Yoga and Meditation

Yoga is a set of scientific systems involving physical and mental practices that originated in India more that 6000 years ago. The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ meaning, to yoke, unite or join. The purpose of Yoga is to unite all aspects of the human being- body, mind and soul, to reach equilibrium in an effort to unite the individual with universal consciousness.

Yoga works on five principles to attain this body-mind-soul equilibrium. These principles include:

• Proper Relaxation
• Proper Exercise (Asanas)
• Proper Breathing (Pranayama)
• Proper Diet
• Positive Thinking & Meditation

As you can see, meditation is one of the five basic principles of Yoga. Yoga meditation is the practice through which there is constant observation of the mind. It requires your mind to focus on any one thing and control its thought process. When the thought process is quiet and all irrelevant thoughts and sensations are gone, you are able to perceive your ‘mind.’ Through this practice, you are able to achieve a number of physical, psychological and spiritual benefits. Meditation involves slowing the brainwave pattern to the alpha level, which is optimum for health and well being.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of yoga meditation:

• It provides deep rest and relaxation to our body. It lowers our heart rate, metabolic rate reduces blood pressure.
• It helps our heart by lowering cholesterol levels.
• The deep breathing involved helps keep our nasal cavities clear.
• It is known to help reduce the damage caused to our body by its use of oxygen, which also helps in slowing the process of ageing
• It provides mental clarity and alertness.
• It reduces anxiety, panic and depression.
• It enhances our creative thinking, helps us be positive and leaves us feeling revitalized.
• It promotes physical, mental and spiritual stability.
• It aids us in the process of self actualization.

Meditation alone can bring us a host of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits. But combining Yoga and Meditation can increase the health benefits exponentially. The other four principles of Yoga and Meditation together add the following health benefits for you:

• Increased physical flexibility and strength.
• Prevention if pain caused by physical activity or inactivity
• Increase in cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive processes
• Improvement of our immune system
• Increase in energy and vitality
• Weight loss
• Increase in attentiveness, memory and concentration
• Efficiency in learning and understanding
• Enhances sense of well being and adjustment
• Improves social adjustment
• Allows acceptance of self
• Allows better understanding of self in relation to society and nature.

People are known to use yoga and meditation separately for a host of individual goals like weight loss, exercise, body detoxification, etc. However, the benefits offered by a combination of yoga and meditation far exceed any individual goal that we set for ourselves. Explore the various possibilities that become available with simultaneous physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being.

The human body has seven chakras placed in a vertical line starting form the crown of the head till the base of the spine. According to ancient Hinduism, these are the life force centers of a person, through which energy is received and transmitted and is linked with the infinite energy of the universe. Thus for the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual wellbeing of a person, these chakras need to be opened. In answering ‘How to open a chakra’, the best technique is to practice chakra meditation using mudras or hand positions coupled with Sanskrit sound vibrations that will align these energy meridians.

To open the base or root chakra of the Muladhar which stands for group identity, perform the mudra of joining the tips of your thumb and index finger and chant the Sanskrit word ‘LAM’. Remember that the pronunciation of ‘A’ should be ‘Ah’ and sound the ending ‘M’ with ‘Mng’ or a slightly vibrating sound. Think about the location of the chakra between your genitals and anus visualizing its red lotus with four petals symbol.

An orange lotus with six petals is the Swadhisthana Chakra located in the sacrum. Opening this chakra calls for sitting and placing both your hands on your lap palms up. Remember to put the right hand on top of the left with the tips of the thumbs touching. Slowly breath in, concentrate on the sacral region and chant the sound ‘VAM’.

Symbolized by a yellow lotus with ten petals, the solar plexus or the Manipura Chakra stands for personal power of man. Opening this chakra calls for brings your hands in front of your stomach and then keeping your fingers straight, let the tip of each finger touch its corresponding other, except the thumbs. Cross the thumbs over each other and chant the sound ‘RAM’.

The fourth and the central Anahata Chakra is symbolized by a green lotus with 12 petals and is said to be the central power house of the chakra system. To open the Anahata Chakra, start by sitting cross legged and then place your left hand on your left knee. Now with your right hand, join the tips of your thumb and index finger, and place it on your chest, at the lower part of your breast bone pointing inwards. Concentrate on the heart chakra and its symbol and chant the sound ‘YAM’.

The fifth Chakra is that of Vishuddha Chakra symbolized by a blue lotus with sixteen petals and located at the base of one’s throat. To open this chakra, bring both your hands in front, join the tips of your thumbs pointing them upwards and then cross your remaining fingers on the inside of your hand. Focus on the location and symbol and meditate chanting the sound ‘HAM’.

The Ajna Chakra is located between the eyebrows and is known as the Third Eye Chakra symbolized with an indigo lotus with two petals. Opening this chakra is all about advancing on the spiritual path through advanced meditation. Bring both your hands in front at a level just below the breast bone. Now, join the tips of both of your middle fingers pointing them upwards while bending all other fingers inside, the phalanges of your index fingers touching each other. Now join the tips of your thumbs as well and point them downwards. After the mudra is achieved, chant the most powerful word in the universe of ‘AUM’ or ‘OM’.

The seventh and the highest is the Sahasrara Chakra, the violet lotus with a thousand petals reflecting the ultimate spiritual enlightenment of man. Remember not to work on this chakra before you have opened and grounded the Base Muladhar one. To open this chakra, bring both your hands in front of your stomach and cross all fingers like you do while in prayer. Then, lift up both your ring fingers and join the tips keeping the fingers straight, Moreover, cross your thumbs one over the other with the right one being on top and chant the sound of creation ‘NG’ concentrating and meditating on the lotus at the crown of your head.

The author Manjet Harley writes for the popular chakra-balance.com site. To understand how knowledge of how to open chakra can transform your whole life and to get 29 Free open chakra brainwave training balancing and healing Audios.