| Yoga is probably the oldest defined
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| | breath, and stilling the mind through
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| practice of self development. Founded on
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| | meditation. These elements are sometimes
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| principles that promote development of
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| | adapted to meet the needs of non-Hindu
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| self awareness, through the practice of
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| | practitioners.
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| physical asanas (postures), the
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| | Proponents of yoga see daily practice as
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| understanding and practice of pranayama
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| | beneficial in itself, leading to
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| (breath control) insight and awareness is
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| | improved health, emotional well-being,
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| gained of the physical, mental and
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| | mental clarity, and joy in living. Yoga
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| spiritual nature and well-being of the
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| | adepts progress toward the experience of
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| individual. With this knowledge and
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| | samadhi, an advanced state of meditation
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| practice, one has the opportunity to
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| | where there is absorption in inner
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| adjust and change aspects and habitual
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| | ecstasy.
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| patterns that have discouraged the
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| | The goals of yoga are expressed
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| development and attunement that leads to
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| | differently in different traditions. In
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| a balanced life.
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| | theistic Hinduism, yoga may be seen as a
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| This enables an individual to glimpse
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| | set of practices intended to bring people
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| and live a reality that is even more
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| | closer to god - to help them achieve
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| alive than many experience as the normal
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| | union with god. In Buddhism, which does
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| state of living.
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| | not postulate a creator-type god, yoga
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| Today yoga is interpreted as either:
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| | may help people deepen their wisdom,
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| a) A demanding fitness program that
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| | compassion, and insight. In Western
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| stretches and strengthens the spine,
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| | nations, where there is a strong emphasis
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| tones the body and develops a sense of
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| | on individualism, yoga practice may be
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| well being within
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| | an extension of the search for meaning in
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| b) A way of learning to relax,
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| | self, and integration of the different
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| de-stress and practice breathing
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| | aspects of being. The terms
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| techniques that increase lung capacity,
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| | Self-Realization and god-Realization are
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| work the cardiovascular system and allow
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| | used interchangeably in Hindu yoga, with
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| the individual to cope with the ups and
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| | the underlying belief that the true
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| downs of modern life.
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| | nature of self, revealed through the
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| c) The embrace of a philosophical
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| | practice of yoga, is of the same nature
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| methodology that is based on experiential
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| | as god.
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| learning. One that allows the awareness
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| | The ultimate goal of yoga is the
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| of physical reality and activation within
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| | attainment of liberation (Moksha) from
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| the body to be stimulated or suppressed
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| | worldly suffering and the cycle of birth
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| for maximum benefit.
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| | and death (Samsara). Yoga entails mastery
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| d) A philosophy of life that codifies
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| | over the body, mind, and emotional self,
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| principles of conducting and living life
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| | and transcendence of desire. It is said
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| so that the development of a witness
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| | to lead gradually to knowledge of the
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| consciousness might evolve and with it an
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| | true nature of reality[citation needed] .
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| understanding of the self.
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| | The Yogi reaches an enlightened state
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| e) Meditation - the practice of
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| | where there is a cessation of thought and
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| concentration on a single object to calm
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| | an experience of blissful union[citation
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| the mind, cultivate inner stillness and
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| | needed] . This union may be of the
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| merge into the experiential awareness of
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| | individual soul (Atman) with the supreme
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| Oneness.
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| | Reality (Brahman), as in Vedanta
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| f) A spiritual practice that develops
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| | philosophy; or with a specific god or
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| the experience of Oneness and allows the
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| | goddess, as in theistic forms of Hinduism
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| individual to let go of all ties that
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| | and some forms of Buddhism.
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| create separation from this reality.
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| | Enlightenment may also be described as
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| Through yoga information of the world,
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| | extinction of the limited ego, and direct
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| the self and its constituencies allow
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| | and lasting perception of the non-dual
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| dependency to be replaced by
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| | nature of the universe.
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| interdependency.
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| | For the average person still far from
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| It can be any or all of these things -
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| | enlightenment, yoga can be a way of
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| the decision is up to the individual as
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| | increasing one's spiritual awareness, or
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| to which aspects they choose to develop.
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| | cultivating compassion and insight. While
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| Modern yoga practice often includes
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| | the history of yoga strongly connects it
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| traditional elements inherited from
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| | with Hinduism, proponents claim that
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| Hinduism, such as moral and ethical
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| | yoga is not a religion itself, but
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| principles, postures designed to keep the
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| | contains practical steps which can
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| body fit, spiritual philosophy,
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| | benefit people of all religions, as well
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| instruction by a guru, chanting of
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| | as those who do not consider themselves
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| mantras (sacred syllables), quieting the
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| | religious.
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