Where Did Yoga Come From

Today’s society is much faster paced that ever before. People have more stress problems which lead to more health problems, mental and physical. There are more concerns with toxicity in the food we eat and the air we breathe. Millions of Americans today live a sedentary lifestyle, which is associated with obesity. The body, the cavities of our soul, was not meant to deteriorate in such a way that leads to disease. Yoga was developed over 5,000 years ago in India and it included spiritual beliefs, physical techniques, and scholarly philosophy.

There is a growing trend to practicing Yoga for many different reasons, which include attaining the yoga body or physique, relaxation and peace of mind, or to prevent injury and ailments. Americans mainly practice Hatha Yoga, which focuses on postures and stretching the body.

Yoga, which is derived from the sacred Sanskrit language of India, meaning *union* or *to yoke or harness*. Yoga is a way or path to transcendence and liberation from the self and the ego by purifying the mind and body. Practicing yoga leads to a union with the mind and body or the individual and universal consciousness. In other words, yoga is the union with the Individual Self and the Universal Self. Yoga predates all other religions and has influenced and inspired many other traditions and philosophies. Yoga is better understood as a union of the physical, physiological, mental, emotional, and intellectual bodies, which leads to a purposeful and balanced life.

There is simply no other discipline quite like yoga because it utilized the body, mind and spirit, all in one practice. Yoga is indeed a spiritual path that is based on ancient sacred philosophy, but one does not need to make an ethical decision when practicing yoga, rather finding your own path is wholly accepted. The holistic benefits of yoga are suitable for the young or old, sick or well, with any religious background. The secrets of yoga are inwardness, concentration, and purification of mind and body with cleansing thoughts and food. Indian philosophy states that within man is the spirit that is the center of everything. *Internal equilibrium is the basis and the ground for the higher illumination,* The cultural Heritage of India (Vol. I) – published by The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata, India

Yoga An Effective Tool To Develop Psychic Abilities

In order to develop your psychic ability, you need to have a greater level of consciousness which could be attained mainly by practicing Yoga. It is an Indian traditional form of breathing meditation by which one can awaken the seven chakras in the body. A person continuously practicing yoga will definitely know how to develop psychic abilities in him. Certain people are born with these psychic powers but some people need to recognize and develop them in due course through various practices. Once you start to practice these methods regularly, you will be able to understand a persons thoughts without verbal communication or sig languages.

Constant practice of yoga assists an individual to keenly concentrate on the spiritual part of his mind. Yoga awakens the Kundalini power and taps the potentiality of spiritualism. It is a form of exercise that assists a person in the transformation of his conscious mind. Thus, the individual would be able to get the difference between his physical body and his soul or spirit. In order to nourish the psychic abilities of a person, there are five major branches of yoga which are the Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Sankya Yoga and the Karma Yoga. These types of yogas help a person to strengthen his psychic abilities.

Meditation along with yoga helps a person to sharpen his inner true power of psychic ability. With regular practice and much patience and guidance, one can easily achieve these powers. Yoga not only is an exercise but also helps in healing our mind from negative thoughts and feelings. By practicing yoga, you completely focus and take control of your mind and can also speak with your sub conscious mind. The breathing pattern practiced in yoga increases the energy level of your body and also changes the waves in the brain.

The foremost thing you need to do is trust yourself and your talents which is very essential for developing your psychic abilities. When practicing yoga or meditation, try to calm your mind and focus on the breathing. Pay more concentration to your sub conscious mind and try to develop your intuitive feeling by listening or imagining. Think of positive things and trash out the negative feelings or beliefs that have been worrying your mind so far. Apart from clearing your mind, you should also take care of your body with proper diet and exercise.

When you start to practice yoga for at least twice a day, you will be able to easily communicate with your sub conscious mind to make it open to the psychic energy. This would speed up the development of the psychic abilities in a person if you are genuinely committed. Once you get into the psychic living, then a healthy lifestyle is assured. It would result in good link between the sub conscious and the conscious min and also intensifies your faith and confidence towards life. Thus, by practicing yoga, one can achieve the super natural powers of psychic energy.