Yoga philosophy - Oneness - post #1
Meaning of the word Yoga:
Yoga means 'union' or 'adding' or 'connectedness' or the word 'yoke' in Engligh language is probably the closest and same word from Sanskrit word Yog ( or Yoga).
Yoga's core principle of unity, or oneness, is the idea that everything in the universe is interconnected.
BTW- Many folks in the Western world are aware of Yoga but are not aware that Yoga actually originated in India thousands of years ago!
The earliest texts in the world:
The earliest and core texts of Hinduism are the ancient texts called the Vedas, which according to many researchers are the oldest texts in the world, although primarily verbally transmitted across generations. They were primarily ancient ritualistic practices documented.
Subsequently the summaries, or one could say later versions, of the knowledge which were written by ancient Rishis or sages with greater insight and condensed the philosophies from the Vedas were subsequently collected in a number of texts called the Upanishads which literally means 'sitting near the enlightened '. This knowledge of the Upanishads are also called Vedanta which means 'ending summary of the Vedas'.
The Bhagavat Gita is another ancient text and could be counted as one of the Upanishad type text but it is also part of the epic tale of Mahabharata. It is a 'song of God' or 'Divine song' as it literally means.
The sages also composed many other texts like the Epics ( long tales ) as mentioned The Mahabharata and The Ramayana.
Later stories in the form of The Puranas ( elaborate stories of the Gods and Godesses like Shiva and Vishnu and Durga etc) and certain Sutras texts like the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali.
Yoga , Oneness , and the message of the texts:
Yoga , Oneness , and the message of the texts:
Vedanta prescribes four major paths of yoga to attain and re-establish our connection to the One-ness and Universal Totality of All Life. These four paths are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Rāja Yoga, and Jñāna Yoga.
The core of the Upanishads or Vedanta knowledge also points to a fact of Universal Oneness of everything.
"Tat Twam Asi" from Chandogya Upanishad is widely quoted.
The same meaning is also available in other Upanishads, such as "Aham Brahmasmi" for example in Brihadaranyakya Upanishad.
This philosophy is also known as Advaita Vedanta.
This philosophy is also known as Advaita Vedanta.
Advaita means non-dual. Dvaita is Sanskrit for Dual or Two.
If we focus inward and try to investigate who we are then there are many layers or dimensions of our existence that we gradually get more and more insight on but ultimately it leads to a blankness ( called nothingness in Buddhism) or the same is also called the One-ness or Brahma in the Advaita Vedanta understanding.
Some Meditations:
If we focus inward and try to investigate who we are then there are many layers or dimensions of our existence that we gradually get more and more insight on but ultimately it leads to a blankness ( called nothingness in Buddhism) or the same is also called the One-ness or Brahma in the Advaita Vedanta understanding.
Some Meditations:
Let us do a short meditation following the technique of Pancha Kosha Viveka which means Five Sheaths or Layers and its analysis or insight.
1. AnnaMaya kosha. The Physical body. Generated from food. The material body.
2. PranaMaya kosha. The Life aspect. The different systems in biology like the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, etc.
3. ManoMaya kosha. The Mind aspect. Perception, Memory, Intelligence, Ego, Thoughts.
4. VigyanaMaya kosha. The Scientific or discriminating mind that guides the Manomaya kosha. Primarily in humans, assumed not in animals.
5 AnandaMaya kosha. The Bliss layer. Total silence and in pure harmony. The core consciousness within. Highest vibration. I-ness disappears.
Another method is the method of discriminating between the Seer and the Seen. Going deeper and deeper into who is the Seer brings us to the same point of the inner self which is universal.
The above method is also closely related and referred to as the 'Neti - Neti' meaning 'not this, not that' bringing us to the same conclusions as the above technique of Nothingness or One-ness.
Modern science:
Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells and the cells at the lowest levels are built of molecules which in turn are built of atoms. The atoms of course have sub atomic particles and ultimately packets of energy and waves which modern science is still exploring. The understanding though is that the atoms are never created or destroyed and hence they have been here before we were born , before humans were born, even before life on earth was born or even before the Earth was born! The atoms in our body were once part of intergalactic material as well as some were part of other stars which have collapsed.
There is also concepts of string theory and the connectedness of everything as energy waves.
Yoga practitioners and Oneness:
In contemporary global yoga also, "Oneness" has become the gospel. Yoga offers pathways to dispel mental impurities and lead the way back to the Divine Self, which is that we are beyond the body, mind, emotions, and intellect.
The ultimate purpose of yoga practice is to promote lifestyle changes bringing about joy, happiness, and well-being, and reducing the amount of suffering in the world, which can only be conceptualized when we realize the interconnectedness and one-ness of everything!
🙏