Life Management
Yoga enables us to unite the individual soul with the ultimate eternal One. This union is the chief purpose of human life and in our endeavour to achieve this, we are faced with innumerable obstacles. But all hurdles are removed when the sadhaka or practitioner of yoga obtains the grace of God. A simple way to receive such grace is through prayer and humility. The Vedas say: "We the sadhakas practising different forms of yoga do pray to the Almighty, to protect us from all the obstacles of yoga so that they do not become a reason for the disruption of samadhi (total unity with God)." Fourteen obstacles have been observed formally by yogis. Nine of them are classified as main obstacles and another five, as subobstacles. The nine main hindrances are: 1. Vyadhi or disease. 2. Styana or disinclination towards duty. 3. Sanshaya, doubting one's capability or the result of yoga. 4. Pramada, neglecting duties which lead us towards the goal of yoga. 5. Alasya, inertia due to dominance of the tamasic or negative element. 6. Avirati, generation of lack of vairagya or dispassion, as a result of the contact of sense organs with their objects. 7. Bhrantidarshan, development of a false notion about the practice of yoga and its outcome. 8. Alabdha-bhumikatva, non-attainment of the yogic accomplishments, despite sadhana, leading to the discouragement of the sadhaka. This happens due to faulty sadhana. 9. Anawasthitatwa, nonpermanence of a yogic accomplishment. a When these nine hurdles are encountered, five more obstacles appear according to the circumstances: 1. Dukh or sorrow: adhyatmik dukh sets in due to pain in the body or mind arising out of desire, anger and diseases; adhibhowtik dukh arises due to pain caused bу human beings, animals and other creatures; adhidaiwik dukh is caused by divine phenomena like rain, winds, earthquake and lightning. 2. Daurmanasya, pain caused by non-fulfilment of desires. 3. Angamejayatwa, the shivering of parts of the body. 4. Swasa, disturbances in the external kumbhaka or breath retention- the phenomena of inhalation occurring without the desire of the sadhaka. 5. Praswasa, disturbance in the internal kumbhakathe occurrence of exhalation without the desire of the sadhaka. The nine and five additional obstacles are called vikshepa and upvikshepa respectively. Through abhyasa (practice) and airagya sadhakas can overcome these hurdles. In abhyasa, the yama and niyama or the 10 rules of conduct form the base. The asanas are the third limb of yoga. Shiva expounded 84 lakh asanas, with 84 main asanas out of which 33 are of special importance for martyaloka (planet earth). Out of these, the Hathayogapradipika considers four as pradhanasanas of great significance and siddhasana as the best. Bahyabhyantar- external and internal - cleanliness has to be ensured, according to Patanjali's Yogadarshan. Pranayama has its rules. too it should be preceded by the sodhana (cleaning) of 72,000 nadis, or nerve channels in our entire body. Then the body becomes lighter and healthier, and the nasal passages are filled with a divine fragrance
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Yogacharya Kundan Kumar and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Yogacharya Kundan Kumar and Speaking Tree,Times of India
Life Management
Yoga enables us to unite the individual soul with the ultimate eternal One. This union is the chief purpose of human life and in our endeavour to achieve this, we are faced with innumerable obstacles. But all hurdles are removed when the sadhaka or practitioner of yoga obtains the grace of God. A simple way to receive such grace is through prayer and humility. The Vedas say: "We the sadhakas practising different forms of yoga do pray to the Almighty, to protect us from all the obstacles of yoga so that they do not become a reason for the disruption of samadhi (total unity with God)." Fourteen obstacles have been observed formally by yogis. Nine of them are classified as main obstacles and another five, as subobstacles. The nine main hindrances are: 1. Vyadhi or disease. 2. Styana or disinclination towards duty. 3. Sanshaya, doubting one's capability or the result of yoga. 4. Pramada, neglecting duties which lead us towards the goal of yoga. 5. Alasya, inertia due to dominance of the tamasic or negative element. 6. Avirati, generation of lack of vairagya or dispassion, as a result of the contact of sense organs with their objects. 7. Bhrantidarshan, development of a false notion about the practice of yoga and its outcome. 8. Alabdha-bhumikatva, non-attainment of the yogic accomplishments, despite sadhana, leading to the discouragement of the sadhaka. This happens due to faulty sadhana. 9. Anawasthitatwa, nonpermanence of a yogic accomplishment. a When these nine hurdles are encountered, five more obstacles appear according to the circumstances: 1. Dukh or sorrow: adhyatmik dukh sets in due to pain in the body or mind arising out of desire, anger and diseases; adhibhowtik dukh arises due to pain caused bу human beings, animals and other creatures; adhidaiwik dukh is caused by divine phenomena like rain, winds, earthquake and lightning. 2. Daurmanasya, pain caused by non-fulfilment of desires. 3. Angamejayatwa, the shivering of parts of the body. 4. Swasa, disturbances in the external kumbhaka or breath retention- the phenomena of inhalation occurring without the desire of the sadhaka. 5. Praswasa, disturbance in the internal kumbhakathe occurrence of exhalation without the desire of the sadhaka. The nine and five additional obstacles are called vikshepa and upvikshepa respectively. Through abhyasa (practice) and airagya sadhakas can overcome these hurdles. In abhyasa, the yama and niyama or the 10 rules of conduct form the base. The asanas are the third limb of yoga. Shiva expounded 84 lakh asanas, with 84 main asanas out of which 33 are of special importance for martyaloka (planet earth). Out of these, the Hathayogapradipika considers four as pradhanasanas of great significance and siddhasana as the best. Bahyabhyantar- external and internal - cleanliness has to be ensured, according to Patanjali's Yogadarshan. Pranayama has its rules. too it should be preceded by the sodhana (cleaning) of 72,000 nadis, or nerve channels in our entire body. Then the body becomes lighter and healthier, and the nasal passages are filled with a divine fragrance
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Yogacharya Kundan Kumar and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Yogacharya Kundan Kumar and Speaking Tree,Times of India