Yoga To Include Spiritual / Mental Progress

by Jason
(Exeter, Devon UK)

Spiritual and mental progress is as, if not more, important than the physical progress for me. Can you advise the most efficient and appropriate way in order to choose the most appropriate style of Yoga to practice. FYI, I am beginning to practice Vipassana meditation.

Many Thanks for your advice in advance.

Regards
Jason

Answer

Hello Jason

There are many different paths for spiritual and mental progress. You can chose any path and the essence is almost same. Choosing a particular yoga style will depend on your requirements. Depending on the availability of yoga instructors, I feel you can choose hatha yoga or Iyengar style of yoga. Once you pick up the basics you can modify your yoga style if required.

Vipassana meditation practice will be definitely benefit you and help you to breathe properly and increase your self awareness. Along with your Vipassana meditation, I suggest you try simple hatha yoga poses and pranayama for spiritual, mental and physical progress. Your body will get in shape and conditioned with yoga asanas and pranayama will help you to get a control over your mind and soothe your nerves

Whatever we want to realise is inside us. God has put infinite potential inside a human body and that can be realised once we are ready to realise that potential and become a seeker. It is believed in Eastern Philosophy that you will get what you seek seriously.

Hatha yoga asanas will help you to
~ Overcome your physical limitations and improve your health.
~ Balance the three gunas ie tamas(inertia), rajas(dynamism) and sattva(purity).
~ Balance between physical health, mental health and spiritual health.

Asana and pranayama practice prepares your mind and body for spiritual path. But for complete self realisation, the essential constituents of successful yoga practice based on teachings of Rishi Patanjali are:-
~ Right Conduct
~ Right Ethics
~ Right Exercise (Asanas)
~ Right Breathing
~ Restraining of senses
~ Concentration
~ Meditation
~ Samadhi

Samadhi is the final aim of yoga when a yogi overcomes all the afflictions of this world and becomes a part of supreme consciousness.

Our body is the vehicle in which our mind, ego and soul survives. Though our body is an illusion and will get perished ultimately. But a healthy body only can help you to achieve high spiritual growth and realise your soul.

Along with asanas, pranayama and meditation, it is better to understand the basic philosophy of yoga. You can read the book "Light on Life" by BKS Iyengar to understand the philosophy of life or we can say the philosophy of life.

Yoga is a path of self learning, experimenting and application of knowledge. It requires a guru(teacher), deep study, persistent efforts, self discipline and correct actions.

Hope this helps.

With warm regards
Daljit