Physical Education · Ch 3 — Yoga
Summary
Summary
This unit introduced Yoga as an ancient Indian discipline of the body and mind, following the real textbook's order. The key ideas are recapped below.
Meaning and importance of Yoga
- Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root "yuj" (to join/unite) and means union — of spirit with soul and of body, mind and spirit. It is defined variously as the stilling of the mind (Patanjali), skill in action (Krishna) and a subtle process to calm the mind.
- Yoga is not a religion but a way of living that gives a healthy mind in a healthy body, developing the physical, mental and spiritual sides of a person together, promoting self-healing, self-awareness, concentration and freedom from stress.
Ashtanga Yoga (the eightfold path of Patanjali)
- Yama — ethical restraints towards others (Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha).
- Niyama — personal observances (Saucha, Santosha, Tapa, Swadhyaya, Ishwar Pranidhan).
- Asana — steady, comfortable posture.
- Pranayama — regulation of the breath.
- Pratyahara — withdrawal of the senses.
- Dharana — concentration.
- Dhyana — meditation.
- Samadhi — total absorption; the goal of the path.
Practising the Yamas and Niyamas manages our energy, balances inner growth with outer restraint, and builds honesty with oneself.
Yogic Kriyas (Shat Karma)
Based on the tridosha theory (Vata, Pitta, Kapha), the six cleansing kriyas keep the body pure: Kapalabhati (frontal lobes and lungs), Trataka (steady gazing), Neti (nasal cleansing — Jal Neti), Dhauti (stomach — Vamana Dhauti/Kunjala), Nauli (abdominal massage) and Basti (colon).
Pranayama and its types
Breathing works through Puraka (inhalation), Kumbhaka (retention) and Rechaka (exhalation). The main types are Anulom-Vilom (Nadi Shodhana) — alternate-nostril, calming; Surya Bhedhana — right-nostril, heating; Ujjayi — throat-sound breath, good for the voice and respiration; Bhramari — humming-bee, calming; Sheetkari — hissing cooling breath; and Sheetali — rolled-tongue cooling breath.