Stages in the Practice of Yoga

As meditation becomes more mainstream these days, people are finally beginning to experience not just the mental benefits of this ancient practice, but also the beneficial effects on their physical health. With so many different styles geared toward specific goals and outcomes, it’s not always easy to pinpoint where to start. To…
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For some people, serenity acquired by meditation is a goal in itself and there is no doubt that this type of serenity brings important advantages, manifesting as a more calm, more productive, and more balanced approach to life. There is also a third phase of meditation, the one which carries the meditator into the heart of the meditative…
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When you can maintain concentration for even only a few minutes, spontaneously calmness will appear like a miracle. The mind and body will get into a state of rest, of silent peace. Breathing, the pulse, and metabolism itself will decrease. The rhythm of the whole being will slow down and become smoother, gentler, more subtle. This is…
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Psychologists define concentration as special, disciplined attention. It implies a reduction in awareness, because it lessens the intervention of irrelevant stimuli which distract us in ordinary conditions. Our whole consciousness becomes directed towards one single aspect, it actually becomes focused. The benefits of concentration in…
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Relaxation is extremely important in yoga. It is only through this stage that one can harmonize and balance the energies that were awakened and amplified during the yoga practice (asanas, pranayama, etc.). Therefore one must not neglect this aspect. The more one learns to relax profoundly, the easier the resonance with the beneficial…
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One needs to understand the internal aspect, that is the specific resonance of each asana, prior to practice. This allows one to comprehend the effect of each asana, by knowing where to place the focus and identification. At least 1 minute concentration on the effects appearing after each asana is a necessary stage. Regardless of how…
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The mind is similar to a monkey: the more one wants to calm his mind down using force, the more it will refuse to comply, and will skip with even more agitation from one thought to another.Mental concentration can be described as “do not act”. Zen adepts say it is “to simply stay” (Zazen).A perfect state of mental…
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Famous quotations that reveal the experience of the Samadhi state The one who has this understanding (that the Universe is identical to his Inner Self) and sees the entire manifestation as a God’s game with Himself, is, doubtless, a living liberated person. (Spanda Karika, V, 5) Like the salt becomes one with the water it is dissolved…
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Meditation is an ancient method to reduce agitation in our inner and outer life, creating harmony between the individual and his social and spiritual life. It does not rely on faith, and can bring perfection both in our inner self and outer self, as it simplifies our lives and enriches our souls. It confers on us…
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The literal meaning of the Chinese term qi is “breath”, “gas” or “ether”. In traditional texts, the term was never clearly defined, as the Tao masters preferred not to limit the miracle of this mysterious energy in sterile definitions. The Chinese philosophers, Lao-Tse (604-531 BC), the legendary author of the work Tao Te Ching,…
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