Integral Yoga: The Basics

When I first started out doing yoga, I thought of it as being a very broad term that referred to meditation of the body. How wrong was I? Partially right and partially wrong! There are many different aspects of yoga. One of them is Integral Yoga.

What are the basics of Integral Yoga?

Integral Yoga is the process of the unity of every part of you having connection with the Divine. This process also involves the transmutation of every harsh element into a state of harmony of greater divinity, being existent, and consciousness.

With the exception of the paths of the Natya Yoga, the greater portion of yoga focuses on a single perspective of the Being. It also focuses on the liberation state or transcendence.

The purpose of Integral Yoga is for you to make changes to the whole Being. Due to this transition, there fare several elements of your physical, mental, vital, psychic, spiritual makeup, and the meaning of your transformation. These transformations are more detailed in Sri Aurobindo, who was a Bengali philosopher.

Integral Yoga has two parts: a spiritual realization of God and Transcendence, or Enlightenment and Transformation of the Inner and Outer Nature. As a result of these two actions, you are fit enough to embody a divine consciousness, and becoming a part of divine work.

In this type of yoga, it involves these faculties: physical, vital, and mental.

Physical: From the physical perspective,this is not rejected. However, it must be changed and become spiritual through the Integral Yoga practice. This is a necessity not only to transform physical habits and your conscious, but also plunge into the subconscient of lower Unconsciousness. In this category, this is where the source of many programs lay dormant.

Vital: Vital focused more on the various conditions,as in desires, dislikes, likes, and emotions that tells your motives and actions. In the case of Integral Yoga, it is imperative to change from self-centered desires and revolts to make a complete change for yoga.

Mental: This refers to the concepts of the mind as well as cognitive. If you do not focus on the negative aspects of different subject matters in your life, then your way of thinking can be converted into the Divine. This also includes understanding and aspiration.

In addition to the faculties of the Integral Yoga, it also includes three different Beings: Outer, Inner, and Psychic.

The Outer Being talks about the superficial and the limitations of the existence of physical, mental, and vital. Our everyday experiences during our lifetime are also the focus of this Being. In Integral Yoga, this being goes deeper besides on the conscious level to the Inner Being, which focuses more on the spiritual realization.

Like the Outer Being, the Inner Being’s main perspectives are on physical, vital, and mental. However, the conscious level is larger and more subtle. Also, the realization is very important for any achievement of this realization to become higher.

The objective of Integral Yoga is to move in the inward direction in order to learn about the Psychic Being. The Psychic Being can allow a huge transformation in the Outer Nature. This in not all to this Being. It is also the pivotal part of the process, which is ongoing in life, as in allowing us to connect with our inner spirit, or Divine Essence.

To make a very long story short, Integral Yoga is a very comprehensive type of yoga. As with any other aspects of the yoga practice, it takes perseverance and patience to become very successful.

If you practice Integral Yoga, what is your experience? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Next posting: Common Myths about Yoga

“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.”
-Confucius

Spiritual Growth: What Is It?

 

On some occasions, many people who believe in God say that they are religious, but in reality, he/she may be spiritual. It is very easy to get religion and spirituality confused. But I am not here to talk about religion vs. spirituality–I am here to talk about spiritual growth.

What is the meaning of spiritual growth? To answer this question, it really depends on who you are talking to. Spiritual growth is generally having faith in God and having connections with the spirit. Unlike religion, where there is a belief system, spiritual growth is about making sacrifices, as in letting go of misleading concepts, whether it is a minor sacrifice or a major sacrifice. During your spiritual growth, your awareness level is more likely to be enhanced as well as letting go of all your negative thoughts and beliefs.This will allow your inner self to become more focused on positive perspectives in your life.

When you are experiencing spiritual growth, your beliefs begin to shift in a positive direction. Example of these may be having inner peace with yourself, finding out who you really are, having more confidence and in your inner self than in previous times.

The good news is that you can experience spiritual growth. The key ingredients that is required for this enlightening is that you have strong will power and planning your day on the good foot. This way, you can be working on repairing your inner self, which will lead to peace in your wonderful and precious life.

Having spiritual growth is the devotion and conviction to the highest power on the ladder. In “The Concept of Spirituality in Nursing Theories Different Views and Extent to Focus,” D.S. Martsolf and J.R. Mickley highlighted the following areas in referenced to spirituality:

1. Meaning: This is in reference to the significance of life. It is also making sense of situations and deriving purpose.
2. Value: This includes beliefs, standards, and ethics that an individual cherishes.
3. Transcendence: Transcendence refers to the experience, awareness, and appreciation of a “transcendent dimension” to life beyond self.
4. Connecting: This is due to the increase of awareness of a connection that deals with self, others, God, the spirit, Divinity, and Nature.
5. Becoming: This is the unfolding of life that is called upon reflection and experience, including a sense of who you “are” and how you know.

Throughout the entire world, there are so many different faiths that spiritual growth can be expressed in different forms. These different faiths have a few core elements in common: discipline, spirit, and belief, just to name a few.

What is your experience with spiritual growth? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the Comments section.

Next posting: Self-Esteem and Its Impact on You and Society

“Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.”
-Albert Einstein