The essence of Yoga

The infinite is Brahman. From it, from this Self, space came to be; from space, the wind; from the wind, fire; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, the plants; from plants, food; and from food, the body of man. This body of man, composed of the essence of food, is the physical sheath of the Self.

-Taittiriya Upanishad 2.1

In many people's minds, especially in the west, Yoga is about the body and some breathing exercises. There are many types of Yoga, Bhakti Yoga ( about love and devotion), Jnana Yoga ( philosophical knowledge), Karma Yoga ( action) and Raja Yoga ( awareness). But the primary focus of Yoga is the modification of self-awareness and the relationship with the world. Sage Patanjali's compilation of "The Yoga Sutras", written over a thousand years ago, has a step-by-step method and process to attain the "self". Also called the "Ashtanga Yoga" or eight-step ladder is a systematic eight-phase approach to mastery over all aspects of our actioning.?

Mastery of each step leads to work on a more subtle aspect of our being, beginning with habits and behaviour, then proceeding to work on the body and breath, and then mental functioning.

The physical positions or postures are essential, though, as one of the early phases of yoga training. By learning to discipline the body, a student becomes physically stable, healthy, and relaxed so that the main aspects of Yoga, which involve mental work and introspection, can be pursued. But this is more than mere physical preparation, for the discipline involved in training, the body serves as a model for later work on other levels of functioning.

Although the body is worked with intensively, the actual goal is to become less bound up in the body and to gain some distance from it and perspective on its functioning. Working correctly with the body cultivates objectivity and detachment, which permits the neutral observation of the body as it assumes each position and gradually leads to increased control.

The Posture:

Our body language always speaks louder than us. The posture the person takes is a reflection of his Mind. The mental state takes a physical form. Posture is a perspective from which we take on the physical and psychological world. For example, those mentally inclined back from the world will naturally take a position like that in the body. When fear grips someone, the body becomes naturally stiff. Muscles may be tensed, the stomach may be pulled in and become rigid. When the body is tense like this, movements lose their natural flow.?

The body and Mind:

Each person has characteristic ways of responding to mental tension by tensing particular body parts. Not only does a posture reflect how we're feeling inside, but the posture and feeling become so affiliated that one spontaneously leads to the other. For this reason, holding the body in a certain way can provoke or accentuate the feelings or thoughts that are associated with it. Therefore, a body posture which has become habitual, beginning as a reaction to a certain mental state, may actually come to sustain and immortalise that state. For example, the person who has developed the habit of raising his shoulders when he feels defensive and overwhelmed by the stresses around him may eventually adopt this as a part of his customary posture. On a day when he would have the opportunity to feel relatively relaxed, the constant tension in his shoulders will increasingly create a feeling of fear and defensiveness. In this way, posture and body habits come not only to reflect character but actually to sustain it, which may hinder growth and evolution.?

Therefore, working with the body and posture to promote personal growth is a natural and inevitable development in psychotherapy.