Traditional Yoga was based on a philosophy of the Hindus that date back several thousands of years. Although the exact year cannot be pinpointed, it is believed that yoga was practiced as early as 3000 to 4000 years ago. Yoga cannot be seen as concentrating on a single area or discipline. The practice of yoga is meant to achieve a level of mental and physical discipline with postures and controlled breathing or exercises.

traditional yoga

Soul takes up a body

But traditional yoga which forms the basis of the philosophy of the Hindus is based on the soul as the ultimate reality that had existed, exists and will continue to exist. Contrary to western philosophy where the body is taken as the carrier that houses the soul, Hindu philosophy harps on the soul that carries a body. And the individual soul in traditional yoga is a fragment of the universal soul. Yoga, as it came to be known means ‘union’ of the individual soul with the universal.

Traditional yoga was not all about postures and breathing exercises, but it was a way of life to attain spiritual perfection and perfect health. While breathing, we don’t fill our lungs fully. There is a lot of capacity which remains unutilized. Beginning with the proper art of breathing is the basis of yoga. You learn the basic breathing techniques called pranayama. It can be passive as well as dynamic.

Basic breathing is done by closing a nostril with your thumb and inhaling slowly by the other. Breathing is not what we are used to. In traditional yoga, breathing does not mean taking in air rapidly or in short bursts, but very slowly.

traditional yoga2

Breathing techniques and strict discipline

As you fill your lungs with air, you release the nostril and cover up the other one while slowly exhaling through the other. You don’t hold your breath. Again, at a later stage and under the watchful eye of a guru or a yoga teacher of traditional yoga, you inhale and then hold your breath for a few seconds before exhaling it and then repeating the process through the other nostril. This practice in traditional yoga has also been co-opted in modern yoga is done sitting in a lotus posture. It was meant to cleanse your inner nerves that are not the nerves we know about in medical history, but those at the base of the spinal cord believed to exist in Yoga philosophy.

Traditional yoga practices centered on spiritual well being and progress through not only the breathing techniques and postures but also discipline in your daily lifestyle. It involved moderate diet, celibacy, speaking the truth, non-coveting of worldly pleasures and non-injury to others. Naturally, the diet in traditional yoga is similar to the M2 Fitness Pros menu and is made up of fruits, vegetables and dairy products. It was a total makeover of your self and a path toward knowing the universal soul or spirit as it is known in western spirituality. To achieve the ultimate in spirituality, several meditation techniques formed the very basis of traditional yoga.

Tags:

Related posts

  • No related posts.

Tagged with:

Filed under: Sport Yoga

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!