raquel - 2007-07-25 5:33 AM

Neel, thanks for the insight I understand yoga is for purification of the soul, but do we not have to work from the concreteaspect of posture to the more subtler aspects ?
===> Not purification of Soul, but the purification of mind. Soul is already pure, it is the mind which is hiding its perception.

===> Yes, we have to work from the grosser to subtle. But, not the grosser aspect of posture to subtle of mind. But, grosser of mind, to grosser of mind. Grosser aspect of posture never ends as you shall find in the case of world famous yogis. So, while grosser aspect of posture can be used for good health and also to some extent for meditation, grosser aspect of meditation should start right away. I elaborated this concept in Yoga Meditation Theory and Practice workshop (now on DVD).


I believe that people who practice Hatha yoga (asana) but do not practice the other limbs are not truely practicing yoga,
===> Fantasitc. Except: Hathayoga is NOT asana. And, Hathayoga asana is not a limb of Ashtanga Yoga. In Ashtanga Yoga, the asana simply refers to posture for meditation or breathing.

And on the other hand many who meditate believe they are practicing raja yoga. But in the simple manner of the way they hold the body while meditating they maybe often overlook the principle of asana (which is a limb) which is basic to the practice of meditation in Raja yoga
===> No, Yogasanas is NOT a limb of Rajayoga. See above. Yogasana is a part of Hathayoga.

In the first case practising postures without the inner techniques will give nothing other than physical benefit,
===> Yes, fantastic.

in the second case, observing the mind without stabilising the body and regulating the breath will calm the mind but will not focus consciousness enough to reach subtlies of meditation. Because if the body loses its stability the mind will wander and breath become erratic. To sit for hours in meditation rquires a strong healthy body.
===> Strong Healthy Body shall help the meditation. But, it is not must. Without strong and healthy body, one can advance in meditation with practice. But, the former method id advisable as it is efficient.



I always thought that hatha yoga was a sort of training ground for raja - the final flight on the stairway of ashtanga
===> Yes, that is correct. But, Hathayoga does not only mean asanas here.


Your question made me laugh though because a picture of Buddha (the fat one) immediately came into my mind. Even Iyengar doesnt have a six pack !!! And yes you are right I have met lots of adonis type teachers who have massive egos and lots of meditation teachers who are truely enlightened but look "normal"
===> I bow down to the fat buddha. Fat Buddha is an important Bodhisattva in the Buddhist Philosophy, which means a person who is about to liberate but has held that off to help others out.


Namaste