Most practitioners of Yoga would agree to the statement that authentic Yoga is a spiritual practice, but few actually cognize the fact that Yoga is a part of, and inseparable from Hinduism. Any attempt of separating the two removes the very core component of Yoga and leaves behind a mere physical exercise and some breathing techniques. Yoga is a Hindu Ritual, manifesting the Oneness of man with the Divine.
For tens of thousands of years the practice of Yoga has only been passed down from Guru to disciple, until in the more recent times it started being written down and made available to the world. This, however, has lead to the unfortunate distortion of this sacred science, loss of context, and complete ignorance of its true origin and value to humanity.
Yoga history and origin – Yoga has a Religion and that is Hinduism!
Yoga is a time-tested, fool-proof system, unveiled to humanity by Paramashiva Himself some 60,000 years ago. It is a complete system that anyone can practice in order to acquire the best physique and physiology required to manifest the state and powers of Paramashiva Himself. This system takes into account all the different bodies of the past, present and future. As such, it cannot be improved and has no need for modernization. Any modification of the science will not only dilute the results, but can transform it into something else completely, thus losing the great possibilities authentic Yoga holds.
A Revival of Authentic Yoga
Since 2001, the Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism (SPH), Jagatguru MahaSannidhanam, His Divine Holiness, Bagawan Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam, has worked tirelessly to revive the great science of Yoga, researching over a million authentic Hindu scriptural references on Yoga, and formulating the most authentic Yoga system – Nithyananda Yoga, directly from the source, just as Paramashiva intended Yoga to be.
The authentic practice of Nithyananda Yoga is essential to any seeker on the path of spiritual enlightenment. The initial step in the practice of authentic Yoga is always the Shaktipada, an initiation by the Enlightened Master, infusing Kundalini Energy into the disciple, giving them an enlightenment experience of the highest potential, which they can draw upon and replicate.
For more information on Nithyananda Yoga please visit the Nithyananda Yoga YouTube channel.
Authentic Yoga Practice
Every Authentic Yoga practice starts with the Achamana, the Ritualistic cleansing, performed for all Hindu rituals. Next, respect is paid to the Guru, who initiated and awakened the disciple’s Kundalini Shakti. Then, respect is offered to the Parampara, the lineage of Masters who passed on their knowledge and initiations from generation to generation. And finally, Paramashiva Himself is invoked, to bring through the oneness with the Divine. Only then can the physical part of the Yoga practice take place.
The physical components of Yoga – Asanas (Postures), Bandhas (Energy locks), Mudras (Energy circuits), Pranayamas (Breathing techniques), and finally the Gaze (directing the energy flow), align the Body to the Cosmic Geometry in order to retain the energy which is infused by the Guru, transforming the body into a suitable vessel for the infusion of the Divine.
The Yogic Lifestyle
Yoga itself doesn’t end at the edge of the Yoga mat; The Yogic lifestyle requires a holistic, spiritual approach with guidelines on a multitude of components, including:
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- Food – pure vegetarian diet, how it is grown, how it is prepared, body detox techniques
- Hygiene – Strict hygiene guidelines and purification techniques
- Yajnas and Homas (Fire Rituals) and Kriyas (Techniques) – for specific spiritual purposes, such as wealth, fertility and much, much more
- Ayurveda – The Science of Life, covering all aspects of life, health and well being, etc
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All of these components make for a full, spiritual, enlightening Yoga experience in the individual, preparing the vessel to retain the intense Divine energy for longer, as per the original intentions of its creator, Paramashiva.