Article by Carmela M Turner

Today every second person who meets you speaks about yoga, its benefits and how it has helped him/her live a better organized and healthy life. You always listen to them and also wish to try it out yourself, but you have a question what is the principle on which yoga functions. What is it that has made it so popular and is so vastly accepted these days? Well here is an answer to all questions. In this article you can understand the principles of yoga. There are basically ten basic principles of yoga. Have a look at these principles that will help you understand the concept of Yoga. 1. Liberation: Yoga helps one to liberalize one. It helps one to free from one’s boundaries and reach to the higher limits. It helps one become something great an better than just being what we are. 2. Instruction/ Sharing: Yoga can be understood, its practices can be learned and its benefits can be known only when an instructor speaks about it. It is very important that whether in a yoga DVD or in a meditation or yoga retreat, the instructor should speak about Yoga and its practices. 3. Styles of Yoga: Every person has different requirements, strengths and weaknesses. Yoga also believes in this and thus has different styles catering to different people. There are many yoga styles. However here are seven most important styles of yoga: i) Raja: It is a royal yoga which aims at freedom through immense meditationii) Hatha: This is forceful yoga that liberalizes one through physical strength and transformations. iii) Jnana: It aims at developing the ability of differentiating between the unreal and real though wisdom yoga. iv) Karma: Liberation through one’s karma or deeds. v) Bhakti: It aims at surrendering oneself to the divine powers through devotional yoga. vi) Tantra: Continuity Yoga, though developing a visualization and an energy. vii) Mantra: Reciting the divine words such as ‘Om’, ‘Hari Om’, ‘Ram’, etc and attaining liberation. 4. Understanding and PracticesYoga can be understood and learned by a blend of theory and practices of yoga. In order to learn and understand yoga, it is important to understand the theory beneath it. Understanding and then regular practice of various postures of yoga will lead to strong physical and mental health. 5. Virtues of YogaYoga supports some virtues like nonviolence, kindness, truthfulness, compassion and abstention from any misconduct or theft. It aims at a positive and tranquil life. These virtues need to be incorporated in your life to attain the goals or aims of yoga. 6. Commitment: Follow yoga at a personal level or reach the advances of yoga, you need to committed of yoga. You need to have a strong will power to overcome your wrongful habits. It requires self-discipline, commitment and efforts at personal end. 7. A blend of Mental and physical practices: Relaxing and rejuvenating by mental and physical fitness and transformations.8. Focus: Having an aim and a strong focus is very essential in yoga. You need to focus yourself to achieve the benefits of yoga. 9. Avoid materialistic wishes:Free yourself from materialistic world and wishes and get back to the basic simple life. 10. Progress: Yoga is cumulative. It adds to it whatever you keep on learning and also adds to the benefits.

About the Author

carmelamturner is a expart of Yoga Retreats. She provide information about Seva and Seva