Spirit: key to spiritual practice
The combined effects of toxins in the body and stress on the mind make modern people tense and anxious. Only when the toxins and stress are removed will we enjoy a supple body and real health. A parable found in the Yoga Sutra tells the story of a large tree and a small blade of grass. When a flood occurred the large tree got washed away, but the blade of grass, relying on its flexibility and tenacity, managed to survive. The moral of this story is echoed in the Daoist aphorism "flexibility overcomes solidity." A flexible person is actually very patient and determined, and is also highly adaptable.
"If as soon as you leave your yoga class you make a beeline to the hotpot restaurant and pig out as a way of rewarding yourself, or your company encourages you to attend on-site yoga classes simply to increase your stamina so that you can work even more overtime, you'd be better off without yoga," says Hung Kuang-ming, laying bare some of the pitfalls that often beset yoga practitioners.
Yoga is a Sanskrit term whose most basic meaning is "yoking" or "joining." It is derived from the Sanskrit verbal root yuj, meaning "to yoke," which is related to the Indo-European root yeug, "to join," "to integrate," "to unify." Based on its Sanskrit meaning, then, yoga can be translated as "self-unification." Only through integration of body, mind and spirit is it possible to get in synch with the rhythm of the universe. Thus, in addition to asanas, orthodox yoga practice also includes cultivating love of self, others, and all sentient beings. Environmental protection and organic food can be seen as ways of putting the philosophy of yoga into practice.
Adopting a healthy diet is the first step towards purification of body and mind. Since food is our primary source of energy, it is seen as the secret path to the spirit, and thus plays a prominent role in the practice of yoga. The ancient dietary teachings of yoga distinguish three different types of physical constitutions: wind, fire and earth, each of which has its own unique requirements with regard to how and what to eat. According to Hung, this is a highly refined science based on detailed study of the relationship between the body and the natural world. It rejuvenates the body and improves the quality of life by improving the quality of food.
There is an adage in the West: "Of all the food we eat in a day, only one quarter maintains the body; the other three quarters maintain the doctor." Natural vegetarian food plays an important role in the yoga practitioner's pursuit of integration of body, mind and spirit. In view of the influence food has on the mind, as well as the ethical principle of non-harming, food is classified according to three principles: sattva (purity), rajas (activity, passion), and tamas (inertia, darkness). Those who practice yoga asanas should try to eat more foods of the sattvic type. Acaryas (spiritual guides) of Ananda Marga only eat foods of the sattvic type.
"Merely learning the movements and practicing breathing exercises is not enough. If your diet and mind remain unhealthy, it won't be easy to find spiritual balance in life," says Hung.
In 2004 Tim O'Reilly, founding director of the American publishing group O'Reilly Media, coined the term "Web 2.0," which refers to the next phase of Internet services characterized by online collaboration and interaction. This can be seen as analogous to the next phase of the "yoga lifestyle" which is beginning to emerge, which is also based on the spirit of interaction, collaboration and sharing. As it moves away from a fixation on mastering difficult asanas to the pursuit of integration of body, mind and spirit, the peaceful yoga revolution is taking center stage in Taiwan.
Yoga is not just for women; classes for children and men are becoming increasingly popular. Above is Hung Kuang-ming leading a yoga class for children. Below two men help one another with leg stretches.
Recent increased interest in Taiwan in the integration of body, mind and spirit through yoga--reminiscent of the New Age Movement which began in America in the 1960s--is gradually evolving into the pursuit of "the art of living."
As the initial giddy excitement begins to subside, the Taiwanese are beginning to gain a more mature understanding of orthodox yoga. Practicing asanas in the pursuit of health and beauty is being supplemented by mantra recitation and meditation, and yoga in Taiwan is slowly evolving into a full-fledged spiritual practice.
Yoga is not just for women; classes for children and men are becoming increasingly popular. Above is Hung Kuang-ming leading a yoga class for children. Below two men help one another with leg stretches.