Yoga

What is Yoga?

Yoga - the word derives from the Sanskrit word 'yuj', meaning to unify - is a system of body postures, meditation and breathing exercises that aim to harmonize the body, mind and spirit. The practice has been around since ancient times, and it was born out of the people's desire for better health, greater self realization and a sense of wholeness. Today Yoga has spread throughout the world, and in the USA, where it became widely known in the 1960s, many physicians recommend now the practice to patients at risk for heart disease, as well as those with back pain, arthritis, depression, and other chronic conditions.

History of Yoga

The earliest records of yoga practicing were found on stone carvings in archeological sites in the Indus Valley, dating back to 5,000 years. This gave rise to the misconception that Yoga is a religious belief that derived from Hinduism. In reality, Yoga predates Hinduism and is a philosophy which teaches that everything humans need to harmonize body, mind and spirit is supplied from within, and that Yoga practicing can be used to achieve many goals from managing stress to learning to relax and to acquiring the deepest knowledge of one's own self.

Over the millennia, the techniques were passed from teacher to student through oral teaching and demonstration, and what is known today as Yoga are the collection of the experiences and different practice approaches of many individuals. Scholar Patanjali is credited with setting down the most widespread Yoga theories and practices in the Yoga Sutras (Yoga Aphorism), the earliest known text which is believed to have been written sometime in the 1st century or as late as the 5th century A.D. The Yoga Sutras theories and practices are today referred to as Classical Yoga, known as 'Ashtanga Yoga', and the system has eight steps/practices: yama: refraining from violence, lying, stealing, casual sex, and accumulating; niyama: the observance of purity, contentment, tolerance, study, and remembrance; asana: physical exercises; pranayama: breathing techniques; pratyahara: the preparing for meditation which is described as withdrawal of the mind from the senses; dharana: concentrating, which means being able to hold the mind on one object for a specified time; dhyana: the practice of meditation, the ability to focus on one thing (or nothing) indefinitely; Samadhi: absorption, or realization of the essential nature of the self.

Other types of Yoga include: Hatha Yoga: a system of physical movements and postures, plus breathing techniques; Raja Yoga, called the 'royal road': a system that incorporates exercise and breathing with meditation and study; Jnana Yoga, the path of wisdom: it is considered the most difficult path; Bhakti Yoga: the practice of extreme devotion in one-pointed concentration upon one's concept of God; Karma Yoga, meaning all movement: it is the work of any kind done with the mind centered on a personal concept of God; Tantra Yoga: a way of showing the unseen consciousness in form, through specific words, diagrams, and movements; Kashmir Shaivism: a system which states that everything in the universe has both male and female qualities which form an equal partnership so interdependent that the two qualities cannot be separated.

Who can and cannot practice Yoga

Yoga can be practiced by most adults of any age, including people with physical limitations, who can benefit from certain techniques. Yoga exercises should be avoided by women during menstruation and by nursing mothers and pregnant women who are encouraged to learn and practice simple Yoga breathing and meditation techniques, which can help them during the delivery. Also, Yoga is not recommended for children under 16. This is because Yoga exercises may interfere with the natural growth of the nervous and glandular systems of their bodies. Children can, however, practice meditation and simple breathing exercises which will help them to learn to relax and to concentrate and will help them cope with stressful situations and pressures of the teenage years.

Our professional Greek instructor Ioanna, will guide you through the spiritual channels to harmonize your body, mind and spirit. It is very important to know that we never have more than 15 people in any one Yoga class.