About Yoga

Classes at The Yoga Center of Huntsville focus on teaching yoga postures (asana) and breathing exercises (pranayama), along with an introduction to yoga philosophy. Asanas exercise every part of the body, stretching and toning the muscles and joints, the spine and entire skeletal system. The asanas work not only on the frame of the body but also on the internal organs, glands and nerves, keeping all systems in radiant health. The asanas release physical and mental tension and unleash vast resources of energy. Pranayama energizes the body and helps control the mind, leaving the practitioner feeling calm and fresh. Through the regular practice of yoga, persistently toning and relaxing the body and stilling the mind, one can come to glimpse a state of inner peace --the individual's true nature.

Yoga is one of the six fundamental systems of Indian thought. It is the oldest documented system of personal development, inclusive of the body, mind and spirit. Yoga practice forms a ladder to perfect knowledge through eight stages: self-control (yama), religious observance (niyama), postures (asana), regulation of the breath (pranayama), restraint of the senses (pratyahara), steadying of the mind (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and profound contemplation (samadhi). Achieving samadhi liberates the self from the illusions of sense and the contradictions of reason, leading to an inner illumination.

In the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna explains the meaning of Yoga as a deliverance from contact with pain and sorrow. It is said:

When his mind, intellect and self are under control, freed from restless desire, so that they rest in the spirit within, a man becomes one in communion with God. A lamp does not flicker in a place where no winds blow; so it is with a yogi, who controls his mind, intellect and self, being absorbed in the spirit within him. When the restlessness of the mind, intellect and self is stilled through the practice of Yoga, the yogi by the grace of the Spirit within himself finds fulfillment. Then he knows the joy eternal that is beyond the pale of the senses, which his reason cannot grasp. He abides in this reality and moves not therefrom. He has found the treasure above all others. There is nothing higher than this. He who has achieved it, shall not be moved by the greatest sorrow. This is the real meaning of Yoga --a deliverance from contact with pain and sorrow.