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| Updated June 16, 2008
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Yoga and Beyond...with Dr. Alan Fox
Yoga and beyond....The ever popular Dr. Alan Fox, joins us again for 3 nights this Fall for what is sure to be an insightful and fascinating look at this often poorly understood subject. Don't miss this one. What is yoga? What is the nature of yoga? Is it really what we in the West take as an exotic exercise class? Come hear noted University of Delaware professor Alan Fox deliver an indepth and interesting look at what Yoga is really all about. He will cover Patanjali Yoga Sutra’s and the Sheath model sometimes referred to as embodiment technologies. This three week program will explore this topic in a rich and deep way.
About YogaThe term yoga comes from a Sanskrit word which means yoke or union. Yoga means union of the parts of ourselves, which were never divided in the first place. Yoga literally means to yoke, from the root yuj, which means to join; it is the same as the absorption in the state of samadhi. Sutra means thread, and this thread, or multiple threads, weave a tapestry of insight and direct experience. Some say that the name of the text uses the word sutra in its plural form, as Yoga Sutras, in that each of the sutras, or threads, comes together to form a complete tapestry. On the physical level, yoga postures, called asanas, are designed to tone, strengthen, and align the body. On the mental level, yoga uses breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation (dyana) to quiet, clarify, and discipline the mind. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali succinctly outlines the art and science of traditional Yoga meditation for Self-Realization. It is a process of systematically encountering, examining, and transcending each of the various gross and subtle levels of false identity in the mind field, until the jewel of the true Self comes shining through. When Patanjali codified, or compiled the Yoga Sutras, no new system was created, but rather, the ancient practices were summarized in an extremely organized and terse way. While the Yoga Sutras are thought to be as old as 400 BCE, archaeological evidence and other texts suggest that the methods described in the Yoga Sutras were being practiced as early as 3000 BCE. Oral tradition states that the period may be even longer. Yoga originated in ancient India and is one of the longest surviving philosophical systems in the world. Some scholars have estimated that yoga is as old as 5,000 years; artifacts detailing yoga postures have been found in India from over 3000 B.C. Yoga masters (yogis) claim that it is a highly developed science of healthy living that has been tested and perfected for all these years. Yoga was first brought to America in the late 1800s when Swami Vivekananda, an Indian teacher and yogi, presented a lecture on meditation in Chicago.
DirectionsWestminster Presbyterian Church is located 1502 W. 13th Street in Wilmington. For directions go to their web site at www.wpc.org or call 302-654-5214. Printable Map Or visit Google Maps (see below)or a similar web site for directions, which are also available by calling (302) 651-9533 |
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