Holistic discipline |
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“ Originally , yoga was a true philosophy of life , requiring self-discipline , ethical principles , tolerance and the observance of rules for good living ,” explains Sabrina . “ The ultimate aim is to calm the mind and free ourselves from the constraints of mental activity . This is clearly stated in the second verse of the Yoga sūtras : Yogas citta vritti nirodha – ‘ yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind ’”. |
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Vritti , those persistent little thoughts which continuously distract us and prevent us from living in the moment are described in Emmanuel Carrère ’ s book Yoga as akin to energetic little monkeys : “ Yoga is an act of war against the vritti - that is , the impulses that agitate the mind : that create chop , swell , waves , deep currents , gales or squalls that ripple the surface of consciousness ”, he writes . How can we declare battle ? Observe your breathing , your thoughts , and the sensations you experience . “ To calm the vritti , we observe the vritti ”, Carrère continues . That ’ s a more complicated exercise than it might seem ; according to the Tibetan master Chögyam Trungpa , only 20 % of our brain activity is dedicated to the present , while the rest is directed either towards the past or the future . |
Western ( R ) evolution
The 20 th century saw yoga first exported to , then established in Western culture . Some yogis travelled , opening the way to establish other forms of practice . Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga , developed by Shrî K . Pattabhi Jois , is a case in point , differing from the classic ashtanga described by Patañjali : “ This is a more dynamic yoga , more demanding and less tolerant of the body . We view it as a physical change , making it unlike traditional yoga where the goal is spiritual change ”, explains Sabrina .
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What little we know of ‘ traditional ’ yoga speaks of a quasi-ascetic practice , regulated by precise rules that must be followed to the letter in order to achieve enlightenment . Ashtanga provides an excellent example of this approach , described by Patañjali as the eight limbs of yoga : the rules of life as one relates to others , the rules of life in relation to oneself , the poses , breath control , withdrawal of the senses , the exercise of concentration , meditation , and finally , the state of unity – fulfilling the true nature of the Self . |
B . K . S . Iyengar , Swami Sivananda , Bikram Choudhury ... these and many other yogis have drawn on gymnastics to shape their own yoga practice and adapt to Western expectations . “ This evolution is not a bad thing – it is adapted to our modern lives . Today , we rarely have the time to spend a few hours meditating under a tree ”, Sabrina adds .
There is one thing that we can be sure of : between evolution and revolution , yoga ’ s story will continue to make
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