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YOGA
By Poonam Sagar
5000 year old carvings from the Indus Valley civilisation depicts a Yogi sitting a meditation posture. The first known written reference is 3,500 in the Rig Veda. I am reffering to Yoga or as it is known in India - YOG.
Yoga is one of the 6 schools of hindu philosphy focusing on mediation as a path to self-knowledge. In India yoga is seen as a means to both physiological and spiritual mastery. However, outside india it has become primarily associated with a form of excercise. Mr K Doren Singh is the yoga teacher from the Jawahar Lal Nehru Indian Cultural Center in Jakarta. He is originally from Manipur, a North Eastern state in India.
Hi first introduction to Yoga was from watching his father who is also a yoga teacher in Manipur. He was very impressed by pictures of yoga asanas which adorned the walls of his house and he would imitate the same with his innate physical flexibility. He participated in yoga contests and was judged the best contestant and this encouraged hm to take this up as a career. Mr K Doren attended the college of Yoga in Banaglore and graduated at the top of his class and was also judged to be the best nationwide in a yoga competion. He has since worked with ICCR as a yoga instructor and performer.
Yoga however is not merely physical contortions into postures called asanas but comprise of the following eight steps:
1. Yama - the moral values
2. Niyama - the spritual principles
3. Asana : postures
4.Pranayama : regulation of breath
5.Pratyhara: withdrawal of mind from external objects
6.Dharana : concentration on one object
7.Dhyana : Meditation
8.Samadhi : Supreme Harmony.
and in usual practise we only learn about step 3 & 4 at health clubs or other yoga lessons. Awareness of yoga is required to reap the benefits of this process which is integration of mind-body-soul. Mr K Doren is currently working on his book on Yoga, excerpts of which are available online here.
The JNICC offers courses on Yoga from beginner to advanced with Mr K Doren Singh, at JL Iman Bonjol 32, Jakarta and you could get more details at the Indian embassy website www.embassyofindiajakarta.org His most popular course is the chanting of the Maha Mritunjaya Mantra.
He then demonstarted the Suryanamaskara and various other asanas very gracefully and with great flexibilty.
For more details on courses, etc please contact jnicc@indosat.net.id
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