Yoga as a traditional system of physical exercises. Brief overview of the main wellness systems

The modern public perception of Yoga is fundamentally different from the very essence of Yoga in the traditional sense in which this teaching was developed by the ancient saints and ascetics.

Firstly, yoga was originally a whole system in which physical exercises and postures were a small, albeit quite useful part. The goal of ancient Yoga was spiritual, not bodily-physical, and the word "Yoga" referred to the whole system, and not just to postures - Asanas.

At present, there is an excessive emphasis on asanas and "Yoga" itself has become associated mainly with its bodily-physiological part and has become a kind of fitness. All this together led to the fact that people began to believe that the purpose of Yoga is precisely the maintenance of health and excellent health. physical form. However, this is a lie.

The goal of Yoga is exclusively Yoga itself - as a process of awakening the true essence of a person and a way of liberation from the power of samskaras and the cycle of rebirths.

The substitution of the concepts of “Yoga” and “Asana”, or rather, the actual monopolization of yoga by the practice of asanas, which is taking place in our time, is far from being as harmless as it might seem at first glance. At a minimum, this misleads hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have just felt an impulse, perhaps not yet fully realized, to the inner search for oneself and turned to spiritual knowledge. But as a result, these people receive "initiation" from the so-called "teachers" of various styles of what they present under "Yoga" and which in essence is a set gymnastic exercises flavored with occult terminology.

In fact, such teachers preach a FALSE, since the very thesis underlying the activities of such “Yoga schools”, “Yoga centers”, “Yoga classes”, etc. is false. This is a false thesis that "Yoga" is physical system with a powerful spiritual component, which in the end can lead to self-realization of a person. This is not just a substitution of concepts and a shift in emphasis, but an emasculation of the original Yoga, which is inherently deep philosophical and spiritual teaching. As a result, some so-called “teachers”, in pursuit of profit, actually bring Yoga to the level of a “program exercise on DVD."

You can often hear how some followers of Yoga, including those who have received various certificates of mastery from various schools, say, “I practice only Hatha yoga, I am not interested in deep meditation. I want to achieve perfection through Hatha yoga.”
However, Hatha yoga is just a method of bringing the body to a balance that creates conditions for the further evolution of consciousness. Without this goal, Hatha Yoga classes are meaningless, because the body is only an instrument of practice, and not an end in itself for practice.

The famous teacher of modern India, Swami Rama, in his lectures explained:

“Today, the term “Yoga” has become synonymous with a passing infatuation or simple eccentricity. Many incompetent teachers have made Yoga the object of commercial exploitation and one small aspect of Yoga is passed off as the whole of Yoga.
For example, many people in the West believe that Yoga is a cult of the body and beauty, others consider Yoga to be a religious cult. Both opinions distort the true meaning of Yoga.
Swami Rama further gives a comparison: “If you are going to the Himalayas, you can go by car or fly by plane. Every day, millions of people drive cars and fly planes. But this does not mean that everyone who travels by car and plane will end up in the Himalayas if their destination is not the Himalayas.”
Hatha yoga, as well as the religious aspect of yoga, is just, relatively speaking, "vehicles" that help to achieve the ultimate goal of Yoga. But they will lead nowhere if practiced on their own.

Here is a typical example of the substitution of concepts. Ashtanga.com describes Ashtanga Yoga as “the system of Yoga transmitted to the modern world by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009). This Yoga method involves synchronizing the breath with a progressive series of physical positions, a process that produces intense internal heat and a deep cleansing sweat that detoxifies the body. The result is improved circulation, a lighter and stronger body, and a calmer mind."

At the same time, as Swami Sivananda Saraswati writes: “In the traditional concept of Yoga, systematized by Patanjali, Ashtanga Yoga meant an eight-step system of practice through which freedom was achieved.” Moreover, this system includes not only postures and breathing, but also deep meditative practices that occupy a predominant place in it.

The substitution of the concepts of Yoga leads many people to the belief that doing something that is included in Yoga for the purpose of healing, relieving stress, etc. - is yoga. It's not like that. This is a delusion, since the practice of anything that does not correspond with the goal of Yoga in self-realization higher levels essence of man, is not Yoga.

As stated in the classic treatise Hatha Yoga Pradipika - sloka 4.79 - “The practice of Hatha Yoga without the realization of Raja Yoga is fruitless. There are practitioners of Hatha Yoga who have no knowledge of Raja Yoga. I consider them just practitioners because they don't get the fruits of their efforts."

Do Hatha Yoga exercises provide health benefits even apart from holistic Yoga? Yes, of course, with the right implementation they bring. But their mere fulfillment does not make a person either a yogi or even a student on the path of Yoga.

“Yoga is a method of medical treatment” is a false statement.

“Yoga is a method of physical therapy” is a false statement.

The purpose and essence of Yoga is not to make the body healthy. The only goal of Yoga is spiritual in nature and the realization of Yoga takes a person beyond the limits of the physical body with its illnesses and inevitable death.

The commercialization of Yoga has led to the fact that a person, having completed a course for money in the so-called schools (centers, studios, courses, "ashrams", etc.) of Yoga, himself can become a certified teacher (instructor, "guru", etc.) of yoga without reading a single line from the classical Yoga Sutras. And then many of these "teachers" feel themselves competent enough to create their own directions and schools of Yoga.
It is characteristic that very often the name of such a school contains the name or surname of its founder, who is still in good health. In addition, very often this kind of “teachers” use traditional ancient names and terms, misleading students who take this for the real continuity of the new teaching with the original.

Think of Yoga, which, after adapting to modern Western culture, has been stripped of its essential components. Will it still be Yoga? Without higher meaning, goals and methods? Definitely - no.

From an article by Swami Janeshwar Bharati

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

BELARUSIAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Department of Biology

Abstract on Physical Culture: "Yoga - as a system of physical exercises"

Students of the 4th year of the 8th group

Ivanchik A. N.

Minsk, 2011

YOGA AS A WAY OF LIFE

Lifestyle in a world full of stressful and conflict situations requires increased attention to the state of one's health. The desire to find peace, get rid of stress, achieve inner harmony is akin to searching for a "lost paradise" and maybe that's why a healthy lifestyle has become extremely popular in the modern world.

Health is the main indicator of the state of human vitality and quality of life. However, working only on his body and not paying due attention to thoughts, movements of the soul, a person, unfortunately, will not achieve integrity. Only caring for the body, combined with the development of consciousness, allows you to feel the joy of being in full.

Yoga is an ancient teaching about improving the body and spirit, a system of practices that can reveal the entire energy potential of a person and direct it in the right direction. Yoga exercises are contact with ancient Eastern traditions and acquaintance with a unique system of healing the body, dating back many centuries. A true desire to do yoga comes as a conscious need. No matter how many flattering reviews you hear about yoga, each person still makes the decision independently and in certain period own life. Only in this case, yoga exercises will become meaningful, bringing the greatest benefit to your body. Blindly following fashion, treating yoga as the trend of the season has nothing to do with the adoption of yoga philosophy. Exercise requires a significant application of strength: both physical and spiritual.

yoga exercises

yoga exercises- work with the body, mind and soul. It is the achievement of harmonious unity between these three substances that is the meaning of yoga. Exercises, the regularity of their implementation, can really change a person’s whole life, teach him to think differently.

YOGA: exercises for the harmonious development of the body and spirit

Movement in the direction of yoga is teaching the body to preserve vital energy, accumulate and distribute forces, get rid of ailments on its own and remain active until old age.

In order for yoga exercises to be really useful, bringing peace of mind, you need to be very careful at the stage of acquaintance with this ancient system. Before doing the exercises, you need to relax well through breathing exercises and meditation practice. Do not try to achieve perfection in yoga exercises the first time, otherwise you can injure yourself and forget about yoga for a while.

YOGA: exercises for health and longevity

Yoga exercises (or asanas) have an amazing effect on the body as a whole.

Yoga exercises cleanse the body.

Yoga exercises increase blood circulation and ensure longevity.

Yoga exercises make the body slim and beautiful, and thoughts - positive and clear.

Yoga exercises improve memory and concentration.

Yoga exercises supply the tissues of the body with a sufficient amount of blood, which ensures the preservation of health.

YOGA - the golden rule

Determine your YOGA HOUR and stick to it strictly.

HOUR OF YOGA should be in your life, regardless of desire, mood and circumstances. Yoga exercises should be done DAILY.

Yoga Exercises for Beginners

RULES that should be followed in order for yoga exercises to bring the greatest effect. Remember:

Postures should not be performed immediately after sleep.

Postures (asanas) are always done on an empty stomach, 1.5-2 hours after a light meal and 4 hours after a heavy meal.

You should do poses in a well-ventilated area, you can do it in nature, provided that no one interferes.

Clothing for classes should be comfortable and spacious.

Choose the right time for classes according to your abilities and daily routine.

Do yoga poses without fuss, slowly, focusing your attention on the sensations in the body.

Lay out the rug. You can turn on pleasant, quiet music.

Leave all worries, anxieties, fuss. Try not to think about anything.

There is only you, your body and yoga.

Exercise 1: MOUNTAIN pose (tadasana)

This is the first pose with which any set of yoga exercises begins. At first glance, a very simple exercise, but some skills are also needed to perform it correctly.

Performance:

Get up. Legs together. Feet are in contact along the entire length. The knees are straightened. The thigh muscles are tense. The back is straight. The head is slightly raised. Take your shoulders back. Hands are freely lowered along the body. The palms are facing the body. Follow the face. It must be relaxed. Look straight ahead. Focus on the center of the body. Stay in this pose for 1-2 minutes.

Exercise 2: TREE pose (vrikshasana)

This posture strengthens the nervous system, develops the vestibular apparatus, makes the legs strong, and has a beneficial effect on the joints. Performance:

Get into MOUNTAIN pose. Bend your right leg and take your knee to the side. Take the foot with your hands and place it on your left thigh, as close to the groin as possible. The right knee should be in the same plane with the body. Inhaling, raise your arms up above your head, straighten your elbows, join your palms without bending your elbows. Freeze in this position for 1-2 minutes. Repeat the exercise, changing the supporting leg.

Exercise 3: TRIANGLE Pose (Trikonasana)

Despite the apparent simplicity, this pose brings many benefits: fat deposits are reduced, the chest expands, the nerves on the sides of the body and the spinal cord receive a useful shake that takes them out of lethargy. This pose quickly drives away laziness. This pose is especially useful for those who are forced to spend many hours at their desk. Execution: Stand straight with your legs apart about 100 cm wide. Spread your arms to the sides, parallel to the floor, palms down. Exhaling, bend strictly to the left so that your left hand touches the floor near your left foot. Right hand lifted up. At the same time, turn your head so as to look at the palm of your right hand. You should feel the tension in the muscles of the right side of the body. Stay in this position for a while. Return to the starting position while inhaling. Repeat the exercise, leaning to the right. While performing the pose, the arms and legs should be straight. Perform the pose 5 times in each direction.

Exercise 4: SNAKE Pose (Bhujangasana)

This is one of the postures specifically designed for healing and rejuvenation. spinal cord. At the same time, this posture eliminates excess fat, which forms ugly folds, especially in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. The names of asanas are not accidental, as many owe their birth to the observation of wise nature. When a snake crawls, it seems as if it has no skeleton: the spine is flexible and resilient. But in danger, the snake can become hard, like a steel rod. Thanks to this exercise, our spine also becomes flexible and strong.

Performance:

Lie on your stomach. Legs together, extended. Heels and big toes should touch. Bend your elbows. Palms on the floor near the armpits. Raise your head, exhaling slowly, straighten your arms and bend back as much as possible. At the same time, raise your chin, tilt your head back and take your shoulders back. Now your entire body above the navel is lifted and curved back. Feet should be together, mouth closed. Remain in this posture for a few seconds, then, inhaling, lower yourself slowly. Repeat this exercise, five times will be enough.

Exercise 5: Plow Pose (Halasana)

This posture also has a very beneficial effect on the condition of the spine. For violin strings to sound melodious, they must be properly tuned; in order for arrows from a bow to fly fast and far, you need to tighten the bowstring; in order for life to be long and healthy, you need to have a flexible and elastic spine. This asana strengthens the nervous system and rejuvenates the thyroid gland, which plays an important role in the functioning of the whole organism.

Performance:

Lie down on the floor. Stretch your arms along the body. Palms facing down, legs straight. While inhaling, lift your legs without bending your knees. When the legs are in a vertical position, start exhaling. Exhaling, bring your legs back behind your head until your feet touch the floor. Stay in this position for a while, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat the asana 5-6 times. Exercise 6: CANDLE Pose (Sarvangasana)

This is a pose for all parts of the body. The yogi who invented this asana chose a simple but effective way: he simply allowed gravity to work wonders in the body. Sarvangasana improves blood circulation in the upper body, strengthens the heart and thyroid gland, which brings invaluable benefits to the entire body. Execution: Lie on your back on the mat. Put your hands along the body. Hold your breath and lift your legs. When they are at a 45-degree angle to the floor, grab your hands behind your back. Keep your legs straight, but without tension. The arms should support the back as low as possible so that the torso and legs form one vertical line. Press your chin to your chest. Breathe calmly and relax. Stay in this position for one minute to begin with, eventually increasing the duration to 5-10 minutes. You need to come out of the pose slowly, lowering your back to the floor gradually, vertebra by vertebra.

Exercise 7: Corpse Pose (savasana)

Savasana is one of the most beautiful postures in yoga and must be mastered. Corpse Pose is a magical remedy against fatigue, gloominess, despondency, depression and fatigue. 10-15 minutes of staying in this position will instantly remove these conditions. Complete relaxation of the whole body for 15 minutes is equivalent to 2-3 hours of sleep. Regular execution This asana will improve blood circulation, normalize blood pressure, tones the nervous system, relieve fatigue and increase energy. Execution: Lie comfortably on your back. Hands lie a short distance from the body. The head should not lie on the pillow. The eyes are closed. No extraneous noise should bother you. extra clothes and remove jewelry. Start relaxing by listening to your breath. Monitor the incoming and outgoing air. Breathing should be calm and free. Now move on to relaxation itself. Take a look at the individual parts of your body with your mind's eye. Start with the feet, go through the legs, then pay attention to the arms, attention to the stomach, chest, neck, head. Do not forget about the face, all the muscles of the face should be as relaxed as possible. Instill warmth in each part of the body, then heaviness, or vice versa. In order for you to understand what you are striving for, it is important to know what a relaxed body is. You are really relaxed when you can’t raise either your arm or leg, when your eyes seem to be filled with lead, and your whole body is too lazy to make even the slightest movement. The body is asleep, but the mind is awake. It is necessary to leave the pose very calmly and gradually.

Used sources:

1.www.chasyogi.ru/telo.html

2.yogajournal.ru/

The substitution of the concepts of “Yoga” and “Asana”, or rather, the actual monopolization of yoga by the practice of asanas, which is taking place in our time, is far from being as harmless as it might seem at first glance. This substitution misleads hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have just felt an impulse, perhaps not yet fully realized, to an inner search for oneself and turned to spiritual knowledge. But as a result, these people receive "initiation" from the so-called "teachers" of various styles of what they present under "yoga" and which in essence is a set of gymnastic exercises flavored with occult terminology.

In fact, such teachers preach FALSE, since the very thesis underlying the activities of such “yoga schools”, “yoga centers”, “yoga classes”, etc. is distorted. This is a false thesis that "Yoga" is a physical system with a powerful spiritual component, which in the end can lead to self-realization of a person. As a result, there is not just a substitution of concepts and a shift in emphasis, but an emasculation of the original Yoga, an essentially deep philosophical and spiritual teaching. As a result, some so-called "teachers", in pursuit of profit, actually bring Yoga to the level of a "exercise program on DVD".

You can often hear how some followers of Yoga, including those who have received various certificates of mastery from various schools, declare, “I practice only Hatha yoga, I am not interested in deep meditation. I want to achieve perfection through Hatha yoga.” However, Hatha yoga is just a method of bringing the body to a balance that creates conditions for the further evolution of consciousness. Without this goal, Hatha yoga classes are meaningless, because the body is only an instrument of practice, and not an end in itself for practice.

The famous teacher of modern India, Swami Rama, in his lectures explained:

Others refer to Yoga as a religious cult. Both opinions distort the true meaning of Yoga.

Swami Rama further gives a comparison: “If you are going to the Himalayas, you can go by car or fly by plane. Every day, millions of people drive cars and fly planes. But this does not mean that everyone who travels by car and plane will end up in the Himalayas if their destination is not the Himalayas.” Hatha yoga, as well as the religious aspect of yoga, is just, relatively speaking, "vehicles" that help to achieve the ultimate goal of Yoga. But they will lead nowhere if practiced on their own.

Here is a typical example of the substitution of concepts. The ashtanga.com website describes Ashtanga yoga as “a yoga system handed down to the modern world by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009). This yoga method involves synchronizing the breath with a progressive series of physical positions, a process that produces intense internal heat and a deep cleansing sweat that detoxifies the body. The result is improved circulation, a lighter and stronger body, and a calmer mind."

The substitution of the concepts of Yoga makes many people conclude that doing something that is included in Yoga for the purpose of healing, relieving stress, etc. - is yoga. It's not like that. This is a delusion, since the practice of anything that does not correlate with the goal of Yoga in self-realization of the highest levels of a person's essence cannot be Yoga.

As stated in the classic treatise "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" - sloka 4.79 - "The practice of Hatha Yoga without the realization of Raja Yoga is fruitless. There are practitioners of hatha yoga who have no knowledge of raja yoga. I consider them just practitioners because they don't get the fruits of their efforts."

Do hatha yoga exercises provide health benefits even apart from holistic yoga? Yes, of course, with the right implementation they bring. But their fulfillment alone does not make a person either a yogi or even a student on the path of Yoga.

"Yoga is a method of medical treatment" is a false statement.

"Yoga is a method of physical therapy" is a false statement.

The purpose and essence of Yoga is not to make the body healthy. The sole purpose of Yoga is spiritual in nature. The realization of Yoga takes a person beyond the limits of the physical body with its illnesses and inevitable death.

The commercialization of yoga has led to the fact that a person, having completed a course for money in the so-called schools (centers, studios, courses, "ashrams", etc.) of yoga, himself can become a certified teacher (instructor, "guru", etc.) of yoga without reading a single line from the classical Yoga Sutras. And then many of these "teachers" feel competent enough to create their own directions and schools of yoga. It is characteristic that very often the name of such a school contains the name or surname of its founder, who is still in good health. In addition, very often this kind of “teacher” uses traditional ancient names and terms, misleading students who take this for the real continuity of the new teaching with the original.

When does yoga stop being yoga? Imagine seeing a car with a friend. A friend asks, "What is this?" You answer: "It's a car." Imagine that a car has no steering wheel and your friend asks the same question. You still answer, "This is a car." But what if all four wheels, doors and motor are missing? And then to a friend's question, "What is it?" You will probably answer - "Trash. Scrap metal” Think of Yoga, which, after adapting to modern Western culture, was stripped of its essential components. Will it still be Yoga? Without higher meaning, goals and methods? Definitely - no!

Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia

Respected Western publishers recognize authentic, traditional Yoga, as opposed to the so-called Yoga teachers and Yoga teaching schools. The following excerpt is from the new Funk & Wagnalis encyclopedia:

Yoga(Sankr. "bond", "connection"), one of the six classical systems of Hindu philosophy, which differs from the rest in the miracles of bodily control and mystical powers, the possession of which is attributed to advanced followers. Yoga states a doctrine which describes that through the practice of certain disciplines, a penitent person can achieve liberation from the limitations of the body, the illusions of the senses, the trap of thoughts, and thus achieve unification with the object of knowledge. Such union, according to the doctrine, is the only true way of knowledge. For most Yogis (those who practice Yoga), the subject of knowledge is all-pervading Brahman. A minority of Yogis seek perfect self-realization instead of the knowledge of God...

The final stage, in the doctrine of Yoga, is seldom attained in one lifetime. It usually takes several births to achieve liberation, first from the world of phenomena, then from thoughts of oneself, and finally from the enslavement of the spirit by matter. Separation of spirit from matter Kaivalya or true liberation...

Two Understandings of Yoga

A recent insight: The typical perception of Yoga has changed a lot in the last century, especially in the last few decades. Much of this has happened because of changes in the West, especially in the US, although it's not just an American phenomenon (the same changes happened with Tantra)

The essence of two understandings: the essence of these changes that have taken place can be expressed in two understandings, one of which is modern and erroneous, and the other is ancient and true

Erroneous: Yoga is a physical system with a spiritual component

True: Yoga is a spiritual system with a physical component.

False views are spreading: Unfortunately, the view that Yoga is a physical exercise system is the dominant view today. The false view is spreading through many organizations, classes, teachers, books, magazines and millions of followers of modern Yoga who have little or no interest in the spiritual goals of the ancient, authentic, traditional yoga and yoga meditation.

Understanding the recent degradation of understanding that Yoga is only a set of physical exercises is one of the most important steps for modern seekers of authentic Yoga.

Yoga and Christianity: To say that yoga is more of a physical fitness, as many Christians have done, is like saying that the Christian denomination consists largely of drinking wine and eating bread with a meal, and that there is nothing higher in Baptism than taking a shower or bath. The purpose of Yoga is Yoga.

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07

Yoga(Skt. connection), a general term for the spiritual disciplines of Hinduism, Buddhism and all of South Asia, which are aimed at achieving higher consciousness and liberation from ignorance, suffering and rebirth. More specifically, it is also the name of one of the six orthodox systems of Hindu philosophy. Both Vedic and Buddhist literature discuss the doctrines of wandering ascetics in ancient india who practiced different kinds asceticism and meditation. The main text of the philosophical school of Yoga, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (2nd century BC), is a systematization of one of these ancient traditions.

Yoga is a classical philosophy: Yoga is one of the six schools of Indian philosophy. These are Nyaya, Visheshika, Mimamsa, Sankhya, Yoga and Vedanta. A short review of these six schools or systems will easily elucidate the true nature of authentic Yoga as a system of spiritual endeavours. (It is worth noting that there is no universal agreement: some consider the Buddha's doctrine to be the seventh system or school Indian philosophy rather than a separate system in which his [Buddha's] methods came from the same source. In addition, some consider this division inaccurate, arguing that the only true Yoga comes directly from the ancient texts, the Vedas).

Six Schools of Indian Philosophy

Yoga contains or is built on other philosophies: It is important to note that the Yoga system contains or is built on four other systems or schools of Indian philosophy (Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Sakhya). In other words, it is not important to dive into these systems as separate classes and practices. They are properly included in the Yoga system in terms of doing practices. In addition, the Vedantic system is the actual companion of the Yoga system.

Dates of these systems: The exact dates of the formation of these six systems are not known, since learning was originally exclusively oral, since writing had not yet been created. However, as a rule, think they came 2-3 thousand or more years ago. Some say that the origins of these traditions go back 5,000 to 10,000 years or more. The lack of clear dates is also due to the fact that practitioners were so focused on the eternal properties of higher truths that they simply didn't care to record the dates.

Yoga. Practical Methods for Gaining Direct Experience: Yoga systematically deals with all levels of existence, trying to know the eternal center of consciousness. Yoga is best described in the Yoga Sutras and involves the systematic observation of one's inner states in order to overcome them all, reaching the center of consciousness. Yoga is also often referred to as Sankhya Yoga because Yoga contains practical methods for putting into practice through direct experience of the truths of the Sankhya philosophy.

Sankhya. Manifest Structure: The Samkhya philosophy offers a structure for all levels of manifestation, from the most subtle to the grossest. Sankhya comes from samyag akhyate, which literally means "that which explains the whole". Sanhya deals with prakriti (matter), purusha (consciousness), buddhi or mahat (intellect), ahankara (false ego), the three gunas (elements of stability, activity and lightness), mind (manas), cognitive and active senses (indriyas), and the five subtle and gross elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether). By the effulgence of its breadth, it contains all the realms of Vaisheshika, Nyaya and Mimamsa, which are described below.

Vedanta. Contemplative self-questioning: Vedanta philosophy and practice provide contemplative methods of self-inquiry that lead to the realization of the true nature of man, which is independent of birth, aging or decay. Main essence these practices - meditation on Mahavakyami. The teachings of Vedanta are best described in the Upanishads.

Vaisheshika. Real sciences: The Vaisheshika system was developed by Prashastapada and emphasizes the material sciences such as chemistry. It includes the study of the elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether, as well as time, mind and soul.
Nyaya. Reasoning: The Nyaya system was founded by the ancient sage Gautama, and deals with logic, the process of reasoning. Doubt is considered a prerequisite to philosophical questions. The rest of the systems of Indian philosophy use this process.

Mimamsa. Freedom through action: The Mimamsa system was founded by Jaimini and strives for freedom through action. It has a detailed philosophy that has to do with ritual, worship, and moral conduct, which has developed into a philosophy of karma.

-----------------

Swami Rama explains that the word Yoga has unfortunately been misused. Therefore, people think that Yoga means physical exercise to stay young. It is, however, a science that deals with the body, breath, mind and soul, and ultimately with the Universal Consciousness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4emkk6IZ08(video)

Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the founder of the Bihar School of Yoga, nicely describes the current state of Yoga in the introduction to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika with commentary by Swami Muktibodhananda Saraswati, where he writes:

In ancient times, Hatha Yoga was practiced for many years as a preparatory stage for higher levels of consciousness. Now, however, the true purpose of this great science was completely lost. The practices of Yoga that were created by the rishis and sages of antiquity for the evolution of mankind are now understood and used in a very limited way. Often we can hear: "Oh, I don't practice meditation, I just practice physical yoga Hatha Yoga." Now is the time to correct this point of view. Hatha Yoga is a very important science for people today.... The main goal of Hatha Yoga is to create an absolute balance of the interacting activities and processes of the physical body, mind and energy. When the balance is created, it serves as an impetus for the awakening of the central channel (sushumna nadi) which is responsible for the evolution of human consciousness. If Hatha Yoga is not used for this, its true purpose is lost.

Confusion about goals and tools

The body is not the goal: The human body is a wonderful tool and needs to be taken care of. However, the body is the instrument and not the goal of traditional Yoga. In science and medicine, the pill is the tool, but the pill itself cannot be the goal. In the science and practice of authentic Yoga, the body is the instrument, but the body itself is not the end. Confusion of ends and means: This may sound like something against the body, but that is not the point. It is not a conflict between philosophies. Rather, there is a misunderstanding of ends and means.

The Goal of Yoga is Yoga

None of the lower levels is a goal: in traditional Yoga, the practitioner works and trains all levels of existence, including relationships, self-exploration, feelings, body, breath and mind. However, none of the above is in itself the goal of Yoga.

On the authentic path: The practitioner follows the path of authentic Yoga:

Relationship: The practitioner builds relationships with the world through practices such as non-violence, honesty, mindfulness of truth, and non-possession. However, in itself building relationships with the world is not the goal of Traditional Yoga.

Feelings: The practitioner trains the senses to be able to consciously regulate them in a positive way, although working with the senses in itself is not the goal of traditional Yoga.

Body: the practitioner works with the body to make it flexible, strong and strong. But working with the body is not in itself the goal of authentic Yoga.

Breath: the practitioner trains the breath to make it even, slow and quiet. But breathing training in itself is not the goal of traditional Yoga.

Mind: The practitioner works with the mind on all its levels, although such study of the mind is not in itself the goal of authentic Yoga.

The purpose of Yoga is beyond this: The sole purpose of Yoga is above all this, while the above points are obstacles that block the realization of the Personality, Truth or Reality to be sought. Since they are obstacles, they are given special importance in practice so that they no longer cover the eternal center of consciousness.

Swami Rama writes about the situation in traditional Yoga and Modern Yoga in his book, "The Path of Fire and Light." (Path of Fire and Light):

Most people look at Yoga as a system physical education. Only a few understand that the science of Yoga is perfect in itself, and deals systematically with body, breath, mind and spirit.

When a person understands that he is not only a living being, but also a creature that breathes and thinks, then his search is not limited to the body and breath.

For him, gaining control over his mind and its modifications, as well as over feelings and emotions, becomes more important than the practice of certain postures and breathing exercises. Only meditation and reflection can help the practitioner to understand, control and manage the mind.

In the opening paragraph of the Yoga Lectures, Swami Rama explains:

The word Yoga is overused and often misunderstood these days., now is the age of fantasy, and Yoga is now relegated to the role of a kind of fad, a passing hobby. Many false and incomplete teachings are propagated in the name of Yoga, and it became the subject of commercial exploitation, and just one small aspect of Yoga is often taken as the whole of Yoga. As an example, many people in the West think it is a cult of the body and beauty, while others consider Yoga a religion. All this obscures the true meaning of Yoga.

In the second volume of The Path of Fire and Light, Swami Rama goes even further where he emphatically states:

The word "Yoga" has now become trivialized, vulgarized, and currently does not mean anything.

Mixing means and ends: If you are going to the Himalayas, you can either fly by plane or drive first. However, the fact that you use the indicated means of transport does not mean that you will necessarily end your journey in the Himalayas. Every day, there are many millions of people who travel by these modes of transport, but they randomly mystically do not end their journey in the Himalayas if they do not initially set themselves the goal of getting there. The goal or destination of Yoga is Yoga itself, the connection itself, the connection of the small soul and the universal soul. If a person knows how to bend his body in a certain way, this does not mean that he will be able to achieve this higher connection, i.e. Yoga.

Modern and traditional wellness systems

Doctor of Alternative Medicine OMKM, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor V.K. Volkov Voronezh State Institute of Physical Culture

The problem of health at all times and epochs has been extremely relevant. World Organization health care understands the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being of a person. The health system approaches health as the state of the absence of disease. These views are descriptive and do not give specific recommendations on what to do to gain health.

At the same time, there is the following concept (P.M. Baevsky): health is the ability of a person to adapt to changing environmental conditions, interacting with them freely on the basis of his biological, psychological and social essence. This definition emphasizes three components of health: 1) the ability to adapt, 2) the freedom to respond, 3) the essence of the person. The ability to adapt, or adapt, is determined by a set of adaptive forms of behavior or skills inherent in the individual, which are inherited or developed in the process of life. Freedom of reaction depends on internal reserves and adequate perception of internal processes and the external environment. The entity must provide the two previous aspects of health. Thus, health is the essential property of a person to maintain high vitality and freedom in changing environmental conditions, or, in short, health is the ability to live freely. This ability depends on the body's reserves, a set of adaptive forms of behavior and adequate perception. Obviously, a person is born at best without disease, but always without health, on the one hand; health should be formed in the process of all life - on the other hand. With this in mind, there is a need to move from health protection to its formation or education.

knowledge systems and practices, allowing to ensure the formation of health, we understand as health systems. Health systems began to form from the moment of the birth of human civilizations and naturally enter the culture of mankind. Well-known health systems can be conditionally divided into modern and traditional. Traditional systems came to us from countries with continuous and successive development of culture - India and China. This is yoga, wu-shu, qigong. Modern health systems are formed in the countries of a young culture on the basis of a systemic (holistic) approach, an example is holism. In countries living in conditions of cultural isolation, the emergence of "primitive" health systems is possible, an example is the teaching of Porfiry Ivanov.

Yoga in Sanskrit means union, connection, connection, harmony. The unity of the human soul with the absolute spirit or deity, individual consciousness with the cosmic mind. Harmony complete physical health and spiritual beauty of man. A set of methods that contribute to the creation of a single, whole personality. The harmony of the three principles of man: physical, mental-emotional, or mental, and spiritual. Yoga aims at such harmony, which is achieved by various areas of yoga:

1. Kriya yoga - the moral and ethical aspect of yoga, which provides for internal and external purification, the rejection of bad and the development of good, the education of morality, conscience and ethics in a person. The discipline of morality.
2. Hatha yoga - ha - the sun (male principle), tha - moon (feminine principle), the dynamic unity of these principles, which is achieved through physical exercises (asana), breathing exercises(pranayama), hydroprocedures, cleansing agents, nutrition and dosed fasting. Body discipline.
3. Raja yoga - regal yoga. Discipline of the mind, psyche and consciousness.
4. Karma yoga - attainment of perfection through work and active actions, improvement of fate (karma) by conscientious fulfillment of one's mission, without demanding a reward.
5. Jani yoga - perfection through knowledge. A painstaking study of everything that contributes to the acquisition of wisdom and spiritual development.
6. Bhanti yoga - love and devotion to higher ideals.
7. Laya yoga - cosmic yoga. Using the rhythms and vibrations of the cosmos.
8. Mantra yoga - the use of sound vibrations obtained by pronouncing various (strictly defined) vowels, syllables and words.

The Rigveda (2.5 thousand years BC) understands yoga as a code of laws of the social, moral and ecological life of society. Patanjali at the turn of a new era formulated the eight-step path in yoga:

1. Refusal of bad and harmful (pit).
2. Acceptance of what is good and useful (niyama).
3. Finding an appropriate posture (asana).
4. Limitation of vital energy (pranayama).
5. Control over your feelings, elimination of dependence on feelings (pratyahara).
6. Concentration of attention (dharana).
7. Contemplation of the problem or meditation (dhyana).
8. Self-realization. The state of complete understanding of the essence of the problem, its resolution, merging with the Absolute, the state of trance (samadhi).

In health education, this means: give up the bad and harmful, accept the good and useful, learn to take an appropriate stable posture, carefully use vital energy, gain independence from your feelings, while you will be able to focus on the actual problem, delve into its essence and, through merging with the Absolute, develop a new adaptive form of behavior that solves the problem. The solution of the problem is accompanied by a state of samadhi, or nirvana, the characteristics of which are pleasant sensations with a touch of calmness and peace, a sense of unity with the environment, indescribable sensations, a change in space-time relationships, paradoxicality (acceptance of things that seem unusual to ordinary consciousness), a heightened perception of reality and the meaning of what is happening.

Oriental health systems are built on the basis of Taoism. Chudizi in the III century. BC. defined Tao in this way: "... I meet him and do not lower his face, I follow him - I do not see his back. Here is a thing that arose in chaos, born before Heaven and Earth. It acts everywhere and has no barriers. I do not know its name. Denoting it with a hieroglyph, I will call it Tao, arbitrarily giving it a name. a. agni yoga, warrior.

Wu-shu is a martial art, corresponds to the way of a warrior. There are external and internal schools of wushu.

External schools - attacking force impact, the result of the muscular strength of the arms, legs and body. strike speed and swing length.

Internal schools - smooth, slow movements, effect through the art of relaxation and concentration. The art of controlling the "internal energy of the body" is developed with the help of psychophysical training and consists in creating a special psychophysical state in which a person activates and mobilizes the body's hidden capabilities.

The path of the warrior provides for three accelerators (a set of physical exercises, breathing exercises, taming the elements, or natural elements) and three stages of knowledge ("strength", "connection", "harmony" - each stage implies a rejection of the achievements of the previous stage).

Wu-shu - alloy gymnastic complexes and respiratory gymnastics, elements of acupressure, psychophysical training, fine arts, a philosophical system and certain views on life.

In particular, one of the Wu-shu patriarchs was Jiao Yual, who lived in the 9th century. bequeathed: constantly study, use martial arts only for self-defence, respect the mentor, do not offend the weak, do not rashly demonstrate technique, except when it is necessary to save the lower, do not use knowledge and technique to sort things out, do not drink wine and do not eat meat, teach only the worthy, do not allow excessive and perverted sex, beware of the spirit of competition.

The main goal of those who followed experimental Taoism was to achieve personal immortality. This is served by external and internal alchemy. External alchemy aims to produce the sacred cinnabar (philosopher's stone), or the elixir of immortality, which can promote immortality, power over people, cure disease, and transmute the elements.

Internal alchemy provides for the development of internal cinnabar - neidan. The workshop is the whole human body. It consists of three boilers (dan-tian), three heaters - storages of initial components and channels through which initial components and intermediate products move. Work in the workshop is provided by the owner's arbitrary actions, which come down to three stages: the transformation of the spirit into qi, the transformation of qi into vitality, the return of vitality to emptiness. According to our ideas. Spirit (Shen) is the information available for use by the body, Qi is the signals that control the body, vitality is a purposeful activity that depends on the available information and control signals.

The return of vitality to emptiness means the process of expanding the information flow with the outside world, i.e. with the Absolute, which increases the available information.

Nei Dan is the equivalent of solving an actual problem or working out what the body lacks! adaptive program. Therefore, up-to-date;

the problem is solved through a cyclical process of increasing the available information, and qigong means managing this process

It can be seen that traditional health systems combine general principle: the problems existing in a person, even unconscious, are resolved through strictly defined actions aimed at increasing the available information.

The theoretical premise of holism (translated from English as a whole, holistic) is the achievements of modern natural science, which indicate that living organisms are formally unrepresentable, and there are general rules allowing them to be effectively improved.

I will give the variant of holism used by us.

The defining property of living organisms is their constant self-reproduction - the movement from the past to the future in accordance with the information field or plan, which is created with the participation of the information fields of the surrounding world. To implement this plan, the body needs a certain set of functions. These functions are associated with bodily structures and skills that reflect the past. The loss of the ability to reproduce means a transition to the situation of "no tenant". A person does not die of disease, but becomes ill because "he must die." The situation "not a tenant" is preceded by characteristic experiences (a feeling of tension that is difficult to describe in words, painful experiences and a feeling of hopelessness), which are signs of stress and correspond to the "chronic fatigue syndrome".

Man has at least three spheres of thought:

1. Subconsciousness - autonomous control according to previously developed programs (vegetative mind, instincts, habits). It is connected with the past and serves the needs of conservation (components necessary for life and security), works "for itself".
2. Superconsciousness - development of new forms of behavior (intuition, cosmic mind). Connected with the future, serves the needs of growth (self-respect and respect for others, self-actualization), works "for others". At the level of superconsciousness, absolute knowledge is formed.
3. Consciousness - the formulation of the problem, the control of its solution, the connection between people and generations with the help of speech (reasoning and non-reasoning intellects). It is a control body, serves the social need for affection and friendship, the subconscious or superconscious, depending on the situation. At the level of consciousness, relative knowledge is formed.

Relative knowledge is not applicable to superconsciousness, therefore the processes taking place at its level are incomprehensible to consciousness. Hence the temptation to solve problems by forming arbitrary images of future well-being, which turn out to be a psychological drug. At the same time, a developed superconsciousness is a necessary condition for the human ability to create and maintain the information field of the future. Hence it is obvious that a person with a developed superconsciousness serves as a tool for energy-informational programming of health.

Thus, for the formation of health it is necessary:

1. Development of the ability to perceive internal processes and the external environment.
2. Transfer of the health program.
3. Education of the ability to create their own information field of health.
4. Providing conditions for the effective reproduction of the body in accordance with the new plan.
5. Prevention of the formation of the situation "not a tenant" by controlling stress and eliminating it.

The main obstacles on the way to health: loss of ability to perceive reality, information fields of diseases and traces of past shocks.

Health programming is built as follows: First stage- intuitive diagnosis of actual problems with a minimum of preliminary information about the subject. Its results are discussed with the latter, while the presence of the above obstacles is clarified, the meaning of health programming is explained, and individual program health education.

The perception of the field of health completely eliminates suffering, there are feelings of calmness, lightness, a surge of energy and peace of mind, which corresponds to the state of samadhi, or nirvana.

Therapeutic education and psychophysical training are the main means of educating the ability to create one's own health information field. For the effective reproduction of the body, it is necessary: a rational daily regimen, proper nutrition and exercise. Traditional health systems naturally fit into the practice of health education.

Folk sage Porfiry Ivanov called his teaching on the natural healing of a person - "Baby". This teaching is based on 12 recommendations - the rules of health education. These recommendations are in good agreement with traditional health systems and holism and do not bring anything new. At the same time, the terms and concepts used, individual representations are simplified and naive, at odds with traditional and scientific ones. Many followers of P. Ivanov deify him and sin with fanaticism, which is in dissonance with the progressive development of human culture.

It should be emphasized that in all health systems an important place is given to the role of a health educator, which can be a highly developed personality who has gone his own way to health.

This brief overview of modern and traditional health systems indicates the need special education in programming and health education. The problem of health is medical and pedagogical, education in this area should be built on the basis of integration. In our opinion, health educators in Russia can be trained on the basis of existing institutes of physical culture.

Bibliography

For the preparation of this work, materials from the site http://lib.sportedu.ru/