Yoga is not about performance of physical exercise or about physical fitness. Its objective is to bring absolute peace to the mind.
The book “Yogsutra”, by the ancient Indian sage Patanjali, is an important source of knowledge on Yoga. This book starts out by laying down the objective of yoga as “Chitta Vritti Nirodh”. This expression is in the ancient language of Sanskrit. It translates roughly to: stopping all waves of disturbance in the mind. So, the objective to Yoga is to quieten the mind completely.
It is important to note here that the objective of Yoga is not fitness, balance, flexibility, or any of the goals related to the physical body. It is to bring peace to the mind. The physical exercises that are done in the name of “Yoga” are meant to enable the body to perform yoga (a good, stable posture is a prerequisite for a steady mind).
Why should one pursue stillness of the mind? Here are some reasons:
- Pursuit of true happiness: The mind is not quiet. Never has been for the “normal person”. It is flooded by signals the senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch smell) continuously send it. These senses keep changing the world we experience and these waves of change keep tossing the mind from one sensory signal to another. Such a gyrating mind cannot experience happiness. Any happiness that we believe we are experiencing is a flash in time that shines and fades. Happiness, for a mind in that frame, is just a memory and not something one feels continuously.
On the other hand, a still mind is not hostage to the senses and does not depend upon them to be at peace, and thus happy. Once it turns its attention away from the sensory storms, it finds happiness. This is why meditation is so popular. Look for peace within, away from the chaotic world, and one soon experiences unconditional happiness. - Being true to our nature: Our nature is not to ride the waves of disturbance this world hurls at us through our sense. Our nature is like the steady, rock on the shore against which waves crash and retreat. So, Yoga is all about taking us back to our roots. This is why people thirst for peace. Without explicitly knowing it, they are looking for “Chitt Vritti Nirodh”. They look for it in forests, mountains, sea shores, and in so many other places. It works better to make oneself at peace from within, regardless of physical location.
- Taking a vacation: finding peace within is like taking a holiday from the chaotic world. And it’s not difficult. People who start mediation, soon find that it is fairly easy to find a tranquil world inside themselves.
- Expand your range of experience: the experience of a still mind is essential to be able to understand the spiritual mysticism that makes India famous.
- Experiment: try it yourself before deciding if it’s useful for you.
- Shield yourself from the discomforts of life: these can be psychological or physical. A sense of loss or discomfort is one of the things that pushes us to look for peace within and to escape from the thoughts and feeling that torment us on a daily basis. See article.
- Improve personal productivity: work gets done a lot better when the mind is quiet, focused, and without distractions. A mind at peace is ideal for being highly productive.
- Creative thinking: shifting your frame of mind to look at the same problems through different eyes is an invaluable way to generate new thoughts and ideas.
- Shift your perspective: this is related to the creative thinking point but a bit different. When one is at peace within, he shifts from seeing himself as a futile actor in this uncontrollable world to being a detached observer in control of his mind. This is a huge change. Advancing on this course, most problems suddenly appear smaller. Self-centredness reduces. Ego get transcended. And one does not feel any hurt in the process. Just peace.
Closing note: Its about leading a fulfilled life
Yoga provides the means to quieten the mind and thus create the foundation for a more fulfilling life. Peace within the mind is as important to a person as physical health. Both are like the two legs on which our life walks. If either of these is compromised, life starts to limp. Yoga can help ensure that the “mental leg” of life remains strong.
Recommended Reading
The Yogic-Breathing Pause: Practicing pranayama and meditation can improve the quality of our reactions and decisions.
The World does not really understand Yoga: Yoga is primarily a mental exercise. Most people wrongly see it as a physical one and thereby miss out on the vast benefits it offers.
The Advanced Meditation Exercise (TAME): This meditation technique is an incredibly powerful way to keep the mind peaceful. It is prescribed in Bhagwad Gita, the primary book of Indian spiritual heritage. It derives its power by activating three key things in us: detachment, stillness, and transformation.
All spiritualism through one meditation technique? Could one meditation-breathing technique replicate most of the things taught by Bhagwad Gita, the epitome of Indian spiritual heritage?
Why TAME meditation appears to work better than other techniques: TAME meditation appears to be more effective than other meditation techniques because it activates three essential elements of meditation: detachment, transformation, and stillness. Meditation needs all three.
