A balanced state of mind is Yoga.

Just like water in a pond, when stirred, is no longer clear, and cannot reflect; a  calm mind sees things clearly and in it we see our reflection.

Similarly, keeping a balanced mind, is the effort in Yoga.

अष्टांग योग - Ashtanga Yoga - the eightfold path of Yoga

अष्टांग योग - Ashtanga Yoga - the eightfold path of Yoga

Ashta (अष्ट) means eight in Sanskrit, while anga (अंग) means body or part. Ashtanga yoga is this a spiritual path consisting of eight steps.

यम नियम असन प्राणायाम प्रत्याहार धरणा ध्यान समाधयोअष्टाव अंगानी ।।

- Sadhana Pad (Sutra 29) - The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Transliteration: Yama niyama asana pranayama pratyahara dharana dhyana samadhayoashtav angani

Yama's (restraints), niyama's (observances), asana's (postures), pranayama's (control of bio-energy), pratyahara (abstraction of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), samadhi (trance consciousness where an individual realises the nature of reality).

The yama's, niyama's are the foundation of the practice of yoga, with asana's being the third step. Asana's are essential for a healthy body and mind and in order to develop the ability to sit for long periods of time in meditative postures.

Of the 196 sutra's, Maharishi Patanjali devotes only two sutra's to asana's, with most of the sutra's being a guidance on going within. Today however, the word Yoga has come to be synonymous with only asana's and being able to contort the body into numerous postures.

This brings to mind a question that our teacher Dilip Tralshawalla would constantly put forth to us:

"I have a body, but am I this body?"

So finally ... 

Who am I?

To be or not to be: Ahar - आहार - Diet or Food

As the food, so the mind; as the mind so the man. 

The food we eat determines our mind state and therefore plays a vital role in maintaining a balanced state of mind.

Sattvic food is natural, easily digestible, and is freshly cooked. Fruits, vegetables, cereals, lentils and sprouts are sattvic according to Yoga. Sattvic food is also cooked without too many spices, with the exception of jeera (cumin) and adrak (ginger). This food bring sattva - luminosity, lightness.

Any food that is over 24 hours old is considered tamasic and brings tamas (dullness, lethargy). Food stored in the refrigerator and repeatedly heated or eaten over a period of many days is considered stale. Refined or processed food, tinned foods with preservatives, tea, coffee, alcohol are tamasic in nature, according to Yoga.

It was a struggle initially, to eat food served in the Yoga Institute, which is devoid of spices and low on salt. By not reaching out for extra salt, you realise you can do without it.

Yoga sees food as a duty - that is, we have to eat to stay alive and not the other way around. Instead of constantly craving for newer varieties and tastes, as students we are asked to try and see if we can develop a detachment from food. Quite a radical view in today's world where almost everyone is a 'foodie'.  

 

(Source: Talks by Hansaji at The Yoga Institute; Insights Through Yoga (2000); Rujuta Diwekar)

While practising pranayama's - the control and regulation or breath

I've had people tell me, doing 10,000 rounds of certain pranayama's is good for so and so health concern. This very scary 'advice'. The breath has a direct impact on the mind and therefore this medium is best used with care, under an able teacher. Shri Yogendraji thus recommended a maximum of 10 rounds of one pranayama in a sitting, and thirty rounds cumulatively in a sitting. 

Here's what the Hath Yog Pradipika by Swami Swatmarama says on Pranayama's: 

मथा श्चसॊहो गजो व्याघ्रो बवद्वे श्म् शन्ै शन्ै
तथवै सश्चेवतो वामयु न्यथा हश्चन्त साधकभ ् १५

Yathā simho ghajo vyāghro bhavedvaśyah śanaih śanaih
Tathaiva sevito vāyuranyathā hanti sādhakam (Verse 15)

Just as lions, elephants, and tigers are tamed [little by little, with patience and energy], so too, prana (bio-energy or life force) should be practised under the guidance of an able teacher and done with great care. Otherwise it can kill the practitioner.

What is Yoga?

Here's what the Yoga Sutra by Maharishi Patanjali says about yoga.

योग: चित्त वृत्ति निरोध:

Yoga is restraining the vritti's (activities) of the chitta (personality complex) (Chapter 1: Samadhi Pad - Sutra 2)

Our mind constantly seeks something to occupy itself with, generating new thoughts all the time. Yoga is the restraint of these activities, the attainment of samadhi according to Maharishi Patanjali.