Origin And Origin Of Yoga

Table of Contents

Part 1

Origin of Yoga

Evolution through centuries

Benefits of Yoga

Practice of Yoga

Aum – The Yoga chant

Principles of Yoga

• Asana

• Pranayama

• Drishti

Part 2

The Nine Dhrishtis

Nasagra

Ajna Chakra/ Broomadhya

Nabi Chakra

Hastagrai

Padhayoragrai

Parsva Drishti

Parsva Drishti

Angustha Ma Dyai

Urdhva or Antara Drishti

Part 1

Origin of Yoga

The practice of Yoga dates back to thousands of years ago and is believed to have been introduced to the world by a person who was known as Adiyogi. Adiyogi, more famously know as Lord Shiva himself, was first seen in upper parts of the Himalayas, where he was seen in a mystic

It is important to understand that Om is not a word; it is essentially a single syllable that is sacred in many dharmik religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism and is chanted out loudly to be really effective. It is the sound of the universe. The sound consists of three parts Ah-ooh-ma. Each syllable has many meanings to it. While chanting the Om syllable slowly and loudly, the vibrations of each syllable affect a particular part of the body. That is, the sound “Ah” affects the lower part of the body, “Ooh” affects the middle part, and “Ma” affects the upper part of the body. Thus, the continuous chanting of Om creates a ripple effect of the vibrations that travel up and down the body and thus cleansing the body of negative vibrations. The vibrations caused through the continuous chanting of the Om syllable bring about positivity in one’s life leading them to live happier and more peaceful lives.

The Three Principles of Yoga

The three principles of yoga include Asana (Exercise), Pranayama (Breathing), and Drishti (Gaze).

This can be initially practiced while doing the Padmasna, and in order to assist the gaze to the nose you can put a small dot of chandan (sandalwood paste) at the tip of the nose. This can be done during the initial few days to practice the nasagrai drishti. It is important to hold a soft gaze, as gazing to hard at the tip of the nose can cause headache and dizziness. Also, if you can see the tip of the nose only with one eye that means you are not gazing in a right manner. Not gazing properly can lead to eye problems. Nasagrai drishti helps in strengthening eye muscles, promote healthy vision, and proper eyesight at old age.

It is preferable that the drishti is not practiced for hours together since the process is related to the mind and the brain and should not be put under stress for long periods of time. When you are trying to practice the nasagrai drishti for the first time it be performed even for a minute or two at a stretch. When it can be performed well, it may be practiced for more duration. While practicing yoga asanas, if this drishti is practiced at the very beginning, then the wandering mind can be controlled and focused on the asana and it can be easily