Pysical Education Chapter - 3 Yoga
Pysical Education Chapter - 3 Yoga
Pysical Education Chapter - 3 Yoga
Physical Education(048)
CHAPTER -3
YOGA
NOTES :
Q 1. What is the Meaning of Yoga?
Ans: Yoga refers to the spiritual discipline that includes meditation, exercises, physical postures,
breathing techniques. It is done to improve physical health, mental health, relaxation, and overall
well-being of the individual.
Yoga is a Sanskrit word, which means ‘connection’ or ‘union’. It can be used to mean any
type of connection. For example, it could be a connection with self, with other people, or with the
divine. There is another meaning to the word yoga, however. This is ‘to discipline’ or ‘to control’.
The practice of yoga is, indeed, very much about disciplining the body and mind. Those who practice
yoga regularly find that they are in greater control of their thoughts and emotions. Yoga paves way
for a healthier life and is considered an easy way to stay fit, than other forms of exercises. You can
easily practice it at home, it needs no tutor and no machines as well. Yoga includes:
1. Meditation: Yoga encompasses meditation as well. Concentrating and counting your breath helps
you meditate simultaneously while humming “Om” under your breath.
2. Physical postures: Various physical postures are there for every part of our internal and external
body parts that should be practiced according to the needs of a person.
3. Breathing techniques: To regulate and control breathing is one of the primary techniques that
should be practiced while doing yoga.
4. Body control: The yoga postures demands that you have control in your body. Each posture
requires you to stay in that position for a certain amount of time. this way you enhance your body
balance and control as well.
5. Mind control: The breathing techniques and meditation helps you gain complete control over
your mind and improve your concentration and productivity, along with giving you mental peace.
So, in sum, the word yoga means a discipline which is also a union. Yoga helps us to discipline
ourselves, and as a result of this discipline we feel a stronger union with the divine – and that
includes the divine in ourselves and in those who also follow this discipline.
Within the Western world, Yoga mostly denotes “Hatha Yoga” which refers to the physical practice
of postures termed as asanas.
Q 2. What are the Benefits of Practicing Yoga?
Ans: yoga has benefits for your mind, body and soul. The main benefits are listed below.
a) Inner Peace: A sense of inner peace and harmony pervades your life when you practice
yoga. Even simply concentrating on your breathing will bring you a moment of calm.
b) Various health benefits: Our circulatory system gets a brilliant boost from yoga. It
improves body strength and balance. It ensures better health in terms of lungs, heart,
muscles as well as digestive organs. It also gives you better sleep.
c) Improves concentration: It improves control over mind. Your powers of concentration
increase considerably.
d) Mindfulness: It enhances mindfulness and generates happy emotions and increased self-
esteem.
e) Flexibility: Your body becomes more flexible and less stiff.
f) De-stressing: Nothing de-stresses us like a delightful session of yoga.
g) Respect: Yoga teaches us to respect others. Yoga sessions often end with a salute to the
divine light in others, and a recognition that we ourselves possess a divine light too.
h) Well-being: Yoga can fill us with joy. It improves physical, mental, emotional and spiritual
well-being.
i) Perspective: Practicing yoga gives us perspective on the world.
j) Easy: Yoga can be done by one and all. It is easy to practice and learn.
Conclusion: The world now also celebrates an ‘International yoga day’ every year to
promote its awareness. It makes sense to work some yoga into your daily routine.
1.Yama includes
Ahimsa – to not eat meat,
Satya – to always speak the truth,
Asteya – To not steal,
Aparigraha – Not to covet,
Brahmacharya– always practice celibacy.
2. Niyama is the principle that fosters Yama and also elevates the yogi to the higher
platform of yoga. These are the activities a yogi must practice daily.
They include:
Saucha – To practice cleanliness.
Santosa – To be satisfied with what one has.
Svadhyaya – Studying the self.
Isvara Pranidhana – Surrender unto the supreme.
With these principles in place, the yogi moves to the next step of yoga i.e., asana or physical
postures. Physical postures purify, balance, and strengthen the body and eliminate the bodily
susceptibility to diseases. The body becomes balanced and is now fit for balancing the air. The
flow of breath (air) is responsible for the slow of thought.
3. Pranayama
In the Hatha yoga pradipika, it says that “As long as breath moves, thought flows.” We can
notice that when we are angry, our thought flow is swift, and when we are relaxed, our flow
of thought is slow. This means that our thoughts and breath are related. The flow of breath
is made possible in the body by a network of nerves called nadis. These nadis also hold our
thoughts and impressions. By purifying the breath through pranayama, a yogi eliminates the
troublesome thoughts and prepares the mind for more profound meditation.
4. Pratyahara
When the practice of pranayama matures, then a yogi practices pratyahara, Pratyahara
means food. We eat food not just with the mouth, but every other input to the senses is
called Pratyahara. If we watch a scary movie, fear can affect our emotions and digestion.
The flow of breath governs the input from the senses to the mind. If we can control breath,
we can gradually cultivate control over our eating, sleeping, and other activities. When we
regulate all our activities, then this state is called pratyahara. In this Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna
explains that
yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā
He who is regulated in his eating, sleeping, recreation, and work habits can mitigate all
material pains by practicing the yoga system.
5. Dharana
After Pratyahara, the yogi begins the process of more profound meditation. This is called
Dharana. There are three things required for success in any endeavor.
1. Concentration of mind
2. Persistent effort
3. Grace of God.
Dharana is the process of deep meditation. When a yogi can concentrate his mind on one
object for two hours, it is called Dharana. This meditation is unbroken and is without
disturbance.
6. Dhyana
When the ability to concentrate extends to 12 hours, then it is called Dhyana or intense
meditation. Firstly, the yogi has to gain the ability to sit for 12 hours and then be unbroken
in his meditation.
7. Samadhi
In the Samadhi stage, the yogi’s spiritual nature is fully awakened, and he is in a state of
complete bliss. There are stages of samadhi, however, which will be explained in the later
articles. This stage is continuous, and once attained, one never suffers pains in this world,
nor is he ever born again. Patanjali Muni explains that the highest stage of spiritual
perfection is to “Surrender unto the supreme.” By surrendering unto the supreme
perfection and eternal bliss is attained. Prapatti yoga, or loving relationship with the
Supreme Lord Narayana, begins when samadhi is perfected.
Q 4. What is Shatkarma?
Ans: The word shatkarma in Sanskrit stands for six actions. This is also known as the Shatkriyas and is
a part of hatha yoga. This prepares the body for moksha. This is also considered as the stage of
preliminary cleaning of the body. Practicing this form of yoga will give one a huge range of diseases
free life. This clears the body from many types of impurities which can be really harmful to the body.
Also practicing this form of yoga helps one stay fit and healthy. There are thus the six yogic
purification techniques (kriyas) according to the “Hatha Yoga Pradipika”. This helps in removing any
sort of object which blocks the prana to flow inside the body. The practice of shatkarma will make
one absolutely ready for pranayama and meditation as it cleanses the body internally which helps
the body to achieve what it wants. The shatkarma should thus be learned and should be definitely
practiced under someone who is highly experienced.
Q 5. Meaning of Pranayama.
Ans: The word pranayama comprises two words – prana plus ayama. Prana means “vital energy” or
“life force” and ‘Ayama’ means “control”. In this way, pranayama means “the control or regulation
of prana.
There are three parts pranayama.
1. Puraka: puraka means inhalation.
2. Rechaka: rechaka means exhalation.
3. Kumbhaka: kumbhaka means retaining the breath. There are two types of kumbhaka.
a) Internal kumbhaka – to retain the breath after complete inhalation is called internal
kumbhaka.
b) External kumbhaka – to retain the breath after complete exhalation is called external
kumbhaka.
Types of Pranayama:
1. Suryabhedi Pranayama
2. Ujjayi Pranayama
3. Sheetkari Pranayama
4. Sheetli Pranayama
5. Bhastrika Pranayama
6. Bhramari Pranayama
7. Plavini Pranayama
8. Morchha Pranayama
Case study :
Q 1. In many cultures, yoga is now a way of life. There are eight elements to modern yoga
and each is focused on a particular facet of modern-day life. While an average person can
perform basic actions in yoga regularly to help achieve better health, experts can do
hundreds of different postures. Modern lifestyle diseases can be alleviated with regular
practice of yoga and there is worldwide understanding of and enthusiasm for yoga. The
world now celebrates International Day of Yoga and a lot of focus is on the practice of
yoga at all levels in educational institutions as well.
(a) What are the eight elements of modern yoga?
(b) When is the international yoga day celebrated and why?
(c) Beginning 19th century, write briefly about the advent of modern yoga.
Ans. (a) The modern yoga as defined by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras focuses on eight aspects
of the practice. These separate branches have separately defined functions. While the
branch called Yama focuses on the moral vows and disciplines, Niyama is based on the
positive duties and observances. The third branch of yoga called Asana focuses on postures
while Pranayam focuses on breathing techniques. Pratyahara, the fifth branch, focuses on
withdrawal of the senses while Dharana focuses on concentration. The seventh branch of
yoga is Dhayana, which focuses on meditation while the eighth is Samadhi, which is the
state of bliss or enlightenment.
(b) International Day of Yoga is being celebrated the world over on 21 June every year since
2015. This was initiated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014 and 21 June was
chosen as the date on the suggestion of Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in his
UN address as this is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
(c) In the early 1900s, Indian yoga masters started travelling the whole world educating
people about the importance and impact of yoga. Swami Vivekananda brought this to the
fore by his lectures at the world religions meet in the US. In the 1930s, Hatha Yoga caught
the imagination of a lot of westerners and now most countries around the world have
schools for yoga from the basic to advanced levels teaching all aspects of yoga.
Q 2. Yoga practices involve assuming and maintaining various postures and positions. This
is the third limb of yoga called Asanas. While it is believed that over 84 lakh asanas exist,
most people learn and practise about 70-75 asanas. Asanas are classified on the basis of
their specific application or their positions. Most asanas serve to revitalise many body
parts together and benefit many organ systems at the same time. Of course specific
asanas to alleviate specific health conditions exist as well and today modern yoga helps in
almost all lifestyle diseases.
(a) Based on their application, how are asanas classified?
(b) Classify asanas based on their positions? (c) Write a brief note on the performance of
asanas.
Ans. (a) Based on their application and end-use, asanas are classified into three types. These
are meditative asanas, asanas for better health and asanas for relaxation. Meditative asanas
are practised to help stabilize the body for meditative practices and pranayam. These
include poses such as Padmasana, the lotus pose and Siddhasana, the perfect pose. Also
included in this type are Vajrasana, Swastikasana and Samanasana. To help improve general
health, the common asanas used are Matsyendrasana or the spinal twist pose for better
digestion and Sarvangasana or shoulder stand pose which benefits the thyroid and other
endocrine organs. Asanas used for relaxation include Makrasana or the crocodile pose and
Shavasana or the corpse pose. These relax both the body and the mind.
(b) Position-based classification means the posture adopted to practise the various yoga
asanas. These can be supine or prone, sitting or standing postures. Supine posture asanas
are performed while lying down on the back and are exemplified by Halasana or plough
pose, Chakrasana or wheel pose and Sarvangasana or shoulder stand pose. Prone postures
where one lies on the stomach include Bhujangasana or the cobra pose, Dhanurasana or the
bow pose and Naukasana or the boat pose. Sitting postures include Padmasana or the lotus
pose, Vajrasana or the thunderbolt pose and Paschimottasana or the forward bend pose.
Standing postures are exemplified by Vrikshasana or tree pose and Veer asana or the
warrior pose.
(c) Asanas are the postures practised in yoga. Derived from Sanskrit, the word asana
translates as posture. Asanas help develop the habit of discipline and concentration. The
postures are designed to rejuvenate the various organ systems as well as the mind. The
three steps in asanas are to assume an appropriate position, maintain that position and
relax from that position. The position has to be comfortable and held steady. All movements
are gradual and slow and sudden speedy movements are to be avoided. Thus, asanas need
to have a balance between steadiness and ease.
Q 3. Pranayama is the practice of controlling the breath. This is an essential part of any
yogic practice. While it is one of the eight limbs of modern yoga, it is considered among
the most important aspects of yoga. Recommended to be done early morning, it has three
distinct phases. While most people know about and do two or three types of Pranayama,
there are, in fact, fourteen distinct types of Pranayama. It offers multiple benefits and has
to be learned to get the most out of yoga practice.
(a) What are the three steps in performing Pranayama?
(b) What are the common types of Pranayama practised by most people?
(c) List the benefits the regular practice of Pranayama offers.
Ans. (a) There are three distinct steps in performing Pranayama. These are Inhalation called
puraka, Exhalation called rechaka and Retention known as kumbhaka. Retention or
kumbhaka further has two types called antara kumbhaka, which is retention between
inhalation and exhalation, and bhaya kumbhaka, which is retention between exhalation and
inhalation.
(b) Yoga describes fourteen distinct types of pranayam. These range from the very basic
natural breathing to abdominal or thoracic breathing, but the common types practised are
vilom, anulom vilom, and fast breathing. While vilom is the practice of interrupted
breathing, anulom vilom involves alternate nostril breathing. One can also use only the right
nostril called surya bhedan while the cooling breath is called sheetali, sitkari and kaki mudra.
(c) Regular practice of correctly done Pranayama is one of the best ways for the body to
recover, repair and function better. Improved concentration is a direct result. The calming of
mind also occurs. Pranayama also helps in preventing stress-related and psychosomatic
disorders such as high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes and sleeplessness.
Q 4. Stress is one of the most common parts of modern lifestyle. Irrespective of age and
occupation, today we have come to accept stress and stress-induced conditions as part of
living. From times immemorial, yoga has played a big part in de-stressing. One of the most
important components of destressing is called yog nidra. Also known as yogic sleep, it is
now widely recommended and practised to make our lives more comfortable. The best
part of this yogic practice is that while it brings the same calm as during sleep, it is done
with the practitioner being fully conscious.
(a) What is special in the practice of yog nidra?
(b) What are the benefits of yog nidra?
Ans. (a) Yog nidra is a powerful relaxation technique while remaining fully conscious unlike
in sleep. Best practised in the morning, however, it can be done any time of the day. This is a
lying down type of meditation which has profound physical, physiological and spiritual
benefits. Proper rest that ensues causes better functioning of the immune and metabolic
systems as well.
(b) Rest, increased awareness and de-stressing are the immediate benefits of yog nidra.
This, in turn, helps train the mind, increases creativity, improves memory and learning
capacity. Yog nidra also balances the nervous system, improves the level of sleep and
enhances mood and overall well-being.
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