Practising Yoga Mindfully: More Than Breath and Poses

New Delhi, November 1: Many people now begin their day with yoga, unrolling a mat, moving through a few poses and taking slow, controlled breaths. For a large number of practitioners, this routine has become an important way to manage stress and stay fit.

However, the discipline of yoga reaches well beyond flexibility and breathing techniques. It seeks to bring the body, mind and soul into balance, and it offers a framework for leading a better and more purposeful life.

Often, yoga is understood only in terms of asanas and pranayama. Traditional teachings, however, describe eight limbs that work together. They are yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi, and each one contributes to a person's complete development.

Yama and niyama guide conduct. They teach self-control, integrity, honesty and the cultivation of good habits. Asanas help keep the body active and adaptable, whereas pranayama is a practice of regulating the breath to bring mental tranquillity. Pratyahara involves turning the senses away from outside attractions and focusing them within.

Concentration and meditation also hold a special place in yoga. Dharana trains the mind to hold on to one object or thought. Dhyana then takes the practitioner further into calmness and introspection. The last limb, samadhi, is regarded as the height of inner focus and awareness.

The world of yoga includes further practices as well, such as shatkarma, mudra, bandha and mantra chanting. Shatkarma comprises traditional methods of cleansing the body. Mudra and bandha are used to direct the body's energy and attention, and mantra chanting helps quiet the mind and maintain constructive thoughts.

Food and daily habits are equally significant. Consuming balanced, nourishing meals in appropriate amounts is necessary for maintaining equilibrium between body and mind.

Hence, rather than concentrating only on postures, one should try to understand every facet of yoga. Its real advantages emerge when it is practised with awareness, discipline and a right way of living.