Yoga - Yoga and meditation

Author

Yoga and meditation

mush97

2006-03-30, 12:29 pm

Hi all,

Please explain the difference between Yoga and Meditation.

Thanks.

Stu

2006-03-31, 5:28 pm

On 2006-03-30 09:41:41 -0800, "mush97" <mush97@hotmail.com> said:

> Hi all,
>
> Please explain the difference between Yoga and Meditation.
>
> Thanks.

Meditation is part of the yoga discipline. In fact it is the heart of
yoga practice.

The asanas we associate with yoga in the west are a small part of yoga.
In early yogic texts the reference to asana refers to sitting in a
very comfortable position, usually for meditation.

From Patanjali about 350 BC:
> 2.46 The posture should be steady and comfortable. (asana is the word
> for posture here)
> 2.47 In effortless relaxation, dwell mentally on the Endless with
> utter attention.

Asanas don't make their appearance in text until around 800 AD in the
Hatha Yoga Pradipika. In some schools of yoga asanas are not taught at
all. I remember Yogananda referring to asana practice in his book
"Autobiography of a Yogi" as something for children.

As westerners begun to discover yoga could be good for health, they
were attracted to the activity of asana practice. Indian pioneers like
Iyengar and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois found ways to introduce yoga through
asana practice to westerners. This started the export of yoga as asana
practice to the west in the 50's and 60's. In both of their methods
meditation is barely mentioned as part of the practice.

Meditation has also been exported to the West as part of Yogic Hindu
tradition as well as Buddhist tradition and the blurred integration of
the two traditions by many teachers.

Yoga is a method for reducing the "fluctuations of the mind" according
to Patanjali. Meditation and asanas are methods developed to implement
this aim. They are not the only yogic methods available.
--
~Stu