Podcast details
Yoga is more than asana and pranayama
Yoga is not merely physical postures and breath control, but the fundamental energy that sustains and balances all creation. The ancient seers established a system for maintaining equilibrium among body, mind, and soul, aligned with the world's design. This planet is self-sustainable, operating on a principle where life consumes life, a necessary though cruel function. Hunger drives action, preventing stagnation. Humans alone possess the mental capacity for liberation or bondage through the cycle of rebirth. Different beings require different nourishment: deities thrive on fragrance, while darker forces crave the smells of decay. Yoga is this sustaining force, manifesting as movement and life. Postures are derived from studying animals, each with a specific psychological and energetic purpose. For example, the cobra pose influences the svādhiṣṭhāna cakra to release anger and foster confidence, demonstrating that āsanas are holistic practices for body, mind, and intellect.
"God Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, 'Arjuna, from time to time I manifest myself through my yoga māyā, through yoga śakti.'"
"Āsanas and yoga are not sport, not gymnastics, but holistic, because they influence the body, mind, and intellect."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.
The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:
- Yoga in Daily Life - The System
Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Ibera Verlag, Vienna, 2000. ISBN 978-3-85052-000-3 - The Hidden Power in Humans - Chakras and Kundalini
Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Ibera Verlag, Vienna, 2004. ISBN 978-3-85052-197-0 - Lila Amrit - The Divine Life of Sri Mahaprabhuji
Paramhans Swami Madhavananda. Int. Sri Deep Madhavananda Ashram Fellowship, Vienna, 1998. ISBN 3-85052-104-4
