Yog is the philosophy of being. Yog is who I am in my purest, simplest form. Yog is my introduction to my own self. Asanas are a subset of the whole of Yog.
The Eight Limbs — Ashtanga
There are a total of eight parts (Ashtanga) that, when combined and followed together, are said to be Yog, and the one who follows them is called a Yogi.
Yama — Ethical restraints
Niyama — Personal observances
Asana — Physical postures
Pranayama — Breath control
Pratyahara — Withdrawal of the senses
Dharana — Concentration
Dhyana — Meditation
Samadhi — Absorption / Enlightenment
I am not going to dwell on these individually in detail. Great rishis, saints, and scholars have passed on that knowledge to us in the form of their wonderful scriptures and writings. Understanding and absorbing that knowledge in itself can take a lifetime or more.
Roots & Inheritance
I have been fortunate to be born into a family of knowledge and traditions where some practices ran in the genes and some as a lifestyle. That is how I know Yog. My mother, who is a personification of Bhakti Yog, and my father, a Karm Yogi. They did not choose these individual paths of Yog consciously, but these were the most natural to them.
The Journey Inward
If I am not at peace, I need to reflect inwards to see what I carry within. The answers are not outside. No one has the answers for me but me.
Bliss is the state of Samadhi. The union with yourself is the ultimate truth. When I can see and embrace myself, I am in Samadhi, I am non-existent, and I am Shunya.
The Sound of Shunya
How to experience this ultimate state of existence is Yog.
There is so much chatter all around us, day in and day out, that hearing this sound of Shunya is impossible till the time we know how to quieten all the sounds around us. This is what Yog teaches us. The ultimate guide to know yourself is Yog.
I Know Myself — Or Do I?
I know myself!! Sure, we all think that. It's a good thought too. However, I want to share one of my innumerable interesting experiences in life.
So yes, till the time I don't have a reference, how do I know what is being said? Until I have started quietening myself by withdrawing all my senses, how do I know what ‘quiet’ is? I need to truly know the other person; I need to know myself.
The Power of Understanding Others
It is a thought from the perspective of an employer who is paying money for work. It comes from a limitation of short-sightedness. But not from a person who has foresight and a deeper understanding of human behaviour. Not from a person who can understand the power of collective force. Not from a person who wants to walk tirelessly towards the goal of life, whatever it may be to that person.
When we know ourselves, we also understand how important it is to know everyone around us — where they are coming from in their disinterest, withdrawal, silence, or anger.
Beyond Roles — Embracing Wholeness
We cannot be divided into personal and professional beings at the level of existence. We are one whole. When I identify people only by the role they are playing in my life at a particular point in time, I risk missing who they truly are. My mother is my mother, but at a deeper level of existence, she is a human being with her own likes, dislikes, dreams, fears, opinions, experiences, and journey.
If we care to know people beyond the roles they play in our lives, we begin to know them more completely. Our understanding becomes deeper, our relationships become more meaningful, and our interactions become more honest. It is in that space that relationships — be they personal or professional — become real.
To embrace, you need warmth, and warmth comes from within. To feel the warmth, you need to make peace with every part of yourself. Peace comes from embracing yourself. To embrace yourself, you need to know yourself. To know yourself, you should have the right tool. That tool is Yog.
Yog is not the buzzword. Yog is THE WORD. Faded over a period, but now thankfully catching attention.
A Call to Practice
To celebrate International Day of Yoga, let us become curious to know more about Yog. Let us try to bring Yog into our lives consciously. If you haven't till date brought the practice into your life, or maybe not moved beyond asanas to merely lose weight, then today is the day to become curious, to know more. Use Yog to unleash your full potential.
Become curious to know who you are, who the people in your life are, and move towards unravelling the mysteries of your successes and failures.
Let us today take a step towards becoming a responsible parent, spouse, partner, child, sibling, friend, colleague, employer, or employee. We can make this world a better and a happier experience for all, including ourselves.
Let's do this.
