital, JSS University, Mysore, Karnataka, India

Date of Web Publication13-Jan-2016

Correspondence Address:
S K Prabhakar
57, 8th Cross, 4th Main Vinayaka Nagar, Mysore - 570 012, Karnataka
India
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Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


DOI: 10.4103/2278-344X.173877

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How to cite this article:
Prabhakar S K, Prakash B G. Yoga and meditation-native perception. Int J Health Allied Sci 2016;5:58-9

How to cite this URL:
Prabhakar S K, Prakash B G. Yoga and meditation-native perception. Int J Health Allied Sci [serial online] 2016 [cited 2024 Mar 28];5:58-9. Available from: https://www.ijhas.in/text.asp?2016/5/1/58/173877

Sir,

We read your esteemed article “Revamping of yoga into Indian lifestyle” with great care and lifetime congratulations to authors. The word yoga is somewhat misunderstood because modern yoga is completely isolated from Patanjali Yoga Sutra. The correct terminology is Raja Yoga preached by great sage pathanjali under eight paths (ashtanga yoga), among them, one is asana. Humankind is practicing yoga exercise not aiming at or to realize God, but their attention is fixed on only one idea - longevity.[1] In this article, an attempt was made to understand the native meaning of yoga.

Ashtanga yoga practiced to ascent into the God within us namely - yama (self-trust), niyama (self-study), asana (right posture for meditation), pranayama (breath witnessing), pratyahara (thoughtless stillness), dharana (oneness in universe), dhyana (deeper meditation), and samadhi (cosmic union with supreme).[2],[3] Our present yoga system preaches effortful and painful body and mind control by maintaining various unnatural postures. When Raja Yoga is practiced truly, then tatvamasi (you are that [God]) is plausible and with practice of so-called forced yogasanas, we learn incompleteness of pathanjali's ashtanga yogashastra that have no or minimal therapeutic benefit. Sri Adi Shankara says the most powerful form of yoga is harmlessness.[4]

Meditation is effortless and let go stillness of all bodily movements equivalent to tapas performed by rishis to accumulate cosmic energy to serene the inflowing and outgoing thoughts. Whole secrete of Raja Yoga is to attain cosmic consciousness by witnessing one's own consciousness not even moving an inch to the past or future deeds. Yoga is a technique whereas meditation is a knack of remaining in the presence moment to moment. Meditation and love are the same experiences and two aspects of the same coin. Words meditation and medicine were derived from the same root.[5]

Witnessing thoughts and natural breathing without any interpretation in lotus posture is vipasana. Mind is the dwelling place for all thoughts and heart is silent and peaceful place for love and affection.[6] Hence, no photo proof of yogic postures existing for either Swami Vivekananda or Sri Ramakrishna or Adi Shankara except we see them in lotus posture. A yogic posture involves molding body into particular shape and maintaining it for prolonged time, meanwhile concentrating on thoughts and breathing pattern that is more stressful than relaxation.

Modern yoga system consists of forced bodily movements and breathing exercises, and to breath properly money has to be shed for our own breathing.[7] Meditation is a universal phenomenon that includes everything, wherein concentration is a localized phenomenon. Meditation is pain free, and body is respected with great love and affection. Thoughts and bodies are many, but consciousness and soul are same and single for all creatures on this mother earth.

In conclusion, meditation answers everything in stillness and shower heavenly flowers on gaining sound body-mind in sound soul. Meditation is both scientific and religious phenomenon having trustful therapeutic effects. Modern education and health sectors should try to introduce meditation in all schools, college, universities, and hospitals to achieve complete therapeutic benefit.

Acknowledgment

Lifetime thankfulness to great seers and saints for their love and affection shown toward every creature in and on this universe.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

 
  References Top

1.
Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Those Worthless Things-worldly Goods are Not Thine for Ever-why Yogi Slips Down from His Yoga. Available from: . [Last accessed on 2015 Oct 16].  Back to cited text no. 1
    
2.
Ashtanga Yoga Sutra. Pathanjalayogashastra. Available from: http://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras-22629.htm. [Last accessed on 2015 Oct 16].  Back to cited text no. 2
    
3.
Vivekananda S. Raja-Yoga. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda; 1893. p. 1. Available from: . [Last accessed on 2015 Oct 16].  Back to cited text no. 3
    
4.
Giri SN. Foundation of Yoga: Ahimsa (Harmlessness) – Part 2. Joy 2006;5. Available from: . [Last accessed on 2015 Oct 16].  Back to cited text no. 4
    
5.
Rajneesh BS. Osho Treatise on Meditation – The Dhammapada: The Way of the Buddha. 1970; 1 and 6, Wisdom of Sands; 1970. p. 2. Available from: . [Last accessed on 2015 Oct 16].  Back to cited text no. 5
    
6.
The Buddha. The Dhammapada – On Doctrine of Discipline. Available from: . [Last accessed on 2015 Oct 16].  Back to cited text no. 6
    
7.
Krishnamurti J. Transcript of a Talk Given in Brockwood Park; 1979. Available from: . [Last accessed on 2015 Oct 16].  Back to cited text no. 7
    




 

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