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Lessons in Yoga
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bipinjoshi
Posted 2006-08-27 1:40 AM (#62949)
Subject: Lessons in Yoga


Hi Friends,
I am starting a series of short lessons on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The series is titled as "Lessons in Yoga" and if you feel interested you will be able to read them on my blog. A brief background and concept behind this series can be read at http://www.bipinjoshi.com/displaythread.aspx?threadid=252&forumid=15 Lessons will be generally released on weekly basis (unless I get stuckup in some urgent work).

These lessons are the result of emails and queries that I receive from readers of my blog. I hope somebody will find them interesting.

Edited by bipinjoshi 2006-08-27 1:47 AM
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kulkarnn
Posted 2006-08-30 3:27 PM (#63230 - in reply to #62949)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


Dear Bipin:
You have done a fine job in your Lesson 0. The only comment I have on this Lesson 0 is:

The practice of Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga was not common during Patanjali's times because: a) Patanjali's times were closer to the Vedic life style which focussed more on Vedic Philosophy and Practices of Meditation and Yajna. b) Physical problems which definitely have something to do with Hatha Yoga were uncommon due to better air, water, food, and life style.
c) The word HathaYoga itself was coined at a later times. Hathayoga Pradipika was written after 1000 AD, whereas Patanjali's times are 300 B.C. approximately.

However, your article is extremely well written. I wish you all the best in your future articles.

Neel
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bipinjoshi
Posted 2006-08-30 11:17 PM (#63261 - in reply to #63230)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


Thanks Neel for your feedback.

One of the aims while writing these lessons is to present an integrated approach to Yoga. There is always a debate on the time periods on ancient texts. Some experts say that during his time Tantric tradition has been misused by many and to counter that effect he stayed away from direct references of Kundalini etc. He took Pranayama though (which is one of the strong practice in Hatha and Kundalini Yoga). Some say he was influenced by Buiddhist philosophy some say Buddhist philosophy was influenced by his teachings and so on. Some say Patanjali also wrote texts on Medicine and Sanskrit grammar. But that too is debatable. In one of his book Swami Satyananda Saraswati has given a nice background of all this time period debate. For my lessons I prefer not to influence the reader by any specific stream. Instead I am trying to weave all streams together.

Just out of curiocity - You must have done a lot of research for your book. What reference you used to decide time periods of verious ancient texts?

Thanks again for your feedback.


Edited by bipinjoshi 2006-08-30 11:19 PM
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kulkarnn
Posted 2006-08-31 7:50 AM (#63273 - in reply to #62949)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


Dear Bipin:
When one studies Patanjali Yoga Sutras from a classical point of view, meaning definitely with some reference to a strong Sanskrit background, and from a prolonged practice of Yoga, one realizes that:

All Patanjali's aphorisms are culmination of Vedic Philosophy and his work can be traced back to Vedic Texts completely. Therefore, nothing in Patanjali has been taken from Buddhism. Next, as for his work on Ayurveda and Grammer, whether there was one person for all these three is NOT known in a material way which can be detected using DNA. But, that is true for all ancient work including Vedas, and possibly Christian Bible. However, the famous Sanskrit Poet Bhartruhari formed the prayer 'yogena chittasya' which documents him as one person. And, we are left to trust in that due to lack of any other reason for distrust.

Yes, you are perfectly right about Pranayama. In fact, I realized this fact after I responded your article. The fact is that Pranayama did exist and was extremely common even among common people of India since Vedic Times. It was incorporated in Vedic Sandhya Ritual, Yajnas, Prayers, even prayers before eating, etc. etc. If you understand Sanskrit... praanaayaame viniyogaH.. means I do this act incorporating Pranaayaama in it. There is one huge practice of Gayatri Mantram which incorporates Pranayama in an extreme way.

Now, Hatha Yoga is the one which has borrowed Pranayama from Vedas and they also interpreted Ha - Pingala and Tha - Ida which are two Pranayamic terms.

Lastly, I like you article very much. I just gave my comments as observation. I do not mean that knowledge of Patanjali's timeframe and his bio are extremely important for the practice of Yoga. Of course, they are not unimportant in a certain context.

As for your question on my studies of Patanjali, I have been benefitted by a) Swami Vivekananda's Rajayoga b) Marathi language book by K.K. Kolhatkar c) my Sanskrit teachers d) and, blessings from my father, which is the main reason for my knowledge in Yoga. (I never informed people of my father until two years ago, but started doing so due to my wife Nancy, who came in my life two years ago.)

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fechter03
Posted 2006-08-31 10:57 PM (#63327 - in reply to #62949)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


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bipinjoshi - 2006-08-27 1:40 AM

Hi Friends,
I am starting a series of short lessons on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The series is titled as "Lessons in Yoga" and if you feel interested you will be able to read them on my blog. A brief background and concept behind this series can be read at http://www.bipinjoshi.com/displaythread.aspx?threadid=252&forumid=15 Lessons will be generally released on weekly basis (unless I get stuckup in some urgent work).

These lessons are the result of emails and queries that I receive from readers of my blog. I hope somebody will find them interesting.

cool website..
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bipinjoshi
Posted 2006-08-31 11:21 PM (#63331 - in reply to #63273)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


kulkarnn - 2006-08-31 6:50 AM

Dear Bipin:
When one studies Patanjali Yoga Sutras from a classical point of view, meaning definitely with some reference to a strong Sanskrit background, and from a prolonged practice of Yoga, one realizes that:

All Patanjali's aphorisms are culmination of Vedic Philosophy and his work can be traced back to Vedic Texts completely. Therefore, nothing in Patanjali has been taken from Buddhism. Next, as for his work on Ayurveda and Grammer, whether there was one person for all these three is NOT known in a material way which can be detected using DNA. But, that is true for all ancient work including Vedas, and possibly Christian Bible. However, the famous Sanskrit Poet Bhartruhari formed the prayer 'yogena chittasya' which documents him as one person. And, we are left to trust in that due to lack of any other reason for distrust.

Yes, you are perfectly right about Pranayama. In fact, I realized this fact after I responded your article. The fact is that Pranayama did exist and was extremely common even among common people of India since Vedic Times. It was incorporated in Vedic Sandhya Ritual, Yajnas, Prayers, even prayers before eating, etc. etc. If you understand Sanskrit... praanaayaame viniyogaH.. means I do this act incorporating Pranaayaama in it. There is one huge practice of Gayatri Mantram which incorporates Pranayama in an extreme way.

Now, Hatha Yoga is the one which has borrowed Pranayama from Vedas and they also interpreted Ha - Pingala and Tha - Ida which are two Pranayamic terms.

Lastly, I like you article very much. I just gave my comments as observation. I do not mean that knowledge of Patanjali's timeframe and his bio are extremely important for the practice of Yoga. Of course, they are not unimportant in a certain context.

As for your question on my studies of Patanjali, I have been benefitted by a) Swami Vivekananda's Rajayoga b) Marathi language book by K.K. Kolhatkar c) my Sanskrit teachers d) and, blessings from my father, which is the main reason for my knowledge in Yoga. (I never informed people of my father until two years ago, but started doing so due to my wife Nancy, who came in my life two years ago.)



Hello Neel,
Thank you very much for insightful explanation of your point of view. I appreciate it.

I do understand Sanskrit. I am not an expert or Pandit but at least sufficient enough for my Yoga study . We used to have it as one of the main language subject during school for five years.

Thanks for sharing your sources of knowledge and inspiration. Yes. We owe a lot to our parents and teachers.
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kulkarnn
Posted 2006-09-01 7:50 AM (#63353 - in reply to #62949)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


Hey Bipin:
I shall be there in January time frame if you wish to get together or accompany on another Indian excursion. This is for others on the Board as well if they want to join the tour.
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SCThornley
Posted 2006-09-01 8:57 AM (#63367 - in reply to #62949)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


good times
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bipinjoshi
Posted 2006-09-01 11:04 PM (#63458 - in reply to #63353)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


kulkarnn - 2006-09-01 6:50 AM

Hey Bipin:
I shall be there in January time frame if you wish to get together or accompany on another Indian excursion. This is for others on the Board as well if they want to join the tour.


I would love to meet you in person. I may not be able to make it for excursion because of already booked training schedules but I will try to meet you when you are in Pune.
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judamom
Posted 2006-09-02 11:45 AM (#63476 - in reply to #62949)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


bipinjoshi--I rarely go to computer sights other than this one--I prefer the atmosphere of libraries and wonder if there will come a time when libraries are no longer many in number. I found your site very interesting and informative and will visit there from time to time for sure.....my amazement, that I must question you about is "how do you keep those two worlds you are involved in peacefully balanced?" It appears to me that you take both the academic world and the spiritual world to the absolute extremes.........you must feel schizophrenic from time to time.....bless you! Judamom
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bipinjoshi
Posted 2006-09-02 11:12 PM (#63495 - in reply to #63476)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


judamom - 2006-09-02 10:45 AM
my amazement, that I must question you about is "how do you keep those two worlds you are involved in peacefully balanced?" It appears to me that you take both the academic world and the spiritual world to the absolute extremes.........you must feel schizophrenic from time to time.....bless you! Judamom


When I started Yoga years back I learnt a great fact - "You will not become Yogi by growing hair. You will not become Yogi by wearing orange robe. You will not become yogi by abandoning your duties. You will not become Yogi by going in Jungles. You will become Yogi only by untire and honest practice."

Since my childhood I have been reading Gyaneshwari (it is one of the most popular Marathi commentary on Bhagvat Gita written by great Yogi Gyneshwar). There is a wonderful advice - "The way lotus blooms in mud but remains untouched from it a Yogi should remain fixed in Bramhan while performing the worldly duties." I just try to follow this advice humbly to whatever degree I can.



Edited by bipinjoshi 2006-09-02 11:30 PM
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SCThornley
Posted 2006-09-03 9:23 AM (#63507 - in reply to #63495)
Subject: RE: Lessons in Yoga


bipinjoshi - 2006-09-02 11:12 PM
Since my childhood I have been reading Gyaneshwari (it is one of the most popular Marathi commentary on Bhagvat Gita written by great Yogi Gyneshwar). There is a wonderful advice - "The way lotus blooms in mud but remains untouched from it a Yogi should remain fixed in Bramhan while performing the worldly duties." I just try to follow this advice humbly to whatever degree I can.



Wow, it's like I see something I've never considered before. thank you b
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