Yoga & Modern Medicine: Possible Meeting Points (original) (raw)
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The subject of yoga is of major importance in Swami Vivekananda’s teaching, in terms of its presence throughout his whole work, in terms of the originality of his presentation of the subject, and, finally, in terms of the amount of time and energy he devoted to it. Its tremendous and special importance to the West hinges on the fact that, despite the development in the West over the past 400 years or so of a rather fine perennial and mystical philosophy, we have failed to develop methods to make it living, dynamic and powerful enough to be the backbone of our culture. How to do that, I believe, is the question of the hour; and to my mind, much of the burgeoning New Age movement is motivated by the search for ways and means to actually experience what Spirit or higher states of consciousness really is. No doubt the search of the New Agers is muddled and confused and at times downright ludicrous and indecent; but behind it there is a tremendous earnestness that deserves to be treated with respect and a genuine effort to provide workable solutions to the spiritual problems of contemporary society.
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In this paper, we discuss similarities between the psychosomatics in yoga, and contemporary medicine and psychology. Psychosomatics of yoga offers practices which can serve either as prevention of certain disorders, or as therapy for certain diseases. While psychosomatics in medicine mostly serves as an explanation for certain diseases, and as orientation in choosing the best therapy, psychosomatics in yoga mostly serves prevention. Prevention is also important for medicine, but it is kept aside in it, i.e. in most case medicine is called upon when you have an obvious disorder, although prevention is more emphasized in modern times. In this paper we point to the influence of yoga on development of transpersonal psychology, as a particular orientation within the personality theories, and psychotherapies. In particular it was influential in articulation of certain concepts, like "peak experience" and its meaning in life.
(A New theory on “YOGA”) LONG LIVE!...
This scientific research article focus that the Philosophy of “YOGA” shall be considered as closely associated with the prehistoric “HERBAL INDO TRIO DRUG” which enabled human life sustained for thousands of years without any “Disease”. The “YOGA” shall also be called as “IMMUNE” or “DIVINE DRUG”. In proto Indo-Europe language the divine drug (Trinity) shall also be called as “YOKAM” or “THAMIL MARUNTHU”. It is further focused that the philosophy of Ancient medicine shall be considered prepared based on three-inone domain formula of immunity for up keeping of Total Health system.
The history of modern yoga is rooted in the history of alchemy and the practice of magic in medieval India. 1 In physiological terms it is also intimately linked to tantric ideas concerning the immobilisation of semen. However, modern yoga as a form of practice which emphasises physical fitness, wellness and holistic health, emerged more directly out of the early twentieth-century yoga renaissance. Leading figures such as Shri Yogendra and Swami Kuvalyananda sought to purge yoga practices such as asana, kriya and pranayama of all things esoteric, mystical and magical and establish practice on the basis of pragmatic, rational, scientific principles. They did this within a framework of what can be called secularised spiritualism. Since the early part of the last century yoga has been popularised, systematised and routinised on these terms, as reflected in countless schools founded by teachers with various degrees of training and experience, as well as in thousands of popular, scientific and academic publications. In all of these schools and publications-both more and less spiritual and philosophical-there is, it will be argued, a degree of profound ambivalence if not explicit contradiction between a secularised, 'sanitised' scientific ideal of medicalised practice, and the 'other history' of sex, magic, and alchemy. This 'other history' both undermines and authorises the idea of yoga as medicine, and, it will be argued, the tension between pragmatic rationalism and esoteric magic makes yoga powerful.
Understanding the Science of Yoga
In this paper we discuss methodology of yoga, together with significant aspects of integration of yoga and modern medicine. We suggest two way integration of experimentally oriented modern science and experientially modeled learning of yoga, that can bring us many answers for the challenges which burden modern individual. We emphasize importance of connecting the yoga knowledge and practice with the modern medical approaches to health, with the aim to improve the quality of life. Yoga is comprehensive, holistic science about human being, which at the same time deals with all aspects of philosophy, psychology and functionality of the conscious evolution. This corpus of knowledge given through the intensive, systemathic, introvert research of the functioning of human mind, is passed from Master to student for centuries.
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YOGA: NOSTRUM TO DISEASES AND DISORDERS
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We hear the word ‘Yoga’ from everyone, but unfortunately most of us does not really know what yoga is. It is true that a sharp mind dwells in a healthy body but it is also true that a healthy body results only from the healthy mind. Here comes yoga at the centre because it makes the body and the mind go hand-in-hand in positive and creative direction. Yoga essentially means union and practicing yoga results in psychophysical poise. It aims at enriching the health and consciousness of people engaged in the complicated stress-based activities of present day living. We hear the word ‘Yoga’ from everyone, but unfortunately most of us do not really know what yoga is. Merely performing yogic exercise does not constitute ‘yoga’. It is only one side of yoga, which is related to physical concept.
From liberation to self-realisation: the evolution of the subtle body in modern meditational yoga
In marked contrast with medieval Tantra and Haṭhayoga, notions of the subtle body in modern yoga are almost completely subordinated to physical postural practices (āsanas), or meditation practices, which are framed as ‘system[s] of health, fitness, and well-being’ (Singleton 2010, 29-33). Where the subtle body is encountered in modern yoga texts and classes, it is generally conflated with the three principle internal channels (nāḍīs) and conceptions of vital breath (prāṇa) and subtle force in the base of the spine (kuṇḍalinī), now associated with healing, and self-realisation. Given the almost total absence of āsanas in medieval Tantric and Haṭhayoga texts, it is curious indeed that modern yoga has come to focus on the physical bodily practice and meditation almost exclusively. This essay examines some of the major influential figures who contributed to the understanding of the subtle body in modern Meditational schools of yoga.
Is our body the temple of the soul? Contemporary yoga practice as a psycho-sociological phenomenon
2012
Page 1. 1 Krzysztof T. Konecki Lodz University Is our body the temple of the soul? Contemporary yoga practice as a psycho-sociological phenomenon (Konecki Krzysztof T. (2012) Czy ciało jest świątynią duszy? Współczesna praktyka jogi jako fenomen psychospołeczny, Warszawa: Difin) Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1. Hatha-yoga philosophy and practice. Para-religious aspects of hatha-yoga 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Yoga – a scholar of religion's and practitioner's perspective 1.3.