A Little Book of Yoga: The Seven Vital Principles of Practice PDF
Preview A Little Book of Yoga: The Seven Vital Principles of Practice
Orit Sen Gupta A Little Book of Yoga The Seven Vital Principles of Practice Orit Sen-Gupta A Little Book of Yoga The Seven Vital Principles of Practice English Editor | Jessica Bonn Grapic Design | Eran Zirman Drawing | Noa Ofek Photography | Ruthie Kav First Edition 1997 New and Revised Edition 2013 New and Revised Edition and Cover 2021 ISBN: 9798514372447 © Copyright Vijnana Books All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of brief passages for the purposes of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Vijnana Books www.vijnanayoga.com Contents 5 | Acknowledgments and Foreword Part I 11 | Introduction 14 | History 21 | Yoga from East to West 25 | Shri Aurobindo 32 | Practice, Attitude and Lifestyle 36 | Creative Ahimsa 40 | Mind to Mind – Body to Body 46 | The Seven Vital Principles Part II 51 | An Introduction to Daily Practice 54 | Dhyana – Just Sitting 56 | Pranayama – Breathing 68 | Asana 68 | A. Surya Namaskar 72 | B. Sitting Poses 76 | C. Standing Poses 82 | D. Forward Bends 87 | E. Twists 90 | F. Hand Balances 98 | G. Backbends 104 | H. Leg Stretches 106 | I. Inverted Poses 111 | J. Shavasana – Relaxation 113 | The Weekly Practice 116 | Recommended Reading Acknowledgements This book could not have been written without my teachers. In the yogic tradition, knowledge passes from teacher to student through the body, the mind and the heart. The books and explanations are but the outer shell, which preserves the fruits of the study. I was fortunate to sit at the feet of teachers who were rooted in yoga. Most of them are no longer living, and I spent little time in their company, yet their teaching is still vibrant for me. In this context I would like to mention the Shankara Acharya of Kanchipuram, Swami Hari-Hara Tirtha of Mount Kailash Ashram in Rishikesh and Mother Krishnabhai of the Ramdass Ashram in Kerella in South India. I am also grateful to my friends in the Shri Aurobindo Ashram, where I began my studies of Shri Aurobindo’s teaching and also began in earnest the practice of ‘just sitting.’ To two of my teachers living today in the West, I would like to give special thanks: To Dona Holleman who taught me the spiritual potential of the body. Her clarity and devotion to practice as a living art have been a constant inspiration. To Dr. Vijay Pratap who taught me The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali through explanations, personal example and a wide heart. A special thanks also to Yael Ofir who accompanied the writing of this book from the beginning and worked hard on its translation into English. Her sharp and caring eyes proved invaluable in preserving the spirit of yoga in the written word. Her dedication to yoga and to the editing of the book had a large influence on its direction and present form. Thanks also to Noah Ofek for her precise and illuminating drawings. A final thanks to my family for their loving support. Foreword to the Original Edition Twenty Three years ago, on the eve of Passover, my mother asked me to rearrange our library. There I happened to find a little book about yoga. I went into my room, closed the door, and read the book. I had already been studying yoga for six months and was burning with curiosity. When I connected the content of the text to what I felt in practice, I knew I was standing at the gateway to a great adventure. I was very excited. When Prologue Publishers asked me to write a book on yoga, I immediately remembered that little book that was so meaningful for me. I had to accept their offer. This book is dedicated to those for whom yoga will be an adventure and a path. Orit Sen-Gupta Foreword to the New Edition As I skimmed for the first time through the pages of this little book, I was surprised how well Orit Sen-Gupta succeeded in imparting with simple words so much of the complexity and beauty of yoga. She graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Sanskrit and Indian Philosophy and unites in her person a rare capacity to explore yoga as a path of both practice and philosophical study. This broad approach is the benchmark of her transmission of yoga and is also reflected in this little book. In meeting Orit and learning from her, new dimensions of yoga opened for me. Like many Western practitioners, I felt myself attracted to the physical practices of yoga for a long time, but its philosophy seemed to me so difficult and vast that I did not really dare to approach it. Orit’s example encouraged me to access the original texts with more ease. It brought home to me that just as on the bodily level we can begin practicing from where we are and, step-by-step, discover ourselves, so too the mind can be a potential field of exploration in meditation and in the study of the texts. Already ten years have passed since Orit Sen Gupta wrote this little book and five years since I wrote the above lines for the German edition. Since then, the way in which we practice yoga has come to be called Vijnana Yoga – a development that has been exciting and inspiring for all who practice our way of yoga. May it continue to develop in the future as a fresh and lively yoga, which integrates new scientific research with an in-depth study of its rich tradition. Eva Oberndörfer Vijnana Yoga The four main practices of Vijnana Yoga are the Seven Vital Principles, “just sitting,” Pranayama and the study of yogic texts. Vijnana Yoga, in many ways, is nothing new. It is simply a continuation of the long tradition of yoga, and the name explains the flavor of our practice and its guiding principles. Part I of the book describes the history and development of yoga. Part II presents the Vijnana Yoga way of practice. Since the book’s previous edition, the Vayu Practices have been added, and can be found in the Pranayama chapter. Orit Sen-Gupta Part I 1Introduction Yoga is an ancient, multi-layered tradition, encompassing many streams of philosophy and practice. It originated in the Indian sub-continent, but records of its development are sporadic. The earliest mention of the term “yoga” is in the Katha Upanishad, written 2700 years ago, where it is described as a special state of concentration in which the senses are controlled. We may ask what is so unique about yoga that it has survived for thousands of years, while so many other traditions have disappeared? At the base of yogic thought lies the assumption that the source of suffering is Avidya, ‘not-knowing’ (from the Sanskrit root vid, to know, in Latin videre, to see) - the inability to see reality as it is. Yoga’s objective is to lead us towards precise vision. The ancient yogis, much like Plato, believed that if man could see reality as it truly is, he would choose to do the right thing at the right time and place. Consequently, the question of how to reach true and clear vision is of the highest importance in yogic lore. The yogis realized that in order to see well, the mechanism of seeing had to be known and understood; perception needed to be examined thoroughly and then wiped clean. For they believed that, like a lens, when the mind was transparent and clear, it would reflect A Little Book of Yoga reality precisely. Practices that attempt to bring about clear vision and thus skilful action, have given yoga its power and uniqueness. The yogic ideals and practices spread gradually all over the Indian sub-continent, and later on, through Buddhism, to much of the Far East. Yoga had a significant effect on the different cultures it encountered. In the 19th century it reached Europe and America, influencing philosophy and culture there as well. Yoga became famous under the name of its major technique – Dhyana. In China it was called Chan, in Japan, Zen, and in English, meditation. In the Hindu tradition this yoga was called Raja Yoga, the Royal Way, since it leads to the intensification of the psychic and mental powers and to the direct experience of higher states of consciousness and flashes of intuition that usually only come in moments of grace. Yet it was not these qualities alone that allowed yoga to survive for so long. Its universal spirit played an important role as well. Yoga is not a religion, but rather a technique for the intensification of physical, mental and spiritual capacities. It doesn’t ask of its practitioners to believe in this or that god, nor follow particular customs. It is not based on faith but on experience. For these reasons it could be integrated into diverse social systems, taking on the colors of the cultures and beliefs with which it came into contact, without threatening them. The yoga we know today doesn’t limit itself to meditation practices alone. Over generations a wide range of techniques have developed that seek to transform the whole person. It is a system that trains not only the heart and mind, but also the body. Thus developed Hatha Yoga, in which the discipline of the body and breath take on as important a role as the discipline of the mind and heart. Introduction The Hatha Yogis didn’t develop a discipline of the body merely in order to have a healthier life. They saw the spiritual potential of the body. They believed that the body itself has the potential of waking the mind to a different way of seeing, and that a truly awakened body can be both the catalyst and temple for the soul’s awakening. 2 History Yoga developed within Hinduism, the major religion of India and Nepal. It is almost impossible to give a concise definition of Hinduism, as it encompasses many divergent beliefs and customs. Nevertheless, there are a few characteristics that unite Hindus as a whole. First, most believe in one of the gods of the Hindu pantheon, and see the ancient Vedic texts as holy scripture. Second, most Hindus are loyal to four basic beliefs: Dharma, or Virtuous Conduct: Everything and every person have their dharma, the right way to behave. You have to live according to your dharma and fulfill it. Karma, or Destiny: All the acts you perform during your life influence both your destiny and your future actions. Dukha, or Suffering: Pain is inherent in worldly existence and persists
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