NAME: ARNAV GARG

SECTION: CSE-F

REG. NO.: RA2211003030042

SUBJECT: PHYSICAL AND

MENTAL HEALTH USING YOGA

SUBJECT CODE: 21GNM101L

 Index

1. Introduction……………………………………………….1

2. History Of Yoga…………………………………………..2

3. 8 limbs of Yoga…………………………………………...3

4. Aasnas…………………………………………………….7

5. Conclusions……………………………………………….10
 Introduction
Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle
science, which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is
an art and scince of healthy living. The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the
Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. As per
Yogic scriptures the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual
consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness, indicating a
perfect harmony between the mind and body, Man & Nature

Benefits Of Yoga:
Yogic exercises recharge the body with cosmic energy and
facilitate:

 Attainment of perfect equilibrium and harmony

 Promotes self-healing
 Removes negative blocks from the mind and toxins from the
body
 Enhances personal power
 Increases self-awareness
 Helps in attention, focus and concentration, especially
important for children
 Reduces stress and tension in the physical body by activating
the parasympathetic nervous system

History of yoga
Yoga’s history has many places of obscurity and uncertainty due to
its oral transmission of sacred texts and the secretive nature of its
teachings. The early writings on yoga were transcribed on fragile
palm leaves that were easily damaged, destroyed or lost. The
development of yoga can be traced back to over 5,000 years ago,
but some researchers think that yoga may be up to 10,000 years
old old. Yoga’s long rich history can be divided into four main
periods of innovation, practice and development.

There is a mention of Yoga in many ancient scriptures including the

vedas,writings of many ancient travellers,many poets and authors
of all times.

The earliest recorded mention of the word ‘yoga’ is in the ancient

Indian text, the Rig Veda - this body of knowledge dates back to
around 1500 BC! In the Atharva Veda, again (dating to 1200-1000
BC), there is a mention of the importance of the   control of breath.
It is difficult to pinpoint exact dates because in the beginning,
the Vedas were, only, orally passed on from one generation to
another. Written records came much later

However, even before this, in the Indus-Saraswati civilization

(dating to 2700 BC),   several seals and fossils have been found,
with figures performing Yoga Sadhana. This suggests
that yoga was known and practiced even in those early stages of
civilization
 8 limbs of yoga

According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, there is an eight-fold path

leading to liberation, known as the ‘Ashtanga Yoga System’ or
‘Eight Limbs of Yoga’ (the word ‘ashta’ means ‘eight’ and ‘anga’
means ‘limb’). These are 8 pillars upon which Yoga stands.

The ultimate goal of any yoga practice is to attain moksha, meaning

liberation or freedom.

The 8 Limbs of Yoga include:-

1. YAMA – Restraints, moral disciplines or moral vows
2. NIYAMA – Positive duties or observances
3. ASANA – Posture
4. PRANAYAMA – Breathing Techniques
5. PRATYAHARA – Sense withdrawal
6. DHARANA – Focused Concentration
7. DHYANA – Meditative Absorption
8. SAMADHI – Bliss or Enlightenment

1. YAMA – Restraints, moral disciplines or moral vows

This first limb, Yama, refers to vows, disciplines or practices that
are primarily concerned with the world around us, and our
interaction with it. While the practice of yoga can indeed increase
physical strength and flexibility and aid in calming the mind, what’s
the point if we’re still rigid, weak and stressed-out in day-to-day life?
There are five Yamas:

 Ahimsa (non-violence),
 Satya (truthfulness),
 Asteya (non-stealing),
 Brahmacharya (right use of energy)
 Aparigraha (non-greed or non-hoarding).

2. NIYAMA – Positive duties or observances

The second limb, Niyama, usually refers to duties directed towards
ourselves, but can also be considered with our actions towards the
outside world. The prefix ‘ni’ is a Sanskrit verb which means
‘inward’ or ‘within’.
There are five Niyamas:

 saucha (cleanliness),
 santosha (contentment),
 tapas (discipline or burning desire or conversely, burning of
desire),
 svadhyaya (self-study or self-reflection, and study of spiritual
texts),
 isvarapranidaha (surrender to a higher power).

3. ASANA – Posture
The physical aspect of yoga is the third step on the path to freedom,
and if we’re being honest, the word asana here doesn’t refer to the
ability to perform a handstand or an aesthetically impressive
backbend, it means ‘seat’ – specifically the seat you would take for
the practice of meditation. The only alignment instruction Patanjali
gives for this asana is “sthira sukham asanam”, the posture should
be steady and comfortable.

4. PRANAYAMA – Breathing Techniques

The word Prana refers to ‘energy’ or ‘life source’. It can be used to
describe the very essence that keeps us alive, as well as the
energy in the universe around us. Prana also often describes the
breath, and by working with the way we breathe, we affect the mind
in a very real way.

Pranayama can be understood as either ‘prana-yama’ which would

mean ‘breath – control’ or ‘breath restraint’, or it could be
understood as ‘prana-ayama’ which would translate as ‘freedom of
breath’, ‘breath expansion’ or ‘breath liberation’.
5. PRATYAHARA – Sense withdrawal
Pratya means to ‘withdraw’, ‘draw in’ or ‘draw back’, and the second
part ahara refers to anything we ‘take in’ by ourselves, such as the
various sights, sounds andsmells our senses take in continuously.
When sitting for a formal meditation practice, this is likely to be the
first thing we do when we think we’re meditating; we focus on
‘drawing in’. The practice of drawing inward may include focussing
on the way we’re breathing, so this limb would relate directly to the
practice of pranayama too.

6. DHARANA – Focused Concentration

Dharana means ‘focused concentration’. Dha means ‘holding or
maintaining’, and Ana means ‘other’ or ‘something else’. Closely
linked to the previous two limbs; dharana and pratyahara are
essential parts of the same aspect. In order to focus on something,
the senses must withdraw so that all attention is put on that point of
concentration, and in order to draw our senses in, we must focus
and concentrate intently. Tratak (candle gazing), visualisation, and
focusing on the breath are all practices of dharana, and it’s this
stage many of us get to when we think we’re ‘meditating’.

7. DHYANA – Meditative Absorption

The seventh limb is ‘meditative absorption’ – when we become
completely absorbed in the focus of our meditation, and this is when
we’re really meditating.

Dhyana may also originate from the Sanskrit word dhyai, which

means "to think of." The ancient Hindu scripture Bhagavad
Gita lists dhyana yoga as one of the four yoga disciplines along
with bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, and karma yoga

8. SAMADHI – Bliss or Enlightenment

Many of us know the word samadhi as meaning ‘bliss’ or

‘enlightenment’, and this is the final step of the journey of Patanjali’s
Yoga Sutras. After we’ve re-organised our relationships with the
outside world and our own inner world, we come to the finale of
bliss.
When we look at the word samadhi though, we find out that
‘enlightenment’ or ‘realisation’ does not refer to floating away on a
cloud in a state of happiness and ecstasy…. Sorry.
Breaking the word in half, we see that this final stage is made up of
two words; ‘sama’ meaning ‘same’ or ‘equal’, and ‘dhi’ meaning ‘to
see’. There’s a reason it’s called realisation – and it’s because
reaching Samadhi is not about escapism, floating away or being
abundantly joyful; it’s about realising the very life that lies in front of
us.

Aasnas

Asanas are known as postures such as chakrasana or wheel

posture, dhanurasana as bow posture and asanas belong to three
basic postures of humans i.e. Standing, sitting and lying down but
asana differs from posture in many aspects. Asanas are not
postures.
Aims and objective of asana outcome of asana
 Equilibrium.
 Balance.
 Mastery over body organs.
 Perfect health.
 Harmony.
 Prepare for meditation.
 Mastery over the mind
 Corrective Postures for Helping with various lifestyle issues

SOME AASNAS OF YOGA:-

Sukhasana Or Easy Pose

This is an amazing one for beginners as it gives one the desired comfort. The asana is
beyond the horizons of the physical dimension and gives a spiritual
bliss. Sukhasana is best to reduce anxiety and stress and mental tiredness. It
corrects the body posture and stretches the chest and spine.

Naukasana Or Boat Pose

This is one of the easy asanas. This asana stretches the abdominal muscles and it

improves digestion and reduces belly fat. It is good to improve the efficiency of
abdominal muscles.
Dhanurasana Or Bow Pose

It stretches the entire body. It helps in weight loss and boosts digestion and blood
circulation. It is effective in making the back flexible.

Bhujangasana Or Cobra Stretch

It is known as the corrector of the curvature and makes the spine flexible. The curve
structure of the asana massages the deep back muscles, spine and nerves. It can be a
great asana for people dealing with arthritis of the lower back and lower back
pains. It relieves menstrual problems by stretching the uterus and ovaries.
It releases stress through invigorating adrenal glands and kidneys.

Halasana Or Plough Pose

The halasana opens up the spinal disc and aims to keep the spinal system youthful as
it stretches the spinal muscles. The stretch releases the tension from the
shoulders, arms and spine. It is one of the best asanas to tackle obesity. By
revitalising the internal organs, it can cure indigestion and constipation and neck
arthritis stiffness.

Gomukhasana or Cow Face Pose

It is one of the basic asanas that opens up the hips. As the asana stretches the

hips, arms, thighs and back, it helps in muscle relaxation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, yoga is an incredibly important practice that offers a

myriad of benefits for both the mind and body. Through consistent
practice, individuals can improve their physical fitness, reduce
stress and anxiety, increase mindfulness and self-awareness, and
even improve their sleep. Additionally, yoga is accessible to people
of all ages and fitness levels, making it an inclusive activity that can
be practiced by anyone. With the increasing popularity of yoga
around the world, it is clear that more and more people are
recognizing the importance of incorporating this ancient practice
into their daily lives. By taking the time to practice yoga regularly,
individuals can experience the many benefits that this powerful
practice has to offer.