Yoga and spiritual evolution
Evolution is a process of advancement, growth or unfoldment. Spirituality deals with the issues to experience wholeness, integration, as a quest to discover the meaning and purpose of life, as a journey to contact the source of eternal bliss and fulfillment, balance and perfection in life. Spirituality doesn’t mean to run away from the society or the regular duties of day today life as it is thought generally in India. Spirituality expresses itself in many different ways. There are philosophical, psychological and also behavioral perspectives. Yoga addresses this concept of spirituality from a very practical level. Therefore yoga assimilates the essence of both behavioral and psychological perspectives. Like the field of humanistic movements and existentialistic system of philosophy and psychology, yoga also deals with the issues of finding purpose to life and becoming self actualized. It also talks of the ways which cause betterment of life. Yoga makes life filled with health, happiness, and holism and for that it harmonizes head, heart and hands.
Process and the techniques:
Yama-niyamas deals with the attitudinal and behavioral aspects of individuals which not only work on restructuring the cognitive and attitudinal structures in mind but also through behavioral patterns or expression transforms the traits of personality. Asana and the other hatha yogic techniques which also address crucial areas of our life like health and living, meditation involves techniques of gyana yoga, bhakti and karma yoga; which satisfy the quench of the intellectual and the analytical minds and is also a panacea for a restless or stressed mind. Service (vedantic and the bhakti schools of yoga. Karma yoga and the bhakti are intimately related to each other; as both of them are the expressions of heart. Karma yoga can not be perfected until one surrenders ones ego and that is bhakti. But analysis also goes on inside the mind. But bhakti only involves the feeling aspects there is no place for analysis or rationality. It is all about the process to open the heart.) To transmit the feeling of universal love towards one and all, is the expression of service which not only serves the purpose of the individual but also plays a significant role to establish the harmony in society. These all are the different facets of spirituality which serve the individual and the humanity. All great saints serve the humanity and that is the culmination of spirituality. Spirituality also means becoming more practical and grounded. It is the process of being in the present and work for the enhancement or refinement of humane qualities and betterment of life. So practicality in life can not be separated from the spirituality in life. We as human being are not only a creature living for earning few breads in everyday life and maintain population but the evolution of consciousness in man implies it has some specific purposes also. Apart from earning breads and finding physical securities in life we also constantly search for a satisfying, life fulfilling philosophies which not only calms the mind and the emotions but also satisfies the soul. For leading a balanced and fulfilling life man needs a constructive and the creative philosophy of life. Man’s living is based on certain philosophies of life, which direct and shape the flow of life.
About the Author:
I started yoga teaching 10 years ago after completing my Post Graduation in Yoga Psychology from Bihar Yoga Bharati (Deemed University). After completing the study there I started sharing my learning with yoga aspirants, in the same university as Lecturer in the Dept. Of Yoga Psychology. The field of yoga has been an awakening and life transforming experience for me. It opened a completely new perspective to see the reality and participate in the flow of life! And I do believe that every particle in the UNIVERSE is participating and contributing to the eternal flow of life.
